It’s Grey vs Grey in Bloem, while Queen’s hosts Selborne
The annual inter-schools meeting between Grey College and Grey High School is one of the most highly anticipated schoolboy hockey matches of the year, and this weekend the two giants will reignite their rivalry.
The action takes place in Bloemfontein, with College facing their counterparts from Gqeberha on the Grey Astro on Friday evening.
The match starts at 18:15. Catch it LIVE on SuperSport Schools.
Coach Andrew Beynon‘s Grey High side is, without a doubt, favoured heading into the clash. They have enjoyed a remarkable run this season.
Despite a heavy schedule, they have lost only three times, against the teams most consider to be the top two sides in the country, South African College High School (SACS), who beat them twice, and Paul Roos Gimnasium.
Against SACS, they went down 2-5 when they visited Cape Town earlier in the season, and they were then beaten by the Cape Town school again, but only after a penalty shootout in the semi-finals of the Hibbert Shield in May.
Since then, the side, captained by SA Schools u18A play-maker, Kian Cambier, has been on a roll, impressing week in and week out. Despite not yet playing to their full potential, according to coach Beynon, they have been prolific goal scorers.
In their first match of the third term, last Friday, they took on York High on the Rectory AstroTurf.
There were some signs of rust in the first half, but they went into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead, thanks to a well-worked Logan Goddard-Ford goal.
They became their usual ruthless selves in the second half, however, scoring a whopping six times more through Cambier (2), Xander Elkington, Ben Ristow, Luke Tait, and Cayden Skinnette.
That performance was a continuation of the dominance they had displayed just before the winter holidays, in May, when they thumped Pearson 7-1, Woodridge College 6-1, and Queen’s College 6-0.
Their clash in Bloemfontein will, however, be a far stiffer test. Grey College will be fired up in front of their home supporters and out to prove a point after they went down 0-1 in Gqeberha last year.
Their task will be a mammoth one, with Grey High presenting significent challenges all over the field. Luke Tait and Cambier have been regulars on the score sheet also season long, while Ristow and Zac Thornton will also bear watching. Then, there’ll be the challenge of trying to beat SA u17 goalkeeper Kaino Broadhurst, who has put together an excellent season.
Grey College, also, has enjoyed a strong season and improved on their form of 2023.
Apart from good showings in the Belgotex Greg Beling, Nomads and KES Easter Hockey festivals, College has played five big derby matches, winning four and drawing one.
They beat Outeniqua 6-0, outplayed previously undefeated Selborne College 5-2, and won 3-0 against Paarl Boys’ High, and 2-1 against Affies. They drew 1-1 with Paarl Gimnasium.
Despite having not played in over two months in Grey College’s colours, many of coach Wayne Coetzee’s players did duty at the u18 SASHOC National Week, where they made up 90 percent of the Southern Free State team. Their match fitness will not be an issue.
They possess, in Matthias Visser, a dangerous drag flicker, who was at the centre of Southern Free State’s challenge.
Luke Mosala and Ayanda Ngxaki are also players to keep an eye on. They were both selected for the SA Schools u18B team after impressing at the inter-provincial week. Goalkeeper Wildré Lloyd also cracked an SA u18B nod.
Others who could cause Grey High some headaches include MJ Bam, Andrew Koupis and Jayden Leech.
In the Eastern Cape, Queen’s College will be back in action for a first time since June when they host Selborne College in Komani.
The fierce rivalry between the sides has been dominated by Selborne over recent seasons. However, Queen’s showed what they’re capable of earlier this season when they frustrated coach KJ Friend‘s Selborne side and claimed a 1-1 draw in East London.
In their most recent action, they went 1-2 down to a very good St Andrew’s College team. Selborne, meanwhile, will be brimming with confidence after they thumped Hudson Park 6-2 last weekend.
In Makhanda, coach Dean Ferreira‘s St Andrew’s side, after a dominant 5-0 defeat of Woodridge last week, will face Dale College.
Stirling and Hudson Park will face off, Kingswood tackles Graeme College, and Pearson hosts Woodridge College.
FIXTURES
Friday, 19 July
16:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Dale College
16:00 – Stirling vs Hudson Park
16:30 – Kingswood College vs Graeme College
18:15 – Queen’s College vs Selborne College
18:15 – Grey College vs Grey High School
TBC – Pearson High vs Woodridge College
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