Historical Overview – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs. Grey College
Paul Roos Gymnasium will play Grey College at Markotter Field in Stellenbosch on Saturday 17 August, in the next Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools, televised LIVE on SuperSport 1 and Supersport 1 HD at 14h15
Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools is a series of 12 matches, which feature the highest profile and most traditional interschool rugby rivalries, from South Africa’s top rugby schools, broadcast live on SuperSport from April to August.
Schoolboy rugby has served as one of the cornerstones of domestic rugby dating back more than a century, and true to its slogan “Honouring Heritage. Playing for the Future”, Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools is about History, Heritage and Tradition. The series, now in its second year, is expected to grow even stronger.
The Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools stories are further captured in 12 magazine shows which preview all the games and provide historical overviews of these traditional schools and highlight other academic, cultural and sporting achievements.
The Rugby Teams of Grey College and Paul Roos first played against each other in 1967. The annual derbies started in 1988 and in 1992 the entire schools started participating in the Interschools. Since 1967 Grey and Paul Roos have met 29 times with Grey winning 22 of these encounters.
There is a very special connection and bond between Grey and Paul Roos:
Both schools are amongst the oldest in SA with legendary founders
Both schools have produced more Springboks than any other school in SA – Paul Roos and Grey (42)
Both schools have strong traditions and very strong old Boy networks
Many legendary old Grey Springboks (and many other old Greys) that now live in the Cape are sending their sons to Paul Roos, such as Theuns Stofberg (old Grey Springbok), Robbie Blair (old Grey Springbok), Frikkie Naude (WP), Chris Smith (WP) and many more
See below Interschools highlights down the years of these two great schools:
1967 – Grey and Paul Roos first met in 1967 at the old Coetzenberg stadium when Grey went on tour to the Cape during the July holidays.
The legendary ’67 Grey College First Team has been regarded by many as one of the greatest Grey First Teams of its era. The team was gifted with outstanding athletes such as the two prop forwards and the two flank forwards (twins Danie and Dennis du Plessis) that formed the Grey Relay team which won the 4×100 m Relay at Free State Interhigh athletics that year.
Dawie Snyman (Springbok) was flyhalf and vice-captain and Wilhelm Landman (Grey School Captain that played Western Province) was Grey’s fullback that year. Grey’s backline was on fire that day with Nelson Babrow at center (WP) and two speedy wings. Grey won this historic encounter 22-0 and one of the highlights was a try scored by the referee – Oom Johnnie Meiring from the Matie Club! One of Grey’s centers went through a gap and with only the Paul Roos fullback in front of him he passed inside.
The man on his inside was Oom Johnnie who caught the ball and then raced towards the tryline to score right under the posts. Only to blow his whistle and to call back play for a scrum where he caught the ball. This was exemplerary of the spirit in which this game was played. Although both teams had tremendous respect for each other and were pretty serious on the field with such a big encounter there was still a mutual respect and camaraderie from both sides.
This cameraderie resulted in numerous friendships that were forged off the field in subsequent years. In the Paul Roos 1967 team was Johan Carinus (who now farms outside Stellenbosch) and among their matrics of that year was business tycoon Johann Rupert and Braam van Velde (who also farms outside Stellenbosch these days). All three Paul Roos old boys became very good friends with the Grey fullback, Wilhelm Landman, and later in life Rupert played a big role in Landman’s career when Landman became the MD of Richmont South Africa.
Today Dawie Snyman (who later became Springbok) is the assistant coach of the Paul Roos First Rugby Team. All these seeds were already planted during the first Grey vs Paul Roos match in 1967 in Stellenbosch.
The legendary 1967 team of Grey College
1974 – Paul Roos went on tour to the Free State and their first game was against Sentraal where Paul Roos lockforward and SA Schools Captain George Rautenbach’s ear was stepped on by a Tralie player and resulted in George missing the Grey game with a hole in his ear.
