Paul Roos in Bloemfontein

The competition between the two schools is of the most wholesome kind. Each year this massive coming together of Stellenbosch and Bloemfontein comes at the end of the season as a climax of sorts. It is just a pity that South African Schools matches abstract some of the stars from the match - this year two from Paul Roos, one of whom is Damian Willemse, very much the team's general, and five from Grey. Still the match will be as keenly contested as ever.

There is more than just the rugby, though that involves 25 teams going up from the land of vineyards and sea to the Highveld. There is also hockey, soccer, golf, tennis, tabletennis, chess, waterpolo, mountainbiking, squash and debating in Afrikaans and English.

Of course the 1st XV matters most but look at the results down the years - the scores are mostly close.

The migration is massive - as are the logistics for such an exercise. No wonder the boys and Old Boys of these dedicated schools do so well.

Paul Roos has roughly 1 200 pupils and about 80% of those will be going up in buses to Grey, the last leaving in the early house of Friday morning. 80% of 1 200 = 960!

The match will be televised live (14.00) on Supersport channel 210.

Season so Far

Grey are ranked third on the FNB Top 20, Paul Roos seventh. They are both clearly top teams.

Paul Roos have played 16 matches, winning 11 and losing five. Their opponents include eight schools currently on the FNB Top 20.

Grey have played 14 matches, winning 13 and losing just one. Their opponents include seven schools currently on the FNB Top 20.

Both schools have several top achievers, but then Paul Roos players had huge competition from the three Paarl schools.

Results against Common Opponents

Affies: Grey won 53-29; Paul Roos lost 24-17

Grey PE: Grey won 33-7; Paul Roos won 34-21

Oakdale: Grey won 48-23; Paul Roos lost 23-20

Paarl Boys' High: Grey lost 28-18; Paul Roos lost 28-3

Achievers

SA Schools

Paul Roos: Damian Willemse, Ben-Jason Dixon

Grey: Rewan Kruger, Rikus Pretorius

SA Schools A

Grey: Janco van Heyningen, Dian Schoonees, Jaco van Tonder

Craven Week

Paul Roos: Damian Willemse, Ben-Jason Dixon, Tristan Leitch, Jesse Johnson

Grey: David Kriel, Janco van Heyningen, Rikus Pretorius, Mario Vieira, Rewan Kruger, Dian Schoonees, Juan Venter, Jaco van Tonder, Gideo Beukes, Matthew Wessels, Tristian Spies, Thian du Randt, Naudé Naudé

Academy Week

Paul Roos: Aydon Topley

Grey: Lehlohonolo Makhamba, Henk Cilliers, Jaco Wessels, Christopher Schreuder, M. Burger, L Molefe (Grey College), M Theunissen, WJ Kruger, Ruhann Greyling, W Marais, Wian Kloppers

Teams

Grey College:  15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers, 13 Marnus Boshoff, 12 Jaco Wessels, 11 Nico Prinsloo, 10 Mario Vieira, 9 Rian Heyman, 8 Michiel Burger, 7 Juan Venter, 6 Wihan Kloppers, 5 Jaco de Beer, 4 Marcel Theunissen, 3 Gideo Beukes (captain), 2 Matthew Wessels, 1 Naudé Naudé

Paul Roos: tba

Rugby Programme for 20 August 2016

Main Field

08.00: Under-14A

09.10: Under-15A

10.20: Under-16A

11.30: 3rd XV

12.40: 2nd XV

14.00: 1st XV

Oval

08.00: 5th XV

09.10: 4th XV

GCBA

08.00: Under-16B

09.10: Under-16D

10.20: Under-16E

11.30: Under-16C

GCB B

08.00: 7th XV

09.10: 8th XV

10.20: 6th XV

Windmill A

08.00: Under-15D

09.10: Under-15E

10.20: Under-15C

11.30: Under-15B

Windmill B

08.00: Under-14E

09.10: Under-14C

10.20: Under-14B

11.30: Under-14D

Tom Mix

08.00: 9th XV

09.10: 10th XV

Results Down the Years

1967: Grey won 22-3

1974: Grey won 24-0

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

2014: Grey won 25-20

2015: Paul Roos won 19-12