To be rated number one on the Ruggas.co.za's ranking you must play the top-ranked schools in South Africa, beat 99% of them and play between 15 or 16 games a year.
Grey College do not need help from special formulas to be ranked the best 1stXV in the country. They remain unbeaten for most of the years, and then also play the top teams in the country including most of the regions in South Africa.
When asking the coaches, parents and/or supporters an opinion on the quality of their 1stXV you will mostly get the same answer. "I do think we will be okay, yip will be not too bad". Enough said. However, I had the pleasure to witness the u/16 and u/17 age groups' that competed at the end of 2021 in two 7's tournaments and they will be more the only competitive.
Grey College have an early start when they travel the last weekend of February to play Welkom Gim. This is followed up by a "training" match against Duineveld before the season starts in earnest.
Garsfontein will travel to Bloemfontein and should be an early test for the men from Bloemfontein before they travel to the Noord/Suid Festival hosted at Affies. Stellenberg and Waterkloof will be "testing" but not quite in the same class.
Outeniqua in George will be testing their "Dream Team" of 2023 with their more than exciting backs running at the Grey defence the whole day. Oakdale is up next, travelling to Bloemfontein with high hopes, unfortunately.
Boland Landbou will be back from Ireland and hopefully up to the task before the two 2022 title contenders will clash. Paarl Gim will be ready while Grey will be looking to take revenge after their 2 point loss at the Monnas Centenary Festival in 2021.
Thereafter Selborne, Boishaai, Affies, Monnas, Pretoria Boys High, Grey High, Glenwood will queue, hopeful to cause the biggest upset of the 2022 schoolboy rugby season.
The action-filled season comes to an end when Paul Roos travel to Bloemfontein for their annual end of the season clash. It should be a very long day for the boys from Stellenbosch.
1stXV Provisional Fixtures (Home team 1st)
26/02/2022 Welkom Gim vs Grey College
05/03/2022 Duineveld vs Grey College
17/03/2022 Fichardpark Rugby Day
12/03/2022 TBC
25/03/2022 Grey College vs Stellenberg (Noord/Suid)
28/03/2022 Grey College vs Waterkloof (Noord/Suid)
09/04/2022 Grey College vs Outeniqua
23/04/2022 Oakdale vs Grey College
30/04/2022 Grey College vs Boland Landbou (Wildeklawer)
02/05/2022 Grey College vs Paarl Gim (Wildeklawer)
07/05/2022 Selborne vs Grey College
14/05/2022 Grey College vs Paarl Boishaai
21/05/2022 Affies vs Grey College
28/05/2022 Grey College vs Monnas
23/07/2022 Grey College vs Pretoria Boys High
30/07/2022 Grey College vs Grey High PE
13/08/2022 Glenwood vs Grey College
20/08/2022 Grey College vs Paul Roos
Other important dates:
17-23/03/2022 u/14A Grey College Festival
03/09/2022 Sentraal 7's
10/09/2022 JF 7's
16/09/2022 Grey College 7's
30/09/2022 Championship 7's Bloemfontein