The Paul Roos team had 3 Western Province Cravenweek players – George Rautenbach, Agie Koch and Jan (Gans) Coetzee. Agie was then chosen as captain against Grey. The majority of the Grey team played for Free State Schools that year and Jan Geldenhuys and Gerhard Weitz were selected for SA Schools. Grey had a strong pack of forwards but was equally matched by Paul Roos with their stalwart WP Cravenweek lock Jan (Gans) Coetzee. Grey won 22-3 and ten days later 14 of the Grey team was selected for Free State Cravenweek which lost against WP. Several of the Paul Roos players played for WP Cravenweek and this time George was fit to play with special protection that was made for his ear.
George became the SA Schools captain later that year that toured overseas along with Jan Geldenhuys from Grey. Both Jan and George became team mates again in subsequent years at Maties in Stellenbosch.
George Rautenbach also founded MEGAPRO in 1986 – South Africa’s first Sports Marketing agency. Today George is not only the face of MEGAPRO but arguably the face of Sports Marketing in South Africa.
1977 – Grey played Paul Roos on tour in the Cape after the Craven Week. The match was remembered as a mud bath and given all the rain leading up to the match the venue was switched to Coetzenberg B field. Despite the heavy field Grey scored four tries and beat Paul Roos 20-10. This Grey First Team had four SA Schools players – Jan Richter, Jacques Nell, Abrie Marais, and Willem Daffue.
SA Schools
Grey also produced a record four old Boys (Morne du Plessis (captain), Dawie Snyman (vice-captain), Theuns Stofberg and Robbie Blair) in the starting Springbok team against the World XV of Willie-John McBride during the inauguration of the new Loftus Versfeld. Two of these Grey old boys’ sons went to school at Paul Roos (Robbie Blair and Theuns Stofberg) while Dawie Snyman is assistant coach at Paul Roos today.
1988 – In 1988 Grey played Paul Roos the first time again since 1977 during a pre-season tour to the Cape. It was their second game of the season on 30 March 1988 at Markotter in Stellenbosch. There was a large crowd and the legendary Doc Craven also attended the game.
The 1988 Grey First Team had five Springboks – Charl Marais, Ruben Kruger, Pieter Muller, Naka Drotske and Heinrich Fuls. Andre Blom went on to play for the US Eagles. The entire Grey First XV was chosen for the starting line up of the Free State Cravenweek that year. Also in the Grey team was Jannie Momberg who attended Paul Roos until std.8 before he finished off his school career at Grey following in the footsteps of his brothers – Niels and Steyn while his younger brother Altus also attend Grey all the way from Stellenbosch. As a result, this was a unique experience for Jannie who was probably the only person at the game that knew all 30 players (many of his primary school friends also played for Paul Roos). Even the referee Johan Carinus (who played for Paul Roos against Grey in 1967) was an old friend of Jannie’s family.
Although Grey had several future Springboks in their team, they were still finding their feet and hadn’t “clicked” as a unit yet in the early season. Nevertheless, Charl Marais scored Grey’s first try in the corner after a grubber from Naka Drotske. The game was fairly close and Grey won the game in the final minutes with a disputed try by Pieter Muller. To most observers he knocked the ball on, however the referee allowed the try and Grey won 16-9.
Grey 1988 First Team winning the Volkskas Shield as top SA Rugby School
1989 – In 1989 it was Paul Roos touring up north during pre-season and played Grey at Shimlapark in Bloemfontein. Grey had two SA Schools players (Naka Drotske and Mark McIntyre) and beat Paul Roos 28-7.
1990 – Grey and Paul Roos were invited to play in the main match of the Van Rensburg Rugby Day in George at the conclusion of the schoolboy rugby season. This memorable festival originated from the Van Rensburg brothers in George who was passionate about schoolboy rugby and wanted to see SA’s top rugby schools compete against each other, especially those who does not get the opportunity to compete on a regular basis.
