A potential new interschools rugby rivalry is taking shape as Grey High School and Pretoria Boys High School look to establish a fixture between two of South Africa’s most respected English-medium boys’ schools. Both institutions are giants in their respective regions, with large rugby programmes that often make it difficult to find suitable opponents capable of matching their depth across multiple age groups.
For 2025, the schools will ease into the potential derby with an economical trip to Pretoria, limited to just the A-teams and 2nd XV rugby action. It’s being treated as a trial run — one that both schools hope could grow into a full interschools event in future, potentially including hockey and perhaps other sports.
As it stands, however, Grey’s hockey sides won’t be making the journey, as they are currently hosting the prestigious Hibbert Shield, featuring the top 16 schoolboy teams in the country. While Grey’s rugby programme remains fairly well-catered for in terms of fixtures, their hockey teams have long struggled to secure a strong Eastern Cape calendar — something a broader interschools agreement with Pretoria Boys could help resolve. Grey already has Grey College, Paul Roos and Wynberg as long-distance annual interschools events.
If all goes well, this could be the start of a valuable and high-quality annual derby between two proud institutions.
| TEAM | PRETORIA BH | TEAM | GREY HS |
| 1 | Jeffrey Singo | 1 | Daniel Naude |
| 2 | Marnus Wessels | 2 | Evan Mucka |
| 3 | Queenton Mncube | 3 | Ross Adkinson |
| 4 | Matimu Maluleke | 4 | Riley Higgs |
| 5 | Pieter Lindeboom | 5 | Joandre van Jaarsveld |
| 6 | Tristin Heinz | 6 | Cody Wilmot |
| 7 | Banele Mashaba | 7 | Sibo Stuurman |
| 8 | Akin Akingbola | 8 | David Melariri |
| 9 | Michael Fourie | 9 | Ryan Swarbrick |
| 10 | Reinier Kruger | 10 | Ray-Dylan Wilkinson |
| 11 | Neo Matlaletsa | 11 | Luc de Villiers |
| 12 | Ofentse Matlebjane | 12 | Noah Mbizi |
| 13 | Callum Nel | 13 | Bradley Myburgh |
| 14 | Rheece Holman | 14 | Akhumzi Masoka |
| 15 | Blake Mager | 15 | Meyer Prinsloo |
| 16 | Lincoln Coenraad | 16 | Blake Parker |
| 17 | Oren Abolnik | 17 | Luke Lindhorst |
| 18 | Mufunwa Masibigiri | 18 | Beast Ntshokoma |
| 19 | FC Furstenburg | 19 | Mpumulelo Magwaza |
| 20 | Nils Pabst | 20 | Raees Williams |
| 21 | Aldo Serfontein | 21 | |
| 22 | Ruan Leonard | 22 | Likhona Nakani |
| 23 | Tyler Mason | 23 | Michael Nyandoro |
@Farmer (Comment #9)
What u say makes sense to me… and however nice the PBHS match sounds in theory…it is a helluva long way to travel with all those boys and teams for just one Saturday…it simply doesn’t sound economically viable.
@Meesh N (Comment #8)</
It just dont make sence if you have a chance againts a top 15 school for a proper weekend considering the fist team only has 13 matches this season.
@Farmer (Comment #7)
Grey has fixtures against all 3 of the traditional border heavyweights, considering they are also 250+km away, it baffles me how they haven’t played Outeniqua yet. Especially when you bring up the primary school thing, they just need to add an extra weekend to their derby list. Or is there bad blood between the two schools?
@Meesh N (Comment #6)
Would be a good fixture just makes much more financial sense to drive to George as to fly to Pretoria nothing against PBHS but Outeniqua is always a top 15 school and the primary school can also have a desent darby as they need it.
Same as Pearson why dont just drive 30km down the road and play them.
Looking forward to see PBHS in PE next year hope they can bring 600+ boys down for a lekke weekend of sport.
@Farmer (Comment #1)
Considering the results from the weekend I would not be quick to suggest that.
1st XV 37-29 to Grey
2nd XV 17-13 to Grey
16A 15-11 to Grey
15A 34-22 to Boys High
14A 12-8 to Grey
Not only are the matchups tight & evenly weighted, PBHS being a boys school & a big one at that, we would offer plenty of fixtures across all age groups A-F & 1st-9th/10ths meaning their entire school could participate in an exchange.
Our u15As & 14As are both ranked in the top 15 & top 5 respectively, as well as a respectable 16A side, with more boys coming in we will be a force again in 2 odd years.
Don’t forget the schools themselves often look to build or strengthen relationships with similar schools as well, no offence at all to the Kwaggas.
Though I do feel it can become taxing on PBHS’s side too considering we have exchanges with MHS, Hilton & double header with Maritzburg. I feel a biennial fixture with Grey would be better suited for both schools.
@Farmer (Comment #1)
The age group results suggest that this could be a very tight fixture in the next few years
@Bungee (Comment #3)
Yeah two better match ups for SBR but both are seriously expensive to pull off as full interschools so hopefully some sponsors come to the party for both
This has the potential then to open a weekend for a Paul Roos – Affies that was discussed here previously
@Farmer (Comment #1)
I get what you are saying. A Grey HS vs Outeniqua derby would be awesome. From what I hear the Outeniqua people really want it to go ahead so its up to Grey to see the value.
For PBHS, big things are happening there now. In a few years time they should be a Top 20 force.
DONT MAKE SENCE