2014's Top Schools Clash

This is it. This is the big one, the one that will grab the interest of the national - 1 vs 2 in an FNB Classic Clash. Yes, on Saturday Grey College will play Paul Roos Gymnasium in Bloemfontein.

Currently Grey are ranked first on the FNB Top 20, Paul Roos second and this weekend some 700 Paul Roos pupils will undertake the Great Trek north - in buses rather than oxwagons but with tough battles at the end of the journey was they encounter the great Grey tribe.

Apart from 27 rugby teams there will be 12 hockey teams and people to take part in waterpolo, golf, tennis, tabletennis, chess, computer games, debating, squash and mountainbiking. It is a huge logistical undertaking.

Season So far

Their ranking speaks volumes. In the great number of keen, rugby schools in South Africa, Grey College are ranked No.1 and Paul Roos No.2 on the FNB Top 20 - not an absolute scale but a guideline which says that these are two outstanding teams.

Paul Roos have played 18 matches, winning 16 and losing just two. Grey have played 20 matches, losing one and drawing one. Paul Roos have played nine teams who have been ranked in the Top 20; Grey have played 12.

Both teams lost to Grey. Paul Roos also lost to Waterkloof and Grey drew with Monnas.

They have both had outstanding seasons.

Results against Common Opposition:

Grey PE: Grey lost 27-20; Paul Roos lost 27-26

Paarl Gim: Grey won 15-14; Paul Roos won 16-10

Paarl Boys' High: Grey won 15-10; Paul Roos won 17-13

Dr EG Jansen: Grey won 26-8; Paul Roos won 30-10

That's how little there is to choose between the two.

Representative Teams

Grey players are eligible for Free State, Paul Roos for Western Province where the competition for places is greater.

At Craven Week Western Province beat Free State 37-29. At the Academy Week Western Province beat Free State 43-5.

Academy Week

Grey: Sentle Lehoko, Henry Slabbert, Kassel Rothman, Raynard Esterhuizen,

Paul Roos: Michael Meyer, Mitchell Carstens, Emile Cloete, Muammar Salie, Dean van Tonder

Craven Week

Grey: Louwtjie Steenkamp, Niell Stannard, Mike Andrade, Wayne Wessels, Alex Jonker, De Wet Bezuidenhout, Ruben Schoeman, Jurie Burger, Janu Botha, JC Janse van Vuuren, Ruben Terblanche, IG Prinsloo, Dian Badenhorst, Julian Jordaan.

Paul Roos: Edrich Venter, Edwill van der Merwe, Herchelle Jantjies, Jacques van Zyl, Jerome Korf, Aidynn Cupido

Herchelle Jantjies, who played scrumhalf for Western Province at Craven Week for two Craven Weeks in a row is on the wing against Grey. on the wing

SA Schools

After trials in Kempton Park, a South African Schools team was chosen.

Grey: Ignatius Prinsloo

Paul Roos: -

That means that Grey will not be able to play Prinsloo in Bloemfontein for he will be at Paul Roos for SA Schools' match against England.

Teams

Grey College: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Glenn Erikson, 13 Julian Jordaan, 12 Mike Andrade, 11 Jacques Grobler, 10 Wayne Wessels, 9 Dian Badenhorst, 8 Alex Jonker (captain), 7 Werner Robberts, 6 De Wet Bezuidenhoudt, 5 Kassel Rothman, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Henry Slabbert, 1 Callie Janse van Vuuren

Replacements: 16 Milan du Toit, 17 Ruben Terblanche, 18 Tabo Maree, 19 Marius Stander, 20 CJ Lötter, 21 Tokkie Kasselman, 22 Charl Pretorius, 24 Niel Stannard

Paul Roos: 15 Morné Taljaard, 14 Herchelle Jantjes, 13 Nico Leonard, 12 Edrich Venter, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Aidynn Cupido, 9 Calvin Nel, 8 Michael Meyer, 7 Mitchell Carstens, 6 Jacques Oosthuizen, 5 Emile Cloete, 4 Joa Swart, 3 Jerome Korf, 2 Robert Matthee, 1 Muammier Salie

Replacements: 16 Jacques van Zyl, 17 Christiaan Hamman, 18 Louis Conradie, 19 Carl Prinsloo, 20 Matt Gallow, 21 Reinhardt Fortuin, 22 Joshua Vermeulen

Date: Saturday, 23 August 2014

1st XV kick-off: 14.15

Television programme: 210 - Supersport Select

Venue: Grey College, Bloemfontein

Expected weather conditions: Sunny in a Highveld winter with a high of 16°C and a low of 3°C

Referee: Tiaan Steyn (Free State Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Johan Wasserman (Free State Referees' Society), Marlize Jordaan (Free State Referees' Society)

Rugby Programme

Main Field

08.00: Under-14A

09.10: Under-15A

10.20: Under-16A

11.30: 3rd XV

12.40: 2nd XV

14.15: 1st XV

Oval

08.00: 7th XV

09.10: 4th XV

10.20: 6th XV

11.30: 5th XV

GCB B

08.00: 9th XV

09.10: 8th XV

10.20: 10th XV

11.30: Under-14F

GCB A

08.00: Under-15F

09.10: Under-15E

10.20: Under-15C

11.30: Under-15B

Windmill A

08.00: Under-16B

09.10: Under-16D

10.20: Under-16E

11.30: Under-16C

Windmill B

08.00: Under-14E

09.10: Under-14D

10.20: Under-14B

11.30: Under-14C

Tommix

08.00: Under-15D

Results Down the Years

This year's match will be the 30th between the two schools. Of the 29 so far, Grey have won 22, Paul Roos seven.

1967 Grey won 22-3

1977 Grey won 20-10

1988 Grey won 16-9

1989 Grey won 28-7

1990 Grey won 17-9

1991: Paul Roos won 20-3

1992: Grey won 20-6

1993: Paul Roos won 27-4

1994: Paul Roos won 31-29

1995: Grey won 21-10

1996: Grey won 18-10

1997: Paul Roos won 12-8

1998: Grey won 23-15

1999: Grey won 29-26

2000: Grey won 42-13

2001: Grey won 15-6

2002: Grey won 19-8

2003: Grey won 18-17

2004: Grey won 24-23 and Paul Roos won 21-18

2005: Grey won 16-11

2006: Paul Roos won 16-11

2007: Grey won 40-14

2008: Grey won 47-15

2009: Paul Roos won 9-3

2010: Grey won 41-29

2011: Grey won 36-35

2012: Grey won 33-23

2013: Grey won 40-8