Grey College will take place in an interesting knockout cup format competition at the Pattana Sports Resort near Bangkok in Thailand.
The matches start on 13 December 2022.
The Rugby Travel XV made up of boys from various Saffa schools will also partake in the festival
@Dixon’s: I think you are confusing facts and excuses. If this GCB team played against the full 2022 AHS, Boishaai, Monnas or Gimmies squads they would have lost as well.
I think that it was a great decision by GCB and we will see the benefits in 2023.
Smallies, haters gonna hate…
@Dixon’s: anyway I didn’t see Glenwood there ….maybe they were to scared to go ….also I have not used it as an excuse ,in fact Im saying its a remarkable result for such a you group of boys ….the only SA school willing to go BTW…..oops sorry I allready mentioned that little fact.
@Dixon’s: actually it didn’t, they did not where the first team jersey…..
@Smallies: Again with the under16/17 side excuse…. the jersey said Grey 1st XV. end of story. Dont send a team, calling it your 1st XV and then turn around and say sorry that wasnt our real team when you get beaten.
@Palma: how so mate an under 16/17 combination team made the final and beat the best England and Whales threw at us ….
@Dixon’s: I agree wholeheartedly. It is somewhat embarrassing for SA school rugby as a whole to have Grey not have a full strength team and then rightfully get beaten comfortably by Hamilton.
I firmly believe a full strength Grey team would beat Hamilton, but as much as we South Africans like to brag that our schoolboy rugby is the strongest in the world (which it is) we are left with eggs on our faces with this result.
Ek het genoeg gesien om ‘n redelike afleiding te maak dat Grey in 2023 die nommer 1 posisie sal beklee
@Jakkals: The NZ school year ends on about 20 Dec, which is a few weeks later than us, so might explain why they sent their final year pupils to this tournament.
I asked my son if he would’ve attended this tournament and missed the matric rage party…and he said no chance. Bear in mind that he’s continued to play rugby after school, so there is even less chance that his other matric teammates would’ve gone. That said, his school is not close to the same league as GCB, so maybe the attitude amongst the GCB matrics might have been different?
@Jakkals: ek dink nie hulle het n keuse gehad oor die oldboys nie ,my redenasie is soos volg
1 Die matrieks is klaar eksamen geskryf en is effektief nie meer deel van die skool nie….
2 Ek twyfel of die unies wat daardie seuns gekontrakteur het hulle sal vrystel om n skool toer mee te maak nadat hulle reeds gekontrakteur is.
Ek dink Grey het presies geweet wat hulle doen en ek glo die was n goeie vuurdoop gewees ,die outjies sal die lesse wat hulle op die toernooi geleer het lank onthou.
@Smallies: Smallies net dat jy weet, ek is n groot Grey ondersteuner en het met groot belangstelling gekyk en gehoop hulle wen. Jy maak ‘n paar goeie punte. Ek was maar met teleurgesteld dat die wereld daar buite nie die GC wat ons sien kon aanskou en teekom nie.
@Dixon’s: @Vleis: @Jakkals:
Why didn’t any other SA school attend? Probably because they just like Grey could not send their First team….Grey on the other hand attended with a preseason combined u16/17 and made the final, unlike any other SA big name school….they also gave Hamilton a damm good run for their money and actually kinda dominated the first 20 minutes…Had they scored those 3 held up tries it would proparbly have been a totally different ball game….as for the English they went there with 3 schools NONE made the final….they should keep their mouths shut …the only School that can say anything about Grey is Hamilton…
@Vleis: I have heard that yes, and that is valid. Can you explain when NZ schools finish their academic year? What age are they when they finish up? If mid-year like some countries, are their players then turning 18, 19 and even 20 years in 2023?
@Jakkals: Bear in mind that Grey did not bring any final year students and the team had never played together before – i.e. a scratch team. However, Hamilton sent the current 1st team, as confirmed by the school themselves. Indeed, their captain received his 50th cap on this tour. Therefore, Hamilton were a year older, much more experienced and would’ve had infinitely more cohesion.