They were visionaries in the early nineties to host such a festival which was the front runner of many other festivals to follow many years later. The difference with the Van Rensburg Rugby Day and many other Easter Festivals is that the Rugby Day was hosted at the end of the schoolboy rugby season and comprise of one full day of rugby (vs multiple days) and included SA’s top schools as performed throughout the year. It also included many other festivities around George throughout the weekend and thousands of spectators, fans and old boys from across the country attended this unique event which was only in existence from 1990 – 1991.
The build up to the 1990 Final match between Grey and Paul Roos was televised on TopSport TV and legendary rugby critic Zanderg Jansen was doing most of the pre-match build up. He was also the host at the event and was the judge in selecting the best team, forwards and backline of the festival, and man of the match awards from all the top rugby schools participating including Bishops, Paarl Gim, Paarl Boys’ High, Affies etc. The following year Johan Small-Smith (Grey old boy) was passionately involved in the Festival and was also supporting Zandberg Jansen during the announcements on the best teams of the Festival.
Both Grey and Paul Roos was unbeaten leading up to this match and Grey had 5 SA Schools players in their side that year (Pieta Steenkamp, Alex Fenwick, Nico Linde, Jean Craven, and Andre Venter). The 1990 Paul Roos side was the first unbeaten Paul Roos side in 37 years and had two future Springboks – Justin Swart and Cobus Visagie.
It was a tightly contested match with Paul Roos’ forwards gaining the upperhand at scrums while Grey’s backline was firing on all cylinders. Grey’s scrumhalf and future Springbok, Werner Swanepoel, broke blindside from a scrum to score the winning try for Grey with a final score of 17-9.
1991 – The Paul Roos First Team of 1991 will go down as one of the best teams the school has ever produced. On 10 August 1991 as part of Paul Roos’ 125 Year Festivities the Grey First Team and Cherries was invited to play against Paul Roos at Markotter. Paul Benade (old Grey) was instrumental to help finance the transportation of the buses and other logistics for the Grey teams.
The Paul Roos First Team of 1991 had the chance to become the first undefeated Paul Roos team in 38 years and after the narrow defeat against Grey the prior year, this was always going to be the pinnacle of all schoolboy matches in 1991. In addition, Grey had 5 SA Schools players (Andre Venter, Alex Fenwick, Werner Swanepoel, Ollie le Roux and Hugo Venter) including 2 future Springboks – Ollie and Werner. Paul Roos had 2 future Springboks (Justin Swart and Cobus Visagie) in their side which set the table for a massive showdown.
Below Match Report from Cape newspapers:
Paul Roos outclass highly rated Grey College
Paul Roos Gymnasium (12) 20
Grey College (0) 3
“The Paul Roos Gymnasium u/19A side produced arguably its best performance of the 1991 rugby season to whip Bloemfontein’s Grey College 20-3 at Stellenbosch’s Markotter Stadium on Saturday.
It was widely believed that highly rated Grey, fielding 11 Free State Craven Week players, could end Paul Roos’s unbeaten run, but eventually they were outclassed by committed and confident opposition.
The scoreline did not fatter the home team in the least.
Initially it seemed as though the stiff breeze would play a significant role in the match, particularly when Justin Swart landed three penalty kicks within the first eight minutes by judging the wind from behind to a nicety.
But the wind did not prove much use to the hard-pressed visitors in the second half as Paul Roos simply got stronger and stronger to confirm their superiority in all departments, scoring two tries to nil to put the issue beyond any doubt.
For the first time this season, the Stellenbosch school’s backs looked the part while facing tough opposition, particularly during the second half when they ran the ball confidently and judiciously.
Although both Paul Roos tries were scored by forwards, the backs set it up through their quality of play.
Grey were, to say the least, a major disappointment. Only right at the end, when 3-20 down, were they able to mount an attack which seemed likely to produce a try, and even then they were denied that consolation.
