Welkom Gim to tackle Grey College in Bloemfontein
Welkom Gimnasium travels to Bloemfontein to lock horns with Grey College on Saturday in an early-season showdown, which will give both schools an opportunity to fine-tune their strategies and combinations before the 2024 season gets underway in earnest.
Watch the match live on SuperSport Schools – Register now – Link to the game
Both sides hit the ground running last weekend at the annual President Steyn Sports Day, with Grey beating Hoërskool Trio 40-3 and Welkom Gimnasium, after finding their rhythm in the second half, beating Jim Fouché 31-13.
Grey will appreciate an opportunity to test their defence against the exciting style of play the boys from Welkom offer and, while the odds are heavily stacked in the home team’s favour, the visitors will relish a chance to show what they’ve got against a team of Grey’s calibre.
Pretorius Ekeji had a great game on the wing in Grey’s first outing, and Siyabonga Kenny, who impressed at the Grant Khomo Week last year, joins him on the opposite end of the backline this weekend.
A late injury to Danie Kruger means Emile McGeer gets the start in the front row.
With fullback, Thristan Maree, who played a big part in keeping Grey’s opponents from crossing the try line last weekend, in the mix as well, the Gimmies will need to produce something special to unlock any space.
Players like Renaldo Kiewiet (flyhalf), Ethan Jones (eighth man) and Jayden Auld (lock) have all shown their ability to do just that, and Kiewiet will remember his last outing against Grey, where he left defenders grasping at air to score a try from 60m out.
Still, Grey won that match comfortably, by 71-21, and they’ve continued their dominance ever since, with their last loss coming in the final of the 2022 World School’s Festival against the Kiwi representatives, Hamilton Boys’ High. Since then, the proud rugby school has shown no signs of slowing down, and in 2023 they tore through their competition.
School captain and star centre, Pieter van der Merwe, will make sure that his side stays focussed against the visiting Gimmies before they set their sights on the North/South Rugby Festival. In Pretoria, they’ll face Jeppe on 22 March and King Edward VII on 25 March.
Welkom Gim are also in action at that event, against EG Jansen and Nelspruit respectively. Before that, however, they have two tough outings against Glenwood and Monument.
Grey College vs Welkom Gimnasium at 11:00
Grey College: 15 Thristan Maree, 14 Pretorius Ekeji, 13 Darius Erwee, 12 Pieter van der Merwe, 11 Siyabonga Kenny, 10 Alzeadon Felix, 9 Philip McLaren, 8 David du Toit, 7 Juliun Cosmo, 6 Xander Smit, 5 AJ Meyer, 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Emile McGeer, 2 Liam van Wyk, 1 Dian Venter.
Welkom Gimnasium: 15 Dyllan Kemp, 14 Terence Tsolo , 13 Joshua Coertzen, 12 Jayden Weideman, 11 Bokang Lesenyeho, 10 Renaldo Kiewiet, 9 Revaldo Farmer, 8 Ethan Jones, 7 Rylen Kirsten, 6 Revaun van Niekerk, 5 Jayden Auld, 4 Diekie Beuken, 3 Zander Olivier, 2 Kganya Molalo, 1 Buhle Mphaka.
