After two false starts over the past two years thanks to COVID, it is all systems go for the new schoolboy rugby season in South Africa. Twitter has been featuring images of rugby poles going up all around the country as the excitement builds for what should be another interesting season, watching the Boks of tomorrow.
The boys must be so excited to play again. I cannot imagine the headspace the Classes of 2020 and 2021 must have been in after being deprived of meaningfully representing their school and playing the most fun rugby of their lives! They will never have the memories of derby days, played in front of rabid schoolmates, their parents and coaches. I don’t know how I would have coped with school without the chance to play the sports I love for 2 years.
From when I was a young boy growing up in PE, all I wanted to do was play First Team cricket and rugby for Grey High School. Luckily, I got to experience the latter, and the memories of schoolboy rugby days are as vivid now as they were then. I will be going back to PE for my 20 Year Reunion in May and can’t wait to catch up with old friends and teachers to reminisce about the glory days and experience a full-blooded EC Derby Day against Queen’s College.
A few schools started last weekend and this weekend a few more will get their seasons underway, including my oldest school friend, who will be taking charge of the prestigious Michaelhouse First XV for the first time against Helpmekaar in the Midlands. Even he will agree, the REAL start to any season is the Graeme Rugby Day, taking place this year on 19 March. As a proud son of the Eastern Cape, this will always be the season opener, where all the top schools in the province congregate to flex their muscles ahead of the new season.
Going to Grey, I got to experience the Eastern Cape circuit, where I learnt many valuable lessons from coaches, teammates and opponents. In the years I was in high school (1998 – 2002) the Eastern Cape fixtures were extremely competitive, and we all knew each other very well from having played rugby and cricket against each other since u/9.
Rivalries were fierce and matches hard fought. Our games in God’s country took us to the dustbowl of the Rec in Queenstown (often on Queen’s College’s Reunion weekend), via the Graveyard of C.B. Jennings at Dale, to the pristine Lower Field of St. Andrew’s College and along the coast to Selborne, our toughest opponent in the province.
The matches in Uitenhage against Brandwag and Daniel Pienaar were always interesting! From the blaring of Eye of the Tiger in the opposing changeroom for the ‘Tiere’ of Daniel Pienaar, to our opponents spitting in our water buckets at half time away at Brandwag.
The bi-annual train trip to Bloemfontein was the most fun, if the most demoralising on the field, in high school anyway. We also made the trip to Wynberg every two years, where we could test ourselves in the wet Western Cape winter. There was added spice to this fixture as my cousin was at WBHS at the same time.
Having only played U/13B at Grey Junior, I promised the u/13A coach (who would later unearth Siya Kolisi and bring him to Grey) at the end of the 1997 season that he would regret his decision not to pick me when I played First XV in 5 years’ time! I am so proud that this prediction was fulfilled.
Running out on my debut for the First Team in front of a packed Philip Field on Reunion Weekend against St. Andrew’s is my favourite sporting memory. Old Boys from around the world come to PE over Reunion and beating a good ‘Snoozles’ side surely made their trip worth it!
I was not nearly the most talented, but I was bloody determined and gave everything on the field, sometimes my red hair temperament getting the better of me!
Near the end of the College game, whilst leading 21 – 7, future Springbok Ryan Kankowski and I got into a scuffle and a few poor punches were thrown. We were both shown a yellow card and I was under the poles to watch us see out a famous victory. As we trooped off, I was cornered by my old neighbour who was in PE for his 10-year reunion. He made it clear that I had made his weekend with that result!
The barometer for any schoolboy is Grey College. Despite their shameless poaching of players throughout high school and the bursaries they offer to so many boys at the u/13 Craven Week, their record speaks for itself. They are always massive, fit, fast, skillful and almost unbeatable. This is harrowing considering how easily we won against them in junior school, home and away. The 2002 Grey College First XV was ridiculous
They had class all over the field, starting with an unbelievably big front row. I hosted the two props, Riaan Vermeulen and Jan-Toit van Jaarsveld. My mom didn’t make nearly enough food for breakfast for these mutants and that probably angered them a bit more than was necessary! Bismarck du Plessis was their hooker, who is still playing professional rugby for the Bulls, having played 79 tests for the Springboks. It was obvious even then that he would wear the Green and Gold. Their pack overwhelmed us, although they did that to everyone.
They were marshalled around the field by scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, another classy future Springbok who played 88 tests and is also still going strong for the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. Their backline contained speedsters on the wings and power in the centres. I think 11 of their side that day went on to play professional rugby!
They might have won easily, but we had a chance to go ahead early on, if only our fullback had heard me screaming for the ball inside, I could have gone over untouched next to the poles.
I am not a big guy, but the picture below shows the gulf in size between us and that Grey Bloem side. You can see future Bok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, towering over me, when it should be the other way around considering the numbers on our backs.
This match was special not only because we were in the presence of future greatness, but because it also featured THE BIGGEST HIT I have ever seen in schoolboy rugby. From a turnover, our centre, Andre Coetzer, who would go on to become a legend with the UCT Ikeys, swung a pass to the right for our mobile flank Nic Ward-Able. I was behind Andre as he let go of the ball and out of the corner of my eye I saw their diminutive, but powerful wing, Dirkie Froneman coming sharply onto view. He launched himself perpendicular and hit Ward-Able, man and ball. It was such a massive hit that I actually laughed whilst trying to clean the ruck. The biggest comeback since Lazarus was seen later that evening when Nic arrived at the after-party!