Their forwards found the going to tough, to last the pace, while their backs over-elaboration on the attack saw movements come to naught against resolute defense.
Grey’s frustration at having to play under sustained fierce pressure was probably the main reason for the South African Schools centre, Andre Venter, becoming involved in a scuffle with Bles Kemp, the Paul Roos no.8, shortly before the final whistle.
That incident, which ended only after the intervention of people on the sideline, raised questions about the appointment of Dougie Holwill as referee for a match of such magnitude.
Although it was a clear case of foul play, Mr. Holwill did not immediately try to establish from the touch-judge closest to the incident what had happened, and did not speak to or warn the players involved either.
The referee’s inconsistency at the line-outs must have left the players wondering what to expect next. Premature support of the jumper either legal or illegal, and should be treated the same from start to finish.
When two of the best sides in the country (at any particular level) meet, a top-class referee must be in charge. Sadly this was not the case in Stellenbosch on Saturday.”
Paul Roos Gimnasium’s Dream Team of 1991
1992 – After the 20-3 defeat the prior year, Grey was ready to turn the tables in Bloemfontein and won 20-6. This was also the first full Interschools between the schools where all other sports and teams were participating for the first time.
1995 – After 3 dismal years for Grey rugby according to their own high standards, the 1995 Grey First Team turned around 3 years of mixed successes and became undefeated again. This was also the first time that Grey would beat Paul Roos in Stellenbosch since 1988. The final score was 21-10.
1998 – After losing to Paul Roos in Stellenbosch the prior year 12-8, this was a hard contested match in Bloemfontein. Rudolph Froneman scored Grey’s winning try and the final score was 23-15 to the home team. CJ van der Linde (Springbok) played for Grey that day.
1999 – Both teams were unbeaten going into the final game of the season. Paul Roos had won all 20 matches and Grey all 15 this season and between them they had played the elite rugby schools of South Africa. Both defeated Affies and Paarl Boys High while PRG also beat Paarl Gym and Bishops. This was the showdown for the best Rugby School in SA in 1999 at the end of the season.
Both sides chose attack above defence and there were some thrilling tries, notably when Grey fullback Dandre Gerber scored in the corner after a muscular break by impressive flanker Handrew Haupt. That try put Grey ahead 26-21 after Paul Roos had seemingly taken control soon after halftime when, with the wind at their backs, they led 21-14. With a minute of regular time left the score was 26-26. A penalty in front of the posts enabled Grey to win 29-26.
Scorers:
Grey College 29 – Tries: Fullback Dandre Gerber (2), wing Riaan Harmse (2). Conversions: Lock Liam Combrink (3). Penalty: Centre Barry Goodes (1). Paul Roos Gimnasium 26 – Tries: Flank Braam Immelman (2), wings James Voortman and George Hauptfleish. Dropgoals: Flyhalf PJ Bergh (2).
Springboks Wian du Preez (Grey) and Schalk Brits (Paul Roos) played that day.
2001 – Another close encounter in Stellenbosh which Grey won 15-6. Springboks Bismarck du Plessis (Grey) and Andries Bekker (Paul Roos) played that day.
2002 – Grey had several future Springboks and provincial rugby players in their team including Ruan Pienaar, Bismark du Plessis (both Springboks), and Andries Strauss (Sharks). Schalk Ferreira played for SA Schools from Paul Roos.
2003 – Grey won in Stellenbosch and produced 5 SA Schools players – Flip vd Merwe, Richardt Strauss, Adriaan Strauss, Steph Robberts, and Alwyn Hollenbach. Jodie Rose was chosen for the SA Schools from Paul Roos. Jaundre Kruger, who later became Paul Roos’ 50th Springbok played that day when Grey won a nailbiter 18-17 at Markotter.
