14 November 2026
Despite the pressure and expectations on Wessel du Plessis to steer Grey College's 1st XV back to immediate domination, the new Director and Head of Rugby Affairs will rather concentrate on building a measurable system around the school's coaching staff and developing talent than relying solely on short-term senior results. Although this approach will not immediately produce results on the scoreboard, Grey College is positioned to reap the rewards two to three years down the line.
Grey College enters the 2027 pre-season after losing five matches in 2026. Du Plessis reiterated that sustainable success requires backing the school's coaches and developing players across all age groups rather than chasing quick fixes; however, the majority of the schoolboy rugby fraternity already expects some “bling” in 2027 from Du Plessis back at home.
Appointed by Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White in mid-2020, Du Plessis oversaw the franchise's junior academy and youth pathways at Loftus Versfeld. His role revolved around unearthing schoolboy talent, integrating youth players into high-performance systems, and preparing them for senior professional rugby.
Du Plessis steps back into a Bloemfontein setup that already features six players selected for SA Rugby's Elite Player Development (EPD) squads across the under-16 and under-17 age groups:
* Frans-Paul Troskie: Prop (U17 EPD)
* Neil du Randt: Loose forward (U17 EPD)
* Kingsley Pule: Outside back (U17 EPD, SA U17 7s)
* Jayden Els: Centre (U16 EPD)
* Leon Kruger: Hooker (U16 EPD)
* Tatum Kers: Lock (U16 EPD)
These six players will form the core of Grey College's senior and junior pipelines heading into the 2027 schoolboy season.
Replacing outgoing director Bobby Joubert, Du Plessis will manage the school's broader rugby structures while Jannie Geldenhuys remains 1st XV head coach. Having won 100 of 110 matches as Grey's 1st XV coach between 2014 and 2020, Du Plessis noted that franchise methods must be adapted carefully for schoolboys.
"In high-performance environments, it's constantly about winning rather than development and how to make guys better people," Du Plessis said.
"You are naturally still working with children, and not everyone is going to or wants to play rugby after school. So what you bring back from the professional setup and what you leave behind is important. It's a balance that must be found."
Grey College enters the 2027 pre-season after losing five matches in 2026. Du Plessis confirmed his focus is on building a measurable system around the school's coaching staff and emerging talent rather than relying solely on short-term 1st XV results.
"We must be realistic. There's a difference between winning with the 1st XV and getting a system in place that is sustainable. Our best attribute at the school is our coaches," Du Plessis said.