Grey High holds off Hilton College at Standard Bank Grey High Festival
Grey High School finished the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival on a winning note when they defeated Hilton College 20-7 in the final showdown on Monday afternoon, in Gqeberha.
With a stiff south-easterly blowing down the ground, precision play was not always achieved but both sides gave it their all to bring the curtain down on another highly successful showcase of schoolboys’ rugby.
In the main curtain-raiser, Bishops and Michaelhouse also produced a titanic effort, with the former managing to forge ahead in the critical moments to take the bragging rights with a 25-17 win.
The defining score in the Grey-Hilton clash came with just less than 10 minutes remaining when flyhalf Tristan Kemp showed great footwork to dodge and twist his way over the line, just next to the posts.
Hilton had the wind behind them in the second half, but Grey, besides conceding one try, did a good job of cancelling out that advantage.
They often forced their way into the Hilton half and, although the KwaZulu-Natal team was ferocious on defence, the constant pressure eventually told.
In the 51st minute, as the Grey forwards pounded away at the try line without breaking through, Kemp called for the ball. He found a way over and the five-pointer gave the home side significant breathing space. With a successful conversion, which made it 20-7, he gave them a 13-point advantage.
Grey had taken a 10-0 lead into the second half after a penalty from Kemp was followed by a charging run from centre Bradley Myburgh, who scored score near the posts. Receiving the ball from a set move as he cut back against the defence, the midfielder powered his way through and Kemp added the conversion.
In the second half, Kemp slotted a second penalty before Hilton’s fight and resolve were rewarded when no. 8 Emmanuel Dankwa broke through the Grey defensive line to dot down.
It was a similar move to the earlier Grey try, with the big loose forward bashing through the home team’s defences before Liyema Nela added two points with a successful conversion.
With the match poised on knife’s edge, it was left to Kemp to lift Grey’s spirits after they had conceded a last-minute try on Saturday to draw their opening game with Michaelhouse.
Bishops, who led 15-7 at the break, and Michaelhouse, produced some highly entertaining rugby as each side crossed for three tries, but the boot of Alex Laspatzis made the difference as he slotted two penalties and two conversions.
The Cape Town school’s tries came from Daniel van den Heever, Uzoma Ngcwangu, and Rynard Gordon, while Michaelhouse, who pressed right until the end, scored through William Ridl, Noah Bates, and Lwandle Nzama. Stefan Moolman added a conversion.
Earlier, Queen’s College enjoyed a thrilling 17-14 win over Pretoria Boys High. The boys from Komani had drawn their opener 13-13 with St Stithians College.
It was a tense finish, though, with Boys High having a five-metre lineout with time up. The courageous Queen’s defence held firm on their try line, though. When the referee ruled that the ball was held up, the final whistle blew after the hooter had already sounded.
RESULTS
Westville 28-13 Dale
Durban High School 35-5 Selborne
Kearsney 41-31 Hudson Park
Northwood 33-14 Kingswood
Bishops 25-17 Michaelhouse
Grey High 20-7 Hilton
St Charles College 26-13 HTS Daniel Pienaar
Muir 25012 Ithembelihle 26-12
Andrew Rabie 19-5 Mali XV
St Stithians 19-17 Port Rex
