Grey High looking for some Bosch-magic against Paul Roos

Grey High School and Paul Roos Gimnasium are set to clash in what promises to be a thrilling Premier Interschools encounter on the rugby pitch this weekend at the Markotter Stadium with the first XV’s kicking off at 13:55 pm. 

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com) 

Grey High may have already played in three festivals with six games under their belt, but their 50% victories in 2023 so far won’t be enough to intimidate Paul Roos, who has invested a lot of time and effort into their junior teams since 2019, and these results are starting to show.

Having a strong pipeline provides great depth and an understanding of the style of play that the school wants to implement across the board. 

Grey High’s first game at the Outeniqua Centenary Festival was a hard-fought battle against new kids on the block, Stellenberg from Western Cape.

In a nail-biting finish, the men from Grey just prevailed, beating them 22-20. At the Graeme Festival, Grey faced off against Hudson Park and claimed a comfortable 27-7 victory.

Although they drew at home against Rondebosch, Grey came unstuck during the Easter Festival at St John’s College, losing two out of their three games to Boland Landbou and Pretoria Boys High before turning things around in their last match to beat a Golden Lions XV invitational side.

With only three games under their belt so far, Paul Roos may not have as much experience this season, but they have a rich history as one of the premier South African schools in rugby.

The words Paul Roos and rugby go hand-in-hand, as the great man was the creator of the famous Springbok emblem and name for the South African national team. 

But this weekend, Grey High will need to improve their game if they hope to come out victorious against the formidable Paul Roos.

Paul Roos has produced the most South African players to represent their country on a rugby field, Juandre Kruger,  Willie le Roux, Schalk Britz, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse and Herschel Jantjies to name a few.

Grey High also boasts a proud rugby tradition and record, dating back to the 19th century. They have a number of players who represented the Springboks, including World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi, JJ Engebrecht, and Curwin Bosch, who have all gone on to wear the Green and Gold. 

But enough history, it’s time to talk about the action on the pitch! Grey High and Paul Roos are both renowned for their attacking prowess and hard-hitting defense, and supporters can expect to see some big tackles and lightning-fast line breaks.

Current players to watch from both sides include Paul Roos’ captain and full-back Declan Croy and inside center Philip Groenewald. From Grey High, players to keep an eye on include big lock Likona Sodlaka who is fresh off of two tries against an invitational Lions team at the recent St John’s College Easter Festival. Along with winger Thando Mgidlana who possess’ some  pace and skill.

This will be a game to remember, as both teams leave it all on the field in pursuit of victory. Will Grey High prevail with their experience and tenacity, or will Paul Roos show their dominance as one of the best rugby schools in the country and ensure a victory on their home-turf?

The last ten matches have left Paul Roos sitting with a 60% win rate compared to Grey High’s 40% win rate.

The last time Grey High won a match was back in 2017. A famous one point win back in 2014 when they came from a 20 point deficit thanks to the boot of a young Curwin Bosch, might inspire this current crop of players with the thought that anything is possible? 

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