Grey College and the Red Army to meet for the first time in 30 years

It has been 30 years since Grey College and King Edward VII’s first teams met each other on the rugby field.
This game has probably been long overdue as the two sides will lock horns in the main match on the opening day of the annual NMI Toyota Noord/Suid tournament hosted by Affies in Pretoria.
Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com) via the app or on DStv Channel 207 (SuperSport Variety 2).
The last time these two sides met was back in 1993. The match that most however remember was the main match of the final day of the St Stithians College Easter Festival of 1986.
Grey College won a closely contested match by 22-18. This was only the third Saints Festival – and at that stage, it was the only schoolboy rugby festival in the country.
Grey College’s midfield pairing of Pieter de Haas and Buks Steenkamp was on song that day. Both completed a brace of tries. For KES on the wing was a certain Gavin Lawless, who later represented the Lions, Sharks, and Western Province at senior level.
De Haas’s second try was scored just before the final whistle and converted by flyhalf, Callie Human. KES took the lead shortly before that at 18-17.
The Red Army won’t be under any illusion that it will be a tougher encounter for them than 38 years ago. They do however have two players within their midst that will be serious contenders to represent the South African Schools’ side later this year.
They are Simphiwe Moyo (flyhalf) and Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker). The latter already made the SA Schools’ side from the Lions’ bench due to some solid performances during the Craven Week in George.
Mnebelele is also captaining the Red Army. KES’ eighthman, Kebotile Maake, is also known to get his side over the advantage line.
This will be Grey College’s third outing of the season. They have eased past both Hoërskool Trio (40-3) and Welkom Gimnasium (52-5). They did however get some extra match practice in chukkas against Grey High School in Somerset East.
KES has played only once this far against Noordheuwel of Krugersdorp. Beating the side from the West Rand by 31-27.
Grey College’s inside centre, Pieter van der Merwe, was already one of the outstanding schoolboy players of the season. If he could build on his performances from last year he will also be a strong contender for the national schools side. Have a lookout for tighthead prop, Danie Kruger‘s work in the scrums as well.
Hooker, Liam van Wyk‘s, contest with Mnebelele will be one of the highlights of the clash.
Another school from the City of Gold Jeppe High School for Boys will face a tough encounter on the first day. They will come up against Paarl Boys’ High.
Boishaai has been devastating in their only match thus far in 2024. They smashed Hoërskool Durbanville by 73-7 during the Porterville Festival. Jeppe has suffered a 31-37 defeat against Garsfontein and also defeated Pretoria Boys’ High by 36-20.
Jeppe’s outside centre and captain, Kuthadzo Rasivhenga, is their danger man. He has the ability to take any defence apart with a moment of brilliance.
Garsfontein and Oakdale Landbou will meet for only the fourth time in history. Last year Garsfontein reached the Bulle from Riversdale a rugby lesson by 59-7. This match was also played during the Noord/Suid tournament. Since their first match in 2017, the rubber between the two schools is tied.
Garsfontein won twice in 2023 (59-7) and 2019 (31-14). Oakdale Landbou came out on top in 2017 (40-19) and 2021 (41-12).
In the clash between EG Jansen of Boksburg and Welkom Gimnasium, there is an exciting clash between Matthew Bergman (Jansies) and Renaldo Kiewiet (Welkom Gimnasium). Bergman has been a vital cog in EG’s backline this year with outside centre, Juandré Jacobs.
Bergman and Jacobs have been in sublime form so far this season as the Jansies have already shown that they are one of the top teams north of the Vaalriver. Both also represented the Valke at last year’s Craven Week.
Kiewiet was the leading point scorer during last year’s Craven Week. The contest with Kiewiet would give Bergman a good idea of where he still needs to lift his performances
The Fixtures:
A-FIELD
18:30 – Grey College vs King Edward VII
17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Jeppe High School for Boys
15:30 – Garsfontein vs Oakdale Landbou
14:00 – Helpmekaar vs Voortrekker (Bethlehem)
12:30 – EG Jansen vs Welkom Gimnasium
11:00 – Hoërskool Nelspruit vs HTS Drostdy
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