Selborne go to PE

There is a mass migration on the east  coast of South Africa. It's not the sardine run, but the trek from East London to Port Elizabeth some 300 km away for the annual match between Selborne and Grey, an FNB Classic Clash.

It's a special visit - 20 rugby teams, 10 hockey teams, three golf teams, three tennis teams, two squash teams, a debating team, a chess team and a band which will not compete but play with the Grey band in a concert. The Selborne people will travel by bus and perhaps privately and Grey will put them up.

Isn't that all marvellous? It's a long weekend when schoolmasters could be doing all sorts of things to suit themselves and here they are creating a wonderful weekend for their boys. It's hard to beat the enthusiastic schoolmaster. And next year there will the reverse migration as Grey go up the coast to East London.

For all the varied activity, the highlight will be, as it always is, the 1st XV match. Win that and you win everything.

At least in theory Grey look the stronger side, but a rugby match is a reality, not a theory.

Sadly it looks as if the weather will literally put a dampner on things with rain forecast for both days - 90%  on Thursday and 60% on Friday.

Ranking

Grey are ranked 13th on the FNB Top 20. Selborne are in the group of  10 schools just below the Top 20. In other words both are top flight rugby schools.

Season so Far

Grey have played 18 matches, winning 15. Opponents include some other schools in the Top 20 - Affies, Westville, Paul Roos, Wynberg with whom they have such a special annual relationship, Outeniqua, St Andrew's and Grey Bloem. Selborne have played 15 matches, winning nine, drawing two and losing three.

Results against Common Opponents

Dale: Grey won 38-3; Selborne won 25-22 and 25-21

Graeme: Grey won 33-24; Selborne won 8-3

Grey Bloem: Grey lost 50-21; Selborne lost 41-5

Nico Malan: Grey won 29-24; Selborne drew 36-36

Paul Roos: Grey won 23-18; Selborne drew 17-17

Queen's: Grey won 20-13; Selborne won 27-21 and lost 14-13

St Andrew's: Grey won 39-14; Selborne drew 17-17

Representative Players

Grey's players are eligible for Eastern Province, Selborne's for Border.

SA Schools

Selborne: Thabani Mtsi  who will not be playing as he is with the SA Schools side which is preparing for matches with England, France and Wales.

SA Schools Sevens

Selborne: Lungelo Gosa

Craven Week

Grey: Dylan Vermaak, Keanu Vers, Martin Groenewaldt, CJ Velleman (captain), Stefan Ebersohn,  Sipathu Pakomela, Bathandwa Cafu, Matthew Alborough, Jeremy Ward (Grey)

Selborne: Matthew Nelson, a prop who weighs 130 kg, Robert Lyons, Jason Steyn, Jedwyn Harty,  Damian Wolvaard, Keegan Gray, Lungelo Gosa (captain), Nanele Tyali

Academy Week

Grey: Johann van Niekerk, Linley Kritzinger, Thembani Mgudu, Bantu Katshwa, Robin Stevens

Selborne: Tango Balekile

Morgan Steyn played for Border Under-16 at the Grant Khomo Week.

Teams

Grey: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Dylan Vermaak, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Chad Momberg, 11 Luca Dalla-Vechia, 10 Garrick Mattheus, 9 Angus van Niekerk, 8 Lamond Bouwer, 7 Johann van Niekerk, 6 CJ Velleman (captain), 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Stefan Ebersohn , 3 JP Jameison, 2 Joshua Mudrovcic, 1 Matthew Howes

Replacements: 17 Robin Stephans, 18 Cavan Tresbiatowsky, 19 Hannu Minnaar, 20 Matthew Alborough, 21 Curwin Bosch, 22 Vincient Moss, 23 Thabani Mgugudo

Selborne: 15 Stuart Dixon, 14 Milani Lubelwana, 13 Keagan Deponselle, 12 Dylan Pietersen, 11 Cwenga Mqingwana,  10 Lungelo Gosa, 9 Keegan Gray, 8 Damian Wolvaard, 7 Jedwyn Harty (vice-captain), 6 Jason Steyn, 5 Robert Lyons, 4 Robert Stanford, 3 Matthew Nelson, 2 Scott Kriel, 1 Mlibo Giba

Replacements: 16 Dillon Domoney, 17 Tango Balikile, 18 Dominic Bank, 19 William Osner, 20 Shaun Bowles, 21 Nanele Tyali, 22 Dallas Sabbagh, 23 Morgan Steyn

Date: Friday, 9 August 2013

1st XV kick-off: 12.55

Venue: Grey High School

Expected weather conditions: Rain (90% on Thursday, 6)% on Friday), a high of 18°C dropping to 7°C on Thursday, and 17°C on Friday, dropping to 6°C.

Rugby Programme

Thursday, 8 August 2013

Philip Field

15.00: Under-16B

16..00: 4th XV

Pyott Field

15.00: 7th XV

16.00: Under-16D

Friday, 9 August 2013

Philip Field

08.00: Under-15A

09.10: Under-16A

10.30: 3rd XV

11.40: 2nd XV    

12.55: 1st XV

Pyott Field

08.00: 6th XV

09.10: 5th XV

10.20: Under-14A

Gordon Field

08.00: Under-16C

09.00: Under-15C

10.00: 9th XV

Pollock Oval

08.00: Under-15D

09.00: Under-14D

Old Grey Field

08.00: Under-14C

09.00: Under-14B

10.15: Under-14B

Results Down the Years:

1972: Grey won 9-0

1973: Selborne won 20-4

1974: Selborne won 10-6

1975: Selborne won 22-21

1976: Grey won 17-11

1977: Grey won 21-4

1978: Selborne won 26-19

1979: Selborne won 22-13

1980: Selborne won 18-12

1981: Grey won 24-7

1982: Grey won 12-10

1983: Grey won 29-9

1984: Grey won 18-6

1985: Selborne won 7-6

1986: Selborne won 15-10

1987: Grey won 12-6

1988: Selborne won 12-10

1989: Grey won 27-3

1990: Selborne won 17-9

1991: Grey won 7-0

1992: No match

1993: Grey won 16-15

1994: Selborne won 50-6

1995: Grey won 18-17

1996: Selborne won 10-8

1997: Selborne won 20-10

1998: Selborne won 31-10

1999: Selborne won 23-22

2000: Grey won 28-0

2001: Grey won 28-12

2002: Grey won 16-15

2003: Grey won 20-14 and 38-13

2004: Grey won 18-16 and Selborne won 20-11

2005: Grey won 16-3 and 62-3

2006: Grey won 16-15

2007: Grey won 18-3

2008: Grey won 38-16

2009: Selborne won 22-15

2010: Selborne won 30-17

2011: Selborne won 29-21

2012: Grey won 28-22