To be honest, I think that Grey did very well considering the significant headwinds that they faced. That said, I don’t think that SA schools should attend in future if they do not sent current 1st teams.
The comments on social media (not this site) about this tournament result is just embarrassing for GCB. Calling themselves the best rugby school in the world pre tournament and then going on and on about how they didnt send their “real 1st XV” to Thailand and that their under 16s and 17s lost only because the other schools had under 18s and 19s. its pathetic and they are rightfully getting roasted by NZ and English fans on instagram facebook and tiktok.
i will say that most GCB fans i interact with in person and on this site are not like that, but the rest out there dont seem to have a grip on reality
@Jakkals: Hamilton was very good
GC got totally dominated physically, and lost the collisions. I was surprised to see that. They tried valiantly and probably played their best game of the series but HB were incredibly physical on defence. I used to tell anyone that would listen that GC would beat any school in the world….it honestly looked like boys vs men.
Goeie dag mnre …..ek post nie meer vreeslik baie maar wil graag my 2sent in die blikkie gooi
1 Nie een van die skole op die toernooi het al regtig die veld aan die brand gespeel nie
2 ek dink nie 35 grade c en n humidityds faktor van 95% kan werklik sorg vir goeie hoe tempo rugby nie .Al die seuns lyk vir my maar redelik flou en almal van ons wat superugby gevolg het weet wat se uitwerking Jetlag het.
3 Als wat ek genoem het plus die feit dat die laaitys nog nooit saam gejol het nie maak n groot verskil.
4 EK HOOP DIE IS DIE LAASTE WSF,Wildeklawer,Noord Suid ,en die ander Paas toernooie is van baie beter gehalte
@Jakkals: maybe those Western Province jerseys they were wearing that messed them up properly…
Watched the second match as well now….disappointing performance by GC standards. I don’t buy the whole story of they’re too young…I’ve never seen the amount of unforced errors, poor decisions and general lack of urgency from GC 1st team. This is not the standards we’ve seen from U16 Grey teams, cherries and even 3rds….even looked like they were missing that usual Grey mentality….having said that I think they were harshly dealt with at times by the ref….massive penalty count.
Grey burgled the win there against Cardiff & Vale. Quite fortunate. Were back peddling for much of the game. Looked like men against boys for long periods of the game. Can’t help but think it was a bit of a mistake accepting the invitation to the tournament knowing they’d use it as a pre season. This Grey side is a different gravy with the likes of Alfondso Isaacs, Lukas Meyer, JH van Heerden, Casper Badenhorst, Caleb Abrahams, Brad Giddy and Alec Mcintryre in the match day 23. Not sure they doing their reputation or brand any good sending an under age and under strength side to the tourney. Having said they’ve done damn well making it to the final…. Hamilton is going to be tough nut to crack…
I am not sure the age bands are correct – Pieter vd Merwe played /16 this year, but is indicated as /17. And yet there are /16’s indicated.
@Jakkals: yip besides if alot of players are missing they will struggle looked very average
GC looked very rusty. Not their usual clinical self but they’ll be better next year…lots of potential in this team. I felt Trinity got a rev up from their management at half time to go at GC…it worked as they got under their skin and dragged them into a arm wrestle. Player that most impressed me on the day was tighthead prop Juan Erasmus…quite a beast.
@boerboel: Correct, but it means that GCB’s team will be younger than the opposition and will have much lower cohesion/continuity as this group has never played together before. The best time to have this festival is in early April or late March – i.e. end of NH season and start of the SH season.
I think this GCB team did well considering the time of year and traveling – expect major improvement the next game. Will again be a force in 2023.
@Vleis: fair enough- but grade 12 s haveleft the school- this is their team for next year i presume
@boerboel: In GCB’s defence, it’s out of season and they have just finished exams, so I doubt if they’ve had great preparation – i.e. no warm up matches, etc. Also, importantly, they haven’t sent any grade 12s – i.e. a very young team.
watch this- early season- gcb looked very average- i presume the played some reserves