2004 – In 2004 both Grey and Paul Roos missed some key players towards the end of the season during their Interschools match in Bloemfontein. Grey lost their SA Schools players and the back row included Heinrich Brussow (Springbok), Deon Stegmann (Springbok) en Richardt Strauss (Cheetahs & Ireland). Pieter Myburgh played SA Schools for Paul Roos that year. This was another closely contested game and Paul Roos’ first victory over Grey in Bloemfontein by 21-18.
2006 – Leading into the final Grey derby of the season Paul Roos was the top rugby school in SA and had a magnificent season in 2006. It was a memorable game for Rector Jock de Jager attending his final Interschools as Paul Roos headmaster from 1993 – March 2007. Paul Roos had one of their best teams in years and was the top Rugby School in SA in 2006. Many experts compared this team with the likes of 1991 and 1999 PRG teams. Four backline players from the 2006 Paul Roos team were selected for the final trial for the SA u/20 team – scrumhalf Francois Hougaard, flyhalf Coenie van Wyk and centers Charl Weideman and Stephan Dippenaar. However, neither Hougaard nor Dippenaar made the Craven Week.
In another close encounter, Paul Roos beat Grey 16-11 which resulted in two consecutive Interschools victories for the first time for Paul Roos in Bloemfontein. Springbok Frans Steyn played for Grey in 2006.
2007 – The class of 2007 produced a remarkable Grey First Team which beat Paul Roos with a record score of in Stellenbosch. The Ebersohn twins Robert (Springbok squad) and Sias (Cheetahs) plus Coenie Oosthuizen (Springbok) played for Grey that day.
Grey College defeated Paul Roos with a record score of 40-14 at Markotter-stadium. The visiting team led Paul Roos 17-9 at the break.
Both locks of Grey College, Pieter Labuschagne and Joubert Horn, played well in Grey’s victory. Boom Prinsloo, Roelf Pienaar (both flanks) and Adriaan Theisinger (eightman) also had great performances on the day.
Grey’s SA Schools centre, Robert Ebersohn, showed once again why he was so highly rated in school’s rugby. Under Ebersohn’s captaincy Grey won all 14 their matches this season.
Springbok Willie le Roux played flyhalf for Paul Roos and kicked three penalties in the first half to keep his team in contention untill the break.
This Grey Team had the highest average score for any Grey First Team over the last 40 years with an average of 55 points per game.
One month earlier the Free State Cravenweek team with 15 Grey College boys also put 50 points on WP in the Final of the Cravenweek at the same Markotter stadium beating WP in the unofficial Final 52-3.
2008 – Building on the previous record score at Markotter, the 2008 Grey First Team beat Paul Roos with a record score in Bloemfontein by 47-15. Grey had two SA School players (Francois Venter and Franna du Toit) that year while scrumhalf Kobus Reinach – son of double Springbok Jaco Reinach (Grey 1980) and nephew of another legendary old Grey Herman Reinach (1988) later became the regular no.9 for the Sharks.
2009 – The 2009 Grey First Team equaled the most amount of SA Schools players produced by one school in the starting line-up, namely six – Pieter Rademan (captain), Riaan Britz, Piet Lindeque, Jean Cook, Carl Wegner and Stephanus Kotze. The previous record was also held by Grey in 1981. JP du Plessis played SA Schools for Paul Roos in 2009.
Both Grey and Paul Roos played without their SA Schools players during the last match of the season. Hero of the day was flyhalf Lucas Roothman, who landed the three decisive penalties, while Grey full-back Niel Marais could only manage one. This ended a winning streak for Grey since 2007.
2010 – The 2010 Grey College First Team is regarded as one of the best Grey Teams in modern times. Grey produced six SA Schools players that year – William Small-Smith (captain), Anrich Bitzi, Kevin Luiters, Paul Jordaan, Johan Goosen, and Neethling Fouche. Grey beat all of South Africa’s top rugby schools including Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys’ High, Monnas, Affies, Grey High, Glenwood as away games which is a remarkable performance. Paul Roos also had a very successful season with three SA Schools players (Steven Kitshoff, JP Lewis and Tshotso Mbovane) so the table was set for a climax in Bloem. With tighthead prop Steven Kitshoff Paul Roos had a very strong scrum but was also penalized several times. Johan Goosen scored 36 points (including one try) on the day when Grey won a nail biter 41-29.
