A chance for the small Grahamstown private school Kingswood to pull off a David versus Goliath outcome against regional giants Grey High on Friday, 18 March – first term break up day for government schools in SA* – has been taken off the cards and spectators will not have the opportunity to redefine it as a proper match.
According to a source the match has already been defined as a chukka by chukka scenario practice match which both teams will use to fine tune their tactics ahead of their respective Jozi Easter Festival matches. Last year Grey took on Pearson in what was billed as a warm-up game but somehow got reported on as a proper match.
If this year’s game had been a proper friendly, Kingswood probably won’t have had the opportunity to catch the “Pajama Boys” unawares anyway. Both schools will be in action at Graeme Rugby Day the weekend before their scheduled meeting. Grey coach Tim Fraser therefore has a chance to gather as much intel as possible on the threats that a promising Kingswood side are capable of delivering when the latter takes on Queen’s College in a high profile match at Graeme College.
FYI
*Kingswood is one of a handful of private schools that operates on a THREE term calendar. In 2016 their Summer Term ends just a few days after the government schools. Their Winter Term then runs from mid-April all the way through to the start of August. It’s followed by the final term called the Spring Term. No place for Autumn :-). The bonus for the school kids is there are three decent length midterm breaks as part of the package.
Grey PE has two so called warm up games this year, Muir on the 5th March and Kingswood on the 18th March.
@OG: I couldn’t agree more. Given their respective school sizes, an annual interschools is probably off the cards but certain when a unique opportunity like this presents itself during the regular season, there is no harm in making it a proper fixture.
Last time Grey played
@Queenian: I’ve seen the roster and he isn’t on there so i don’t think so…
@Queenian: QC86 may have mentioned something like that towards the end of last year. I don’t know for sure. Will check and confirm.
@rugbyfan:
I haven’t heard anything of the sort in that regard. I’ve been out of touch lately
@Playa: I also heard a little bird say and not a tick bird that Dale has 2 import’s any truth in that.
@Playa: @Queenian: I did hear that at the end of last year.
Has anybody heard of any boys not arriving back at there schools this year in the Border/EC area it has been surprisingly quite maybe no trouble this year.
I did hear from somebody closely related to Pearson that there were 2 cricket players from Muir there, that,s a shocker.
@Playa: Is Cournty Winnaar doing post matric at Kingswood?
@Queenian: I wish I could be there to catch that game at the Graeme Rugby Day. It promises to be a cracker.
Hopefully one of those losses can be against Dale
Thanks for the info. They should make the Grey vs KC game a proper match then and scrap the “friendly” tag. Could be a cracker.
@Wyvern: @Playa: I think this Kingswood team will be very good they have put a lot into developing this team I know somebody involved there and there aim is to get through the year with no more than two losses.
Time will tell first up QC which could be tough this is also one of those years that QC could be up there as well so maybe Kingswood first win over QC since 1977 is on the cards.
@Wyvern:
Decade it is.
That 2010 side was a quality side. I remember watching them pip a very handy Dale side 14-15 at City Lords a week after beating Selborne at my 10 year reunion (first win against Selborne since 2006). Brought us right back to earth.
@OG: The last time KC played Grey in a competitive match was in 2004 at the Graeme rugby day which Grey won 55odd to nil. Having said that Grey also beat Grey Bloem that year so it was a very good Grey PE side
@Playa: I don’t think i would say “century” but definitely decade
I always try compare teams across years and generations and it’s so difficult. Schoolboy rugby is not the same now as it was even 8 years ago. Last good side KC had was 2010 i would say…
@Playa: “Decade” should read “Century”
@OG: On paper, KC will have a very strong team. Quite possibly the strongest this decade. Grey have some handy players coming back but I hear the bulk of the players will be playing 1st team rugby for the first time this year, so it will be interesting to see how they mix that with the experienced crew. And the fact that there are changes happening in the admin side of things makes them a bit of an unknown entity.
But then again, nothing is ever predictable when it comes to the roll of the oval ball.
@OG: A friend of mine played in the Kingswood 1st team that lost narrowly to Grey in ’89. I’ll have to tell him that it was the second last time that they played Grey in over 25 years!
I’m sure that the Grey side will be very strong as usual, but perhaps not quite as strong as it was in the past two seasons. Kingswood will probably have their strongest side in many, many years.
Does anyone know the history of matches between Grey and Kingswood, they dont often play sadly, unlike the cricket games between the schools which are always exciting and the last time i can remember a 1st XV match was around 1990, which Grey just won.
How strong are the Grey and Kingswood sides going to be this year ? Not much info coming oout of Grey around rugby as there are changes happening.
I’m sure it will be a night “match” on City Lords under lights, good to see even if it is a practice game.
@Wyvern: If you don’t pull it off this year, you’ll have to wait another 50 years….no pressure
@Playa: Agree 100%. With regards to Dale, it’s about time we pulled one over you guys
@Wyvern: Tough season for a tough team. If this team succeeds as expected (just as long as Dale beat them of course)…no one can hate and say they were not tested.
Queens, then Grey, then KES Fest
Hard start to the season but let’s see how it goes, i’m excited!!!!