With both teams having a very good season in 2016, one expected a tight contest especially taking the weather into account. Grey Bloem only losing one game against the number one ranked school Paarl Boys. Grey High have only lost three games so far against Daniel Pienaar, Paul Roos and Dale College.
Playing on a wet and muddy field Grey College played a forward-oriented game while Grey High struggled to handle the conditions. Grey High's inability to handle the conditions was unexpected as they experienced exactly the same conditions last week when they were victorious against Framesby 42 - 17.
The first half saw Grey College dominating but also struggling to convert territorial advantage to points. Wian Kloppers caught the defence and his team mates by surprise when he backed himself with a quick tap penalty. He scored after a brilliant individual effort. Grey High was under pressure throughout the half, but desperate defence and handling errors kept the visitors from scoring. The continuous pressure paid of late in the first half when flank Juan Venter and scrumhalf Rewan Kruger scored to give Grey College a well deserved lead of 19-0 at the break.
Grey High enjoyed more possession as the second half of the game continued. With the yellow card issued to Grey College outside centre Janco van Heyningen and another penalty for a dangerous shoulder charge off the ball, Grey High was seemingly getting back into the game. After continuous pressure by Grey High, College turned the ball over and scored as their right wing Henk Cilliers was to fast for the Grey High defence after a hack ahead.
Then the weather took control of the game, very difficult conditions made for a stop start affair. After one try each in the last quarter saw College walking of the field victorious.
Both sides were well represented at the national youth weeks at Kearsney with Grey College having 23 representatives in the Free State Craven Week (13) and Academy teams (10) and Grey High had nine players all in the EP Craven Week team.
They also managed to produce two SA Schools players each in Khwezi Mafu (no 8) and Sihle Njezula (Utility Back) for Grey High and Rewan Kruger (scrumhalf) and Rikus Pretorius (centre) for Grey College. A Further three players from Grey College received SA A colours (Jaco van Tonder, Dian Schoonees and Janco van Heyningen) while two from Grey High were also included in the SA A squad. (Lubabalo Dobela and Ayabonga Oliphant).
The names of Free State scrumhalf Rewan Kruger, and eigthman, Dian Schoonees must be mentioned as both these boys played vital roles in the victory of College.
Scorers
Grey High – Try: Waqaar Solaan. Conversion: Sihle Njezula.
Grey College – Tries: Wian Kloppers, Juan Venter, Rewan Kruger, Henk Cilliers, Dian Schoonees. Conversions: Maria Vieira (4).
Historic Overview
Grey High and Grey College both have the same benefactor in Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape Colony from 5 December 1854 to 15 August 1861. He founded Grey College, Bloemfontein in 1855 and Grey High School in Port Elizabeth in 1856. During Grey's first tenure as Governor of New Zealand, he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1848). Grey gave land for the establishment of Auckland Grammar School in Newmarket, Auckland in 1850. The school was officially recognised as an educational establishment in 1868 through the Auckland Grammar School Appropriation Act of the Provincial Government. Auckland Grammar school also became the school in New Zealand that produced the most All Black rugby players, much in the same mould as Grey College has become the rugby factory for Springbok rugby players in South Africa.
Grey High School from Port Elizabeth first took the initiative with an inland tour in 1929 that started off with them playing St Andrews in Grahamstown and working their way up north to Bloemfontein. There they played their brother school for the first time and lost 0 -16. They invited Grey College to come down to PE the following year and the Bloemfontein Boys dually accepted and in 1930 they undertook their first tour to Port Elizabeth. In a closely fought match the boys from Bloem again triumphed with a 9-7 win. For some unknown reason lost in the midst of time, the two schools took another 23 years before they played each other again. Grey PE toured to Bloemfontein again and lost 13-3 in 1953. It took another 10 years for the two Greys to square up again and the 1963 game was a drawn match of eight all while the 1968 game was also a draw. The 1972 match introduced the first unbroken sequence of matches that continues until this day. In all that time there was only another two draws in 1973 and 1990. Grey PE won their first match against their Bloemfontein Brothers in 1976 at the anniversary of the tenth meeting between the two teams. On a day of high drama on the Philip Field at Grey PE, Robbie Logan slotted a last minute penalty for Grey High to emerge as 13-12 winners. Since then, Grey High has only been on the winning side a further seven times with their last win coming in 2014, just showing the dominance that their counterparts from Bloemfontein have in the Derbies.
Historic Results between the two teams
Played: 47 (1930-2015)
Won: Grey College 37 vs Grey High 8
Drew: 2
Results Since 2000
2015 Grey College 34 vs Grey High School 22
2014 Grey College 20 vs Grey High School 27
2013 Grey College 50 vs Grey High School 21
2012 Grey College 22 vs Grey High School 3
2011 Grey College 69 vs Grey High School 21
2010 Grey College 38 vs Grey High School 8
2009 Grey College 16 vs Grey High School 0
2008 Grey College 22 vs Grey High School 17
2007 Grey College 44 vs Grey High School 26
2006 Grey College 34 vs Grey High School 21
2005 Grey College 22 vs Grey High School 16
2004 Grey College 14 vs Grey High School 17
2003 Grey College 51 vs Grey High School 16
2002 Grey College 41 vs Grey High School 3
2001 Grey College 18 vs Grey High School 15
2000 Grey College 31 vs Grey High School 6