Midway through February 2020 Grey College passed the 1000 days unbeaten mark. The last time the 1st XV coached by old boy Wessel du Plessis lost was over two years ago to Selborne (19-20) on 20 May 2017.
Over and above his demanding 1st XV duties, du Plessis coaches the Cherries (2nd XV) and oversees all the coaching and direction of all Grey’s junior age-group A-teams.
Recently asked what the key to Grey’s success was, his answer was short and very to the point:
“If your team attacks faster than your opponents can defend then you should score and if you defend faster than the other team can attack, you should stop them from scoring.”
Many international teams, clubs, provincial teams and even schoolboy rugby teams adopt the same playing patterns, for example the 1-3-3-1 and 2-4-2 formations. At the top end of each playing level, teams tend to have players of similar physical attributes and abilities. It often comes down to how coaches implement those well-used techniques that determines success.
At Grey, they do not get bogged down by over-coaching structure. Instead simulation plays a big role in developing players. Therefore getting the boys to spend more training time on the field perform drills, forms a big part of training.
The goal is to activate the players’ thinking and reacting by constantly changing the moves they are performing and always encouraging them to execute at a high tempo.
By speeding up the whole process the players’ reactions to different situations and problems will improve.
The end result is players who respond very quickly in match situations, both in attack and defence, mainly thanks to the use of frenetic activities to activate their minds.
Another key ingredient to success at Grey is having more than one coach per team. This allows for the splitting of players into smaller groups and to place greater emphasis on attention to detail. Here at 1st XV level coach du Plessis is very grateful to his team of top quality coaches, which includes the likes of former provincial player Tewis de Bruyn alongside Springboks Helgard Muller and Wian du Preez with others in management available to assist when necessary.
Grey’s 2020 campaign gets underway against Welkom Gymnasium in a home game on the A-field alongside Jock Meiring Street on Saturday 07 March 2020.
The 1st XV line-up:
Grey clinical on attack in that 1st half. 38.7. Welkom Gim look like a competitive team and able to linebreak but Grey scramble and 2nd line D almost as impressive as the handling and speed with which they attack
@Grizzly:
Grey
Gim
Boishaai
Kwaggas
PRG
Affies
@Strepie: Net n dom ou sal met jou stry.Dis net snaaks hier teen Aug hoe die kenners wat so baie gepraat het in Jan baie Stiller is,myself included.
Wat ons ookal gaan sien die jaar Grey 2019 sal jy nie sommer weer vinnig sien nie,beste skole span wat ek nog gesien het,self’s better as Ruben hulle se Grey span
My top 5
1.Affies
2.Grey
3.Gim
4.Kwaggas
5.HJS
Die seuns word baie vryheid gegee binne die strukture, n baie goeie voorbeeld is Franco Knoetse se drie teen PRG meeste spanne sou daadie bal weg geskop het
Wow, baie geluk Grey! Dis ‘n besonderse prestasie. Sterkte vir die jaar en mik vir 2000.
In 2017 wen Boishaai Grey in Bloem en ons wen ook die meerderheid games vir die dag.
Ek wonder toe wat het verkeerd geloop met Grey se rugby. Wel die gerigte van n vroee dood was toe oordrewe. Grey is lewendig en rugby gesond.
In 2018 en 2019 kon ek sien die seuns het nie hulle Grey trots verloor nie ten spyte van n klomp grootmense wat baklei en alerhande gemors wat tussen die hoof en beheerraad gebeur.
Cheers Grey…..Sien uit om julle te sien speel die jaar.
Hierdie Grey span en PaarlGim gaan sake uitspook vir die n1 posisie in SA vanjaar.
Die res gaan net saamdraf, en nie soos honde nie @Grizzly :), en dit is die feite menere.
Sien uit na die seisoen!