Paul Roos confronted Grey and won
It was 33°C when the teams kicked off on a wind-still afternoon and it was determined not to get much cooler for the players. Substitutes were welcome.
Grey descended on Stellenbosch with a great reputation - an excellent start to the season with four big wins, an outstanding backline and a South African Schools eighthman in big Kwezi Mafu.
But Paul Roos had their own SA Schools player back, flyhalf Damian Willemse, and his contribution to the victory was immense as his intuitive rugby brain and skills ruled the roost.
A glance at the two sides suggested that Grey were the bigger and so they played a game that brought their forwards into play more than their backs, a mistake as the home pack outplayed the bigger lot with their lively skills and determination.
When Paul Roos scored first, it was the work of their forwards. A penalty gave them a six-metre line-out. After good work by lively hooker Daneel Steinmann, flank Hanré du Toit scored. 7-0 after 9 minutes.
When Grey levelled the scores it was mainly the work of their backs a wonderful try. They moved the ball from wide right to wide left where Kewzi Mafu had an overlap, just inside his own half. He was immediately tackled but popped a pass to Ayabonga Matroos who raced downfield and played inside to Josiah Twum-Boafo, who had a untroubled passage to the line. Lubabalo Dobela converted. 7-7 after 20 minutes.
Paul Roos got the lead back in similar fashion to the first try - penalty, six-metre line-out and maul. This time they drove it over the line with Daneel Steinmann in the dickyseat. 12-7 after 24 minutes.
But two minutes later Grey were leading when flyhalf with the Fred Astaire feet, Lubabalo Dobela, sidestepped three opponents to score at the posts. He converted his own try. 14-12 to Grey after 26 minutes. It is the only time that they led in the game and their period in charge lasted only four minutes.
The third Paul Roos try was different. It went penalty and six-metre line-out but then it changed when the line-out was sacked and they went left - long, strong pass from Tiaan Coetzee to Damian Willemse and he gave a short pass to tall Lyle Hendricks as the centre came in close, beat three defenders and scored. 19-14 after 30 minutes.
The Paul Roos forwards were in the ascendant and were back on the attack when Damian Willemse stood back and dropped a goal as calmly as putting piece of bread into a toaster. 22-14 after 33 minutes.
After a great break by Damian Willemse, Paul Roos eschewed kicking at goal and went for a five-metre line-out. They bashed at the Grey line and Hanré du Toit went in low and hard for his second try. Damian Willemse converted. 29-14 and it was half-time.
At half-time Old Grey Springbok Siya Kolisi played cheerleader to the Grey supporters.
There were only two bouts of scoring in the second half. Grey had the first turn.
They were going left in desultory fashion and fragile handling when the ball reached Ayabonga Matroos on the left wing, near touch. He picked the ball up and raced on a diagonal which took him right to the Paul Roos posts 40 metres away. 29-21 after 47 minutes.
Two penalties got Paul Roos two more five-metre line-outs but their hands let them down and it became a line-out to Grey five metres from their line, which proved more profitable to Paul Roos than their own line-out, for Grey overthrew, substitute Martin Louw got the ball and turned his big body towards the Grey line. Paul Roos bashed and Phillip van Dyk lunged over for a try near the posts. 36-21 after 62 minutes.
That was the final score but the ending was not really a happy one in the heat.
First David-Ley Moses was tackled into touch and when they were getting up Ayabonga Matroos pushed him the face. Incensed David-Ley Moses punched him in the face. The upshot was a yellow card for Matroos and a red card for Moses.
And then with time up, the referee yellowcarded Martin Louw for some sort of tackle offence.
That was a silly ending to an absorbing match.
Scorers:
For Paul Roos:
Tries: Hanré du Toit 2, Daneel Steinmann, Lyle Hendricks,
Cons: Damian Willemse 2
Drop: Damian Willemse
For Grey:
Tries: Josiah Twum-Boafo, Lubabalo Dobela
Cons: Lubabalo Dobela 2
1st XVs
Paul Roos: 15 Joshua Vermeulen, 14 David-Ley Moses, 13 Dylan de Villiers, 12 Lyle Hendricks, 11 Aiden Lombard, 10 Damian Willemse (captain), 9 Tiaan Coetzee, 8 Bruce Coetzee, 7 Johan Joubert, 6 Hanré du Toit, 5 Phillip van Dyk, 4 Jesse Johnson, 3 Tristan Leitch, 2 Daneel Steinmann, 1 Cameron Dawson
Replacements: 16 Martin Louw, 17 JM Fryer, 18 Pieter Nel, 19 Breyten Maritz, 20 Hans Koetsier, 21 Gerado Jaars, 22 Cobus Joubert, 23 WJ Smit
Grey: 15 Sihle Njezula, 14 Khanyo Mafunda, 13 Ayabonga Oliphant, 12 Josiah Twum-Boafo, 11 Ayabonga Matroos, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 David Masterson, 8 Kwezi Mafu, 7 Phillip Weyer-Henderson, 6 Bevan Prinsloo, 5 Conner Thalrose, 4 Tertius Groenewald, 3 Sive Mazosiwe, 2 Aphiwe Febana, 1 Michael Biggs
Replacements: 16 Ruan Jonker, 17 James Scott, 18 Azola Mahonga, 19 Travis Outrum, 19 Praveen Bosch, 20 Waqar Solaan, 21 Damian Smuts
Referee: Nathan Swartz (Western Province Referees' Society)