Grey High have set themselves up for a twin-pronged attack from traditional KwaZulu-Natal rivals when they face Michaelhouse and Hilton College in the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival on March 27 and 29.
The two KZN schools have not been regulars at this tournament in the last decade and their appearances will add an exciting dimension to this annual schoolboy sporting extravaganza.
In fact, there is a strong KwaZulu-Natal thread running through the programme with teams such as Northwood, Kearsney, Durban High School and Westville also featuring over the two days.
It should make for a fascinating series of fixtures against their Eastern Cape opponents.
Grey has always shown good form at their festival, a proud record they will be determined to continue at the end of the month.
But they also know that as the hosts, and one of the top teams in the Eastern Cape, they will have a target on their backs and their KZN opponents will be highly motivated to lay down a marker for the season ahead.
Grey finish off the first day’s programme on Thursday against Michaelhouse and then the festival should come to a rousing conclusion as they take on Hilton in Saturday’s final encounter.
While those shape up as two thrilling match-ups, there will be plenty of other fixtures for school rugby supporters to enjoy, with a total of 66 games being played at five venues.
One of the most intriguing matches on the first day will be the main curtain-raiser between East London powerhouse Selborne College and Durban outfit Westville.
Both schools have been top contenders in their respective provinces for many years and it is sure to develop into a tough battle for supremacy.
Hilton, who were highly impressive when they competed in the Graeme Festival two years ago, will warm up for the Grey challenge with a match against the Graemians on Thursday. It should be a fascinating contest between two motivated teams.
Michaelhouse, meanwhile, are set for another big challenge on a Saturday when they face hard-running Cape Town side Bishops in what is certain to be a fast-paced match.
The first team fixtures are:
March 27
Kolisi Field, 08.00: Queen’s v St Stithians; 9.10: Dale v Northwood; 10.25: Pretoria Boys’ v Kearsney; 11.45: Graeme v Hilton; 12.55: Kingswood v DHS; 14.05: Selborne v Westville; 15.25: Grey High v Michaelhouse
Pollock Oval, 14.05: St Charles College v Port Rex; 15.25: Hudson Park v Muir
Crusaders, 14.05: Ithembelihle v Daniel Pienaar
March 29
Kolisi Field, 08.00: Westville v Dale; 9.10: Selborne v DHS; 10.25: Hudson Park v Kearsney; 11.45: Queen’s v Pretoria Boys’; 12.55: Kingswood v Northwood; 14.05: Bishops v Michaelhouse; 15.25: Grey High v Hilton
Pollock Oval, 11.45: St Stithians v Port Rex; 12.55: St Charles College v Daniel Pienaar; 14.05: Muir v Ithembelihle
Crusaders, 14.15: Mali XV v Woodridge