Stellenbosch marches on Bloemfontein

Paul Roos go up the N1 to Bloemfontein for manifold competitions with Grey College, always such a big occasion.

The Stellenboschers travel in hope - that the N1 will not be snowbound as the N3 was last week and that it will be their turn to win against their redoubtable opponents. It certainly one of the top school matches in South Africa every year.

Some 700 boys from Paul Roos with lots of staff will be rolling in buses up over the mountains, along the Karroo, over more mountains and onto Bloemfontein on the Highveld. In Bloemfontein they will be accommodated by Grey College and its community. It is a massive undertaking. There are 27 rugby teams going up for one thing.

There will be other activities - golf (teeing off at 7 on a winter's morning on the Highveld), biathlon, squash, mountainbiking, tennis, tabletennis, debating, soccer, waterpolo and hockey.

Doff your hats to schools that have the guts to do this.

The Season

The theory is that if you are ever going to beat great Grey, this is the year to do so. It may not have been as magnificent a year as it always is, it is s still a year that the overwhelming majority of Spilth African schools would crave to 'suffer'.

Grey College have lost three matches and they are 4th on the FNB Top 20. Of course, those are great figures, just not as excellent as Grey's usually are. Paul Roos have lost six matches and are 11th on the Top 20.

Grey Bloem have played six matches against teams that were on the Top 20, Paul Roos 13. Paul Roos have had a tougher season.

Results against Common Opponents

Affies: Grey College lost 35-29; Paul Roos won 32-22

Grey PE: Grey College won 22-3; Paul Roos lost 23-19 - in Stellenbosch nogal

Paarl Boys' High: Grey College lost 28-18, Paul Roos 22-17

Paarl Gim: Grey College lost 45-29, Paul Roos 28-8

Westville: Grey College won 43-8, Paul Roos 38-10.

There is not much in that and even less of a difference when you compare the calibre of opposition.

Higher Honours

SA Schools

Astonishingly there were no Grey College boys in the SA Schools side while Paul Roos had hooker Chad Solomon in the side. Solomon will not be playing in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Craven Week

Grey College: EW Viljoen, Pieter Jordaan, Stephan Janse van Rensburg, Barend Bornman, Edward Schmidt, Gareth de Bruin, Dylan Harlen, Awie Thompson, Ruan Kramer, Corniel Els, Andrew du Plessis

Paul Roos: Jason Worrall, 14 Dalen Goliath, 13 Michal Hazner, Ramone Samuels, Chad Solomons, SP Ferreira

Academy Week

Grey College: CJ October, Heinrich Bitzi, Marius Louw, De Ville Piek, 2 Markus Odendaal

In addition Carl Durow, Pieter Faber, Heinrich Sander and Stefan Koen of Grey played for Free State Under-19.

Paul Roos: Gerrie le Roux

Looks stronger on the Grey side but only numerically as Free State were not great this year. They were hammered by KwaZulu Natal, scraped home against Border and beat Valke on the main day when usually they have played the main match. Western Province beat Pumas and South Western Districts before playing the main match of the week - and being hammered by the Blue Bulls.

Experience

Both teams have some players back who were in last year's thriller.

Grey College:  Lezar Marnewick, Henco Greyling,  Edward Schmidt.

Paul Roos: Luhann de Kock, Michal Haznar, Dalen Goliath, Ramone Samuels, Jan Uys, Leonard Duvenage.

The case of Ramone Samuels is a strange one. He played for Western Province at Craven Week in 2011 and again this year. He was chose in the group of 50 that played in trials for the selection of the SA Schools team - and now he finds himself on the Paul Roos bench.

Fishy.

Teams

Grey College: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Pieter Faber, 13 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Pieter Jordaan, 11 Lezar Marnewick, 10 Barend Bornman, 9 Heinrich Sander, 8 Henco Greyling (captain), 7 Marius Louw, 6 Stefan Koen, 5 Awie Thompson, 4 Edward Schmidt, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Andrew du Plessis.

Replacements: 16 Markus Odendaal, 17 De Ville Piek, 18 Dylan Harlen, 19 Gareth de Bruin, 20 Arrie Vosloo, 21 Carl Durow, 22 Stephen Rautenbach, 23 Theo Fourie

Paul Roos: 15 Jason Worrall, 14 Michal Haznar, 13 Luhann de Kock, 12 Marcus Geldenhuys, 11 Dalen Goliath, 10 Chris Smit, 9 SP Ferreira, 8 Ruan Rossouw, 7 Ridge Armstrong, 6 Pieta Smith, 5 Jan Uys, 4 Leonard Duvenage (captain), 3 Corné Stemmet, 2 Gerrie le Roux, 1 Petrus Senekal.

Replacements: 16 JP Botha, 17 Adrian Zevenster, 18 Albie Louw, 19 Ramone Samuels, 20 Alvino Montjies, 21 Carlisle Nel, 22 Pieter Rossouw

Date: Saturday, 18 August 2012

Kick-off: 15.10

Venue: Main Field, Grey College

Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of 23°C, dropping to 7°C

Referee: Johan Wasserman (Free State Referees' Society)

Rugby Programme

Main Field

08.30: 14A

09.45: 15A

11.00: 16A

12.15: 3rd XV

13.30: 2nd XV

15.10: 1st XV

Grey Oval

08.30: 6th XV

09.45: 4th XV

11.00: 5th XV

GCB-A

08.30: 9th XV

09.45: 8th XV

11.00: 7th XV

GCB-B

08.30: 16B

09.45: 16C

11.00: 10th XV

Windmill A

08.30: 16D

09.45: 16E

11.00: 15F

Windmill B

08.30: 15B

09.45: 15C

11.00: 15D

Tom Mix A

08.30: 15E

09.45: 14F

11.00: 14B

Tom Mix B

08.30: 14C

09.45: 14D

11.00: 14E

Results Down the Years

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