2011 – In 2011 Grey played Paul Roos at the Danie Craven Stadium due to construction at the Markotter Field. Paul Roos was leading with only a few minutes left when Grey scored and won the match in the final minutes 36-35. JP Lewis was Paul Roos’ SA Schools Player while Grey had three SA Schools representatives – Jan Serfontein, Dries Swanepoel and Neethling Fouche.
2012 – Leading into the final game of the season Grey had a below average season according to their own high standards while Paul Roos had a strong team with one SA Schools player – Chad Solomon. The game was pretty even through half way of the second half when Grey took control and won by 33-23.
Preview 2013
They may not have the fearsome forwards of a few seasons ago, but the 2013 Grey pack is good enough to hold their own against any opposition. Leading the charge is captain and flanker Marius Louw, a hard, uncompromising player. Louw leads from the front and his bullocking runs have graced many a rugby field this season. His surprise turn of speed have fooled many an opponent this season and this lead to him being one of the top try scorers for the Bloemfontein Boys. Grey will be missing their mercurial fullback EW Viljoen and front rower Ruan Kramer due to SA Schools duty.
The 2013 season is one that Paul Roos will rather forget as soon as possible. Some pre-season form that showed some promise quickly faded into one of the worst seasons in the proud schools rugby history. They were beset with injuries and their star midfielder and SA Schools player Daniel du Plessis could only play a handful of games the whole season. Circumstances were always against them and such was their plight that they could only field their first full strength team at the end of July against Paarl Boys’ High. Paul Roos
demonstrated their strength if they fire on all cylinders by losing only with a point against a very good Boishaai outfit.
This Saturday the form book will be thrown out of the window as the Stellenbosch outfit will try and salvage their season with a win against the old foe. The Paul Roos boys have a lot of pride and a win against Grey will just show what they are really capable of. Grey will not be a pushover as their late seasons results have shown. They are coming down to the wine lands and facing a team with its back against the wall and nowhere to go. This will make for a fantastic showdown on Saturday LIVE on SuperSport 1 at 14h25.
Grey College vs Paul Roos Gimnasium Results down the years:
Played: 29
Win: Grey College 22 – Paul Roos 7
Total Points: Grey College 694 – Paul Roos 436
Average Score: Grey College 22 – Paul Roos 15
29. 2012 Grey College 33 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 23
28. 2011 Grey College 36 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 35
27. 2010 Grey College 41 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 29
26. 2009 Grey College 3 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 9*
25. 2008 Grey College 47 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 15
24. 2007 Grey College 40 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 14
23. 2006 Grey College 11 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 16*
22. 2005 Grey College 16 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 11
21. 2004 Grey College 24 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 23
20. 2004 Grey College 18 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 21*
19. 2003 Grey College 18 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 17
18. 2002 Grey College 19 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 8
17. 2001 Grey College 15 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 6
16. 2000 Grey College 42 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 13
15. 1999 Grey College 29 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 26
14. 1998 Grey College 23 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 15
13. 1997 Grey College 8 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 12*
12. 1996 Grey College 18 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 10
11. 1995 Grey College 21 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 10
10. 1994 Grey College 29 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 31*
9. 1993 Grey College 8 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 28*
8. 1992 Grey College 20 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 6
7. 1991 Grey College 3 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 20*
6. 1990 Grey College 17 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 9
5. 1989 Grey College 28 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 7
4. 1988 Grey College 16 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 9
3. 1977 Grey College 20 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 10
2. 1974 Grey College 24 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 0
1. 1967 Grey College 22 vs Paul Roos Gymnasium 3
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