I am a terrible loser but whilst sitting demoralised in the changeroom afterwards, I was uplifted when their unbelievably successful coach, Dries van der Wal, came in to commiserate. He said that this team was the best he had ever seen, and he had seen it all. He correctly predicted that we played against a couple Springboks that day.
That would prove to be our last game of the season as our final return match against Selborne in East London was cancelled owing to flash floods. There may be a nagging sense of unfinished business, but I am so proud of what I can look back on. I was so lucky to have such supportive parents, who followed me across the length and breadth of the country, making sure I had good accommodation before every game, and had their support, win or lose (luckily this didn’t happen often).
Since I left school, I have followed Grey’s rugby very closely and have experienced some memorable days watching my beloved alma mater.
2004
Grey High School 17 – Grey College 14
During my first year at Rhodes in Grahamstown, I had an inkling that an upset was on the cards and went home for the Grey Bloem game. They brought another star-studded team to PE, which included a loose trio of future internationals Richardt Strauss, Deon Stegmann and Heinrich Brussow! Their flyhalf that day was one Francois Steyn. The stands were packed and towards the end of the game, and right in front of the baying Grey Old Boys, Steyn’s kick was charged down by Warren Bell, who collected the rebound to score and then kick the winning conversion. There was bedlam at the final whistle!
2008 and 2009
The emergence of Siya Kolisi
In 2008, there was plenty of buzz around the Grey loose trio, in particular the tearaway flank Siya Kolisi. I was lucky to watch him play a few times and he always stood head and shoulders above the other players on the field. He impressed me massively, but I never thought he would go on to achieve what he has, and let’s hope he hasn’t finished yet! He was part of a Grey team who won by 30 points in Stellenbosch against Paul Roos and came close to beating Grey Bloem in 2008 and 2009.
2014
Paul Roos Gymnasium 26 – Grey High School 27
‘Miracle at the Markotter’
Grey featured in the Premier Interschools clash against Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch in 2014, which was aired live on SuperSport. Grey surely produced one of the biggest comebacks, especially against a school as decorated as PRG. Check the game out on YouTube! Grey were 26 – 0 down at one stage, thanks in a large part to future World Cup-winning scrumhalf Hershel Jantjies. Despite this, we clawed our way back into the game with some outstanding long range tries, reducing the deficit to 26 – 24, when we won a penalty for a lineout infringement in injury time. Curwin Bosch, the Sharks flyhalf, stepped up and slotted the kick from close to the touchline to cue delirious scenes in the stands and on the field.
I watched the game at the Wanderers Club with two Old Greys and their dad, a former Paul Rooser. He was making us have Jagies at half time but left with his tail between his legs at full time! These rivalries and tribalism is what makes SA schoolboy rugby so great.
2016
Grey 44 – Bishops 0
On the Saturday of the Saints Easter Festival in 2016, I invited a number of work colleagues to the beer tent for the day, with the main feature being Grey’s lunch time kick off against Bishops. I was a bit nervous before the game but need not have been! Grey were excellent from start to finish and should even have won by more. It ended up being a great night in the tent, wearing my Grey Supporters gear with pride, having watched the boys put on the most impressive display of the day.
Probably my most treasured possession is my 2002 Grey First team jersey, which took a LOT of blood, sweat and plenty of tears to get. I keep it with me at all times, except when I am in Mongolia. So, it was a leap of faith in taking it to Siya’s book signing at Sandton City late in 2021. I wasn’t as interested in him autographing my copy of his book as I was in getting him to sign my jersey and establishing a bond, having worn the same jersey, 7 years apart.
After 2 years with virtually no school sport, I am certain crowds will flock back to school fields up and down the country to watch the Class of 2022 write their own history. The South African rugby scene will be different this year, and in the future, with the URC and Currie Cup now ending in June. This means there will be more attention on games at the end of the school season, with only the Boks to keep us occupied in July and August.
Craven Week will take place at Rondebosch Boys’ High in Cape Town this year, in the week leading up to the third test between the Boks and Wales in the city. I secured tickets for the test this week and have rearranged my travel plans to make sure I can see the business end of the week, a great way to build up to the test match at the new spiritual home of SA Rugby!
Perhaps I love schoolboy rugby ‘cos that is where I reached my ceiling? Whatever it is, I can’t wait for the season to start, and I am hoping to be in Joburg for the Saints Festival over Easter, where we have an intriguing set of games against Bishops, St. Alban’s and Maritzburg College.
I am still passionate about the Grey First XV and will always follow them closely. If it’s good enough for Siya, its good enough for me!
Excellent and heartfelt piece Allen.
Epic read and highly relatable despite me being educated in the Makhanda District of the EC.
From the little Grey boy who in Grade 2 could tell me about cricket games and rugby scores with absolute accuracy, to a 1st team rugby player and passionate and successful Old Grey – what a beautiful journey!
My blood is blue too, and I have considered adopting so I can have the journey all over again.
Well done Allen. This blog is a wonderful trip down memory lane.
P.S. One thing you forgot is in Grade 2 you told me you might be a sports commentator one day. You can add that to your CV now too, as a modern day blogger.
See you at Reunion
Unbelievable read what an absolute pleasure proud to be a Grey PE boy!!!!
As a proud old Selbornian and for that matter a proud Eastern Cape product i really enjoyed the read and may the camaraderie rivalry and friendships formed continue forever.
Excellent, Alan,most enjoyable read,your love for your school and schoolboy rugby is inspiring
Outstanding read. Lovely detail and heartfelt.
Bravo!