Grey High out to end Wynberg’s run of wins

Grey High School will be aiming to use the occasion of their Founder’s Day to halt a run of defeats against Wynberg Boys’ High when they clash in a much-anticipated showdown on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha on Saturday, at 15:30.

This encounter is part of the King Price Derby Series.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools!

The home side has not beaten Wynberg since a high-scoring 40-30 win in Cape Town in 2017, but, in fairness to them, since then there have been two draws and two years were lost to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nonetheless, they know that they will be up against a fiercely competitive Cape outfit who will be fully motivated to rain on the Grey Reunion parade by continuing their recent impressive record.

Grey head coach Matt King acknowledged that Reunion Week at the school is always something special. “There is so much going on and the levels of excitement are palpable,” he said. “The team is especially excited as this group seems to really enjoy the challenge of playing against fiercely competitive teams, like Wynberg.”

While they’re playing at home, King knows that it is not necessarily a simple advantage. “It’s definitely a two-edged sword,” he explained. “The guys recognise that the Grey community expects them to put in a proud performance and so that comes with a lot of responsibility.

“On the other hand, it is comforting knowing that 90 percent of those in attendance on Saturday will be behind us.

“Our message to the boys is to embrace the feelings of excitement and anxiety, breathe, and try to enjoy the moment.”

Under co-captains, wing Luc de Villiers and hooker Evan Mucka, Grey has stitched together a decent run this year, with just a loss to the formidable Paul Roos Gimnasium and a draw with Michaelhouse to counter their four victories.

With vice-captain and flank David Melariri an energetic force up front, and fullback Meyer Prinsoo a constant threat, they will be focused on raising their game to the next level.

“The general feeling is that this team has not yet lived up to its potential,” King said. “While we have only lost one game, we would like to put together more complete performances in the games to follow.

“We believe we are improving every week and hope to see more of that improvement this weekend.”

Wynberg has enjoyed a solid season, winning five of their seven matches thus far, and the visitors are also excited about the annual derby.

“It’s special that 650 of our boys get to travel out of the province to compete across a variety of sporting and cultural codes,” Director of Rugby, Nick Groom said.

“They will create lasting memories both on and off the field, and they always look forward to the Grey weekend.

“It doesn’t feel like an away fixture because we have hundreds of high school and junior school boys, as well as parents and old boys, supporting on the sidelines.”

Wynberg knows that Grey boasts a number of threats in their team and they’ll be seeking a disciplined effort to overcome the “blue” surge.

“We will need to be cohesive with and without the ball, and will have to play well as a team, executing our roles selflessly,” Groom said.

The teams:

Grey High School: 15 Meyer Prinsloo, 14 Ahumzi Masoka, 13 Bradley Myburgh, 12 Noah Mbizi, 11 Luc de Villiers (co-captain), 10 Ray-Dylan Wilkinson, 9 Ryan Swarbrick, 8 Sibonelo Sturrman, 7 David Melariri (vice-captain), 6 Cody Wilmot, 5 Joandre van Jaarsveld, 4 Riley Higgs, 3 Ross Atkinson, 2 Evan Mucka (co-captain), 1 Daniel Naude.

Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Daniel Ould, 14 Chad Campbell, 13 Kunene Gadu, 12 Yaqeen Ahmed, 11 Albert Lourens, 10 Achmat Berhardien, 9 Morné Noble, 8 Alvin Machinja, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 James Orwin, 4 Jaythen Orange (captain), 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Noah Gila, 1 Luke Miller.

Results since 2015

2015: Grey 32-20 Wynberg
2016: Grey 24-7 Wynberg
2017: Grey 40-30 Wynberg
2018: Wynberg 36-33 Grey
2019: Wynberg 27-27 Grey
2022: Wynberg 18-16 Grey
2023: Wynberg 37-5 Grey
2024: Wynberg 10-10 Grey