Paarl Boys' High Elated

It was the schoolboy match that caught South Africa's imagination. And the match lived up to the expectations. They were two excellent sides playing rugby in an excellent fashion and spirit. The concentration of both sides was absolute, the desire to win palpable. They were playing for their team-mates, their school, their community. But for all the intensity of the occasion, the manners were impeccable, the silence at goal kicks absolute and the hand went out to help a fallen opponent up. In short it was a great advert for schools rugby and for what those two great schools stand for and seek to achieve.

It justifies Boys' High's ranking at No.1 on the FNB Top 20 and extends their run of successive victories to 33. It is also the first time that they have beaten Grey  in successive years - and it was a well-deserved win.

A great deal of the victory was built on determined defence. In other words the Boys' High team tackled and tackled again. Even when Grey effected a break there were Boys' High players to scramble in effective defence. Only once did Grey score from a missed tackle. If you watched this match, you saw the personification of determination.

The determined defence also led to the many turnovers that Boys' High enjoyed.

Boys' High also took their chances better than Grey did.

Gianni Lombaard, the Boys' High fullback, opened the scoring with a penalty goal after 2 minutes but the first time Grey's backs ran with the ball they were so smooth and effortless in what they did that they looked certain to overrun the home side. In particular the tall outside centre Janco van Heyningen was impressive and effected several telling breaks, though he was a lonely attacker and so no score resulted.

The first two strong runs were by Grey's speedy left wing Marnus Boshoff, who raced in counterattack the first time he got the ball, and Grey's strong fullback David Kriel.

On the other hand the smaller Boys' High outside centre Manuel Rass was the main provider of two of his side's tries - both scored by tall Gerdre Ferreira. Rass's first touch of the ball was exciting - a clever dummy and then a swivel and acceleration down the right.

A second Lombaard penalty made the score 6-0 after 20 minutes but two minutes later the Grey flyhalf Christopher Schreuder goaled a penalty to make the score 6-3.

When Van Heyningen broke and chipped he seemed certain to score but the brave Boys' High scrumhalf Michael Visser saved the day.

Boys' High went left near the halfway line and five quick passes sent Takir Abrahams racing down the touchline. At the last minute he turned in to wrongfoot the defence and scored the first try of the match. 11-3 after 29 minutes.

A clever pass by Schreuder created an opening for Rikus Pretorius. Grey tapped a penalty and bashed at the Paarl line but a knock-on saved the day for the defenders.

The half-time score was 11-3 to Boys' High.

Early in the second half Van Heyningen chipped, gathered the bouncing ball but was stopped. But a penalty gave Grey a line-out. They mauled and pushed ahead some 20 metres. Stopped, they went wide to the right where Kriel broke through a tackle to score. Schreuder converted. 11-10 three minutes into the second half.

From a good scrum Boys' High went right and Ras broke on the outside and raced ahead. Hemmed in he bowled an overarm pass inside to Ferreira who handed off a would-be tackler and scored a try which Lombaard converted. 18-10 after 43 minutes.

Grey attacked with pick-'n-go but Boys' High won a turnover.

Schreuder and then, a minute later, Lombaard goaled penalties and it was 21-13 after 51 minutes.

Then came an vital score.

Near the halfway line Grey were getting their backs going when they dropped the ball. Rass footed it downfield and raced after it. He gathered the bouncing ball but Van Heyningen tackled him from behind. As he was tackled Rass tried to offload the ball to his right but it was knocked back by a Grey player and Ferreira grabbed the ball and scored. Lombaard converted. 28-13 after 55 minutes.

Boys' High were penalised and Schreuder kicked out for a five-metre line-out. The throw-in went over the head of the intended target but landed in the arms of eighthman Dian Schoonees who spun round and scored. 28-18 with 12 minutes to play.

Grey attacked with vigour. First they were held up over the Boys' High line and then they were close but lost the ball. A penalty relieved the pressure on the home side till they won the ball back and, time up, Visser kicked the ball into the stand.

The final whistle was the signal for unbounded glee.

Scorers:

For Paarl Boys' High:

Tries: Takir Abrahams, Gerdre Ferreira 2,

Cons: Gianni Lombaard 2

Pens: Gianni Lombaard 3

For Grey College:

Tries: David Kriel, Dian Schoonees

Con: Christopher Schreuder

Pens: Christopher Schreuder 2

1st XVs

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Gianni Lombaard, 14 Urgene Johannes, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Hanri van Heerden, 11 Takir Abrahams, 10 Rayhaan Lombard, 9 Michael Visser, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 Francke Horn, 6 Charl Serdyn, 5 Ewie Loubser, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Adam Neethling, 2 Daniel Jooste, 1 Reece Bezuidenhout,

Replacements: 16 Wilhelm Barnard, 17 MJ Strauss, 18 Armandt Conradie, 19 Vian Fourie, 20 Eric Myburgh, 21 Tiaan du Plessis, 22 Gerdre Ferreira, 23 Riaan Barnard

Grey College: 15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers, 13 Janco van Heyningen, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Marnus Boshoff, 10 Christopher Schreuder, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Dian Schoonees, 7 Michiel Burger, 6 Wihan Kloppers, 5 Marcel Theunissen, 4 Jaco van Tonder, 3 Gideo Beukes (captain), 2 Ru-Hann Greyling, 1 Tristan Spies

Replacements: 16 Thian du Randt, 17 Naude Naude, 18 WJ Kruger, 19 Arno Niewoudt, 20 Jaco Wessels, 21 Mario Vieira, 22 PR Serfontein, 23 Rian Heyman, 24 Marius Kearney, 25 Johan Wilken

Referee: Francois Pretorius (Western Province Referees' Socoiety)

Results Down the Years

 

1950: Grey won 10-6

1953: Grey won 12-9

1954: Grey won 6-3

1954: Grey won 8-3

1956: Grey won 13-3

1957: Paarl Boys' High won 9-3

1960: Grey won 14-0

1960: Grey won 11-3

1973: Grey won 24-0

1974: Grey won 21-7

1977: Grey won 29-13

1978: Grey won 29-13

1979: Paarl Boys' High won 16-13

1980: Grey won 13-4

1983: Paarl Boys' High won 14-0

1984: Grey won 19-14

1984: Grey won 32-12

1987: Grey won 31-14

1989: Grey won 23-6

1993: Draw 0-0

1995: Grey won 18-6

1996: Paarl Boys' High won 16-9

1997: Grey won 20-16

1998: Grey won 20-6

1999: Grey won 34-16

2000: Paarl Boys' High won 17-10

2001: Grey won 38-15

2002: Grey won 23-6

2003: Grey won 27-16

2004: Grey won 38-3

2005: Grey won 38-13

2006: Grey won 20-5

2007: Grey won 48-24

2008: Grey won 34-24

2009: Grey won 50-8

2010: Grey won 32-12

2011: Draw 15-15

2012: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18

2013: Grey won 35-28

2014: Grey won 15-10

2015: Paarl Boys' High won 21-19

2016: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18