In a new fixture to the Premier Interschools calendar, Grey College hosted Monument in Bloemfontein this past weekend. These schools usually only meet in festivals and it is a worthwhile addition to the fixture list for both schools, being the perennial powerhouses in Free State and Lions schoolboy rugby respectively. Grey College away in Bloem is possibly the toughest fixture for any schoolboy side in South Africa, their depth is unrivalled.
Grey College’s U/14A side did to Monnas what they did to Affies the week before. They were under pressure on their own line when leading by one score, but in the final minute scored a runaway try to seal the win, this time 20 – 10. I was amazed at the size of this Monnas U/14 side! Some absolute monsters in that side already.
Grey College won the U/15A and U/16A matches comfortably. In the U/15A clash, Grey College raced to a 21-0 lead after 10 minutes and won 54 – 0 in the end, righting the wrongs of last week’s loss to Affies. The much vaunted Grey College U/16A side, always a crack outfit, were only ahead 10 – 5 at the break but pulled away to win 54 – 5 in the end, to remain at the top of the rankings for 2022. In the final curtain-raiser, the Grey College Cherries (2nd XV) were dominant throughout and won 40 – 24, setting up a potential clean sweep on the main field.
Grey College welcomed back their star lock, JF van Heerden to the starting lineup, but were missing their captain and loosehead Tat Botha, as well as their excellent flank Lukas Meyer. Their star wing, Alfondso Isaacs also pulled out before the match. Caleb Abrahams, the livewire scrumhalf, was in great form and the men from Bloem were heavily favoured, despite Monnas being ranked #9 in the country according to NextGen XV’s website. Monnas do have an enviable record against Grey College, memorialised on their Honours Board at the school in Krugersdorp.
The first 5 minutes were characterised by errors on both sides in the form of handling errors and kicks being charged down. Grey College soon found their rhythm however.
7’ – From an untidy 5m lineout, Grey College were fortunate when the spilled ball fell kindly to loosehead Jean Erasmus at the front of the lineout, who barged over from 2m out to score in the corner. 5 – 0 Grey College.
8’ – From the kick-off, Grey College conceded a penalty which led to an attacking lineout for Monnas on the 5m line but this was stolen by Grey before flyhalf Bradley Giddy made a good exit.
10’ – Grey College’s towering lock, JF van Heerden, then stole the ball at the front of the Monnas lineout and after Grey recycled the ball on the openside, the tight forwards offloaded skilfully to allow left wing Tolmay to tear up the blindside and he then passed inside to Caleb Abrahams to go over for a good team try. 12 – 0 Grey College.
The next ten minutes saw errors from both sides until Monnas were finally able to capitalise on some sustained territory and possession.
21’ – After Grey knocked the ball on trying to run the ball from their goalline, Monnas recycled the ball through a number of pick and drives before being rewarded with a penalty. After another infringement by Grey close to their own tryline, Monnas finally made their pressure tell. In a rehearsed move, the forwards took a tap and go 5m out and just before contact offloaded the ball to tighthead Dylan du Plessis who crashed over. Game on. 12 – 7 Grey College.
25’ – In a classic coach-killer, Monnas then knocked the ball on from kick-off receipt and from the ensuing scrum, Grey took the ball coast to coast through the backs and then back towards the forwards on the openside before Monnas strayed offside in the midfield. Grey kicked to the corner and from the 5m lineout, set up a perfect driving maul, with eighthman Jean-Henri Smit going over from the back of an unstoppable maul. 17 – 7 Grey College.
28’ – Smit then went from hero to villain when he took the kick off, only to concede a jackal penalty to Monnas under the Grey poles. Monnas decided to take the points to keep in touch. 17 – 10 Grey College.
31’ – From a dominant driving maul into the Monnas 22m, Grey sent inside centre Alec McIntyre to crash up the middle and then went once around the corner before excellent Monnas openside Xander Schoeman stuck like a limpet to the ball carrier and won a crucial jackal penalty under the Monnas poles.
33’ – Monnas kicked to touch but the ball was stolen from their wobbly lineout for the fourth time! Grey gave the ball air and fullback Gunter van Rensburg spotted a massive gap in the Monnas defence and he backed his pace to go over for a crucial try just before half-time. 24 – 10 Grey College.
Half Time
Grey College 24 – 10 Monument
Grey were giving the ball air at every opportunity, with the cohesion between the forwards particularly impressive. They were also forcing Monnas into errors at lineout time and getting the better of the scrums. These errors from Monnas led directly to 19 points, unforgivable against a team of the calibre of this Grey College side. Monnas would need to put in a massive shift in the second half to prevent the scoreboard running away from them.
41’ – As no doubt ordered by the Monnas coaching staff, the Wit Bulle started the second half well, keeping Grey pegged back in their territory through good tactical kicking. After spotting space out wide, Monnas sent the ball to the left where right wing Marcey de Waal collected a bounce pass and after some great footwork, went over untouched, wrongfooting the Grey cross-cover to bring Monnas back into it. 24 – 17 Grey College.
45’ – The revival from Monnas was shortlived. Van Heerden, imperious at the lineout all game, led a driving maul that marched Monnas back 30m, drawing the penalty. Grey could sense blood and from the ensuing 5m lineout they got close through a couple of pick and drives before the alert Abrahams sniped over from close range. 31 – 17 Grey College.
52’ – Under massive pressure in the scrum on their 22m line, Monnas try to set up a phase through their centre but as they were behind the advantage line, and after a solid hit on the Monnas carrier, Grey openside Marno Stopforth swooped in for an easy jackal penalty under the poles. Grey took the points on offer.
34 – 17 Grey College.
The next ten minutes were punctuated by errors, especially amongst the Grey backline, who had they been more clinical, could have put Monnas to the sword. Monnas were getting battered up front!
64’ – After a series of penalties against Monnas, Grey worked their way up to the 5m line of Monnas and from the lineout (inevitably won by van Heerden), set another perfectly formed maul which was unstoppable from so close out. Lock Ranon Fouche scoring for the home side. 41 – 17 Grey College.
70’ – In the final minutes, Monnas finally deciphered the Grey lineout and stole two lineouts from van Heerden but the damage was already done.
Full Time
Grey College 41 – 17 Monument
Grey were helped by a Monument side that made too many errors in the first half and who had no answer to Grey’s forward power. Monnas went backwards at the scrums and couldn’t win their own lineout. Grey were excellent at the breakdown, where they won a number of jackal penalties and only some basic errors in the backline kept the score below 50. JF van Heerden is a certainty for SA Schools as is the Grey scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams. For Monnas, loosehead Sifiso Magwaza and openside Schoeman stood out, as well as their captain and lock, HJ de Beer.
