Wynberg Host Grey

It is a match that evoked great enthusiasm from both schools even though the results, at least of 1st XV matches, have been somewhat lopsided.

The schools started meeting in 1996 when Bruce Probyn was Wynberg's headmaster and his friend Roy Simpson Grey's rector. It was Probyn's idea and in 1996 they took 15 busloads of rugby players and crosscountry runners to Port Elizabeth, starting with the Under-8s from the Junior School

The event was meant to be annual and has been so, except that in 1998 no rugby was played because of a destructive storm. Of the 18 matches played so far, Grey have won 15. There was a draw in 1997 and it was not till 2012 that Wynberg first won  one of the matches, and then it was away in Port Elizabeth.

The 1st XV match is by far the most important part of the contact between the two schools but there is more to it than just that one match. After all there will be 17 other matches on Saturday, starting at eight o'clock in the morning. And the number of activities involved has increased and now includes hockey, squash, surfing, tennis, chess, debating and golf as well as the founding rugby and crosscountry.

In some cases boys from each school have become great friends, staying with each other, home and away, over a five-year period.

There is more to life than a game but it is the game that makes this life development possible.

But back to the 1st XVs.

Results in 2015

Grey

They have won five of their seven matches. Of their opponents two are on the FNB Top 20 – Paul Roos at No.1 and Maritzburg College at No .16.

Grey beat Pearson 25-5

Grey beat Bishops, 24-15

Grey beat Helpmekaar 31-13

Grey lost to Maritzburg College 20-16

Grey beat Pretoria boys High 41-0

Grey lost to Paul Roos 34-3

Grey beat Daniël Pienaar 48-3

Wynberg

Wynberg have won five of their six matches. Rondebosch is the only one on the FNB Top 20, ranked 18th.

Wynberg beat Pretoria Boys High 24-17

Wynberg beat St Alban's 53-0

Wynberg beat St Andrew's 36-12

Wynberg lost to Rondebosch 38-19

Wynberg beat St Stithians 48-0

Wynberg beat Pearson 27-6

Common Opponents

Both teams played against and beat Pearson and Pretoria Boys High, Grey more copiously than Wynberg did.

Achievers

There is certainly a great discrepancy here.  Grey has 10 players in its starting XV who have provincial experience in age-group teams, Wynberg none.

Right at the top of the Grey achievers are two players who were stars in 2014 and were chosen for SA Schools – magical centre with the evasive feet, Keanu Vers, and Curwin Bosch, a multiskilled flyhalf who can make a match play out to his dictates. They are back again, Vers no longer  eligible for Craven Week but Bosch again adding lustre to any side he plays in.

There are three players who went to the 2014 Academy Week – captain Mike de Marco, wing Mohamed Connelly and lock Kamva Dilima.

Nine players went to the Grant Khomo Week – Bosch, Vers, De Marco, Connolly, Dilima, Sihle Njezula, Matthew Lawson, Dylan Barendse and hooker Aphiwe Febana who played for KwaZulu-Natal Under-16 while playing for DHS but then, said to be homesick, he went home to Port Elizabeth, his birthplace and changed to Grey.

Scrumhalf David Masterson and four others went to the Under-13 Craven Week.

Advantages: Certainly Grey's record shines more brightly than Wynberg's does but Wynberg do not have to travel 750 km and they are playing at home.

1st Teams

Wynberg: 15 Mika Ekstrom, 14 Tristan Turner, 13 Daniel Jamieson, 12 Jordan Holgate, 11 Dian Fourie, 10 Dominic Coetzer, 9 Labib Kannemeyer,  8 Michael Scholtz, 7 Callum Steyn, 6 Stephen Mathew, 5 Shaine Orderson, 4 Gideon Boshoff, 3 Adeeb Isaacs, 2 Christian Botha, 1 Romario Henriques

Replacements: 16 Mathew James, 17 Keegan Maart, 18 Yanga Ngcayisa, 19 Dominic Boulle, 20 Daniel Simpson, 21 Mushtaq Rossier, 22 Craig Vinnicombe

Grey High: 15 Sihle Njezula, 14 Mohamed Connelly, 13 Keanu Vers, 12 Josiah Twun-Boafu, 11 Fred Sematimba, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 David Masterson, 8 Matthew Lawson, 7 Michael De Marco (captain), 6 Liam Blake-Taylor, 5 Kamva Dilima, 4 Joe Rooyakkers, 3 Dylan Barendse, 2 Aphiwe  Febana, 1 Tiaan Coetzee

Rugby Programme    

Hawthornden

09.15: Under-14A

10.30: Under-15A

11.45: Under-16A

13:00: 3rd XV                                                                      

14:15: 2nd XV                                                                 

15:30: 1st XV        

Silverhurst A

08.00: Under-14B

09.15: Under-15B

10.30: Under-16B

11.45: 4th XV

Silverhurst B

08.00: Under-16D

09.15: Under-16C

10.30: Under-15D

11.45: Under-15C

Silverhurst C

08.00: 6th XV

09.15: 5th XV

10.30: Under-14D

11.45: Under-14C