Grey College has selected its 1st XV consisting of 23-player squad for the opening game against Voortrekker in Bethlehem on 02 March 2013. The talented team contains a number of players that did duty in 2012. All-in-all 17 Grade-12 students and 6 Grade-11’s make for a very well balanced squad however only one of the Grade-11’s namely flyhalf Michael Andrade will start the game.
Michael Andrade is a certainly a quality player who’s performances are bound to draw a lot of attention this season and in 2014. He has enormous potential. The youngster whose parents are paying his way, moved from SP Swart to Grey College this year. Last year he played for the Free State under-16 team at Grant Khomo week and based on those standout performances he received a call-up to participate in the SA under-16 High Performance Week. He backed this up by making it into the SA under-17 Sevens training squad.
The name Marius Louw should ring a bell by now. The loose-forward is a unique player in that he played at both Academy and Craven Week in 2012. He was also part of the SA gold medal winning team at the Youth Games in Australia. Not only is Louw quick, he is an excellent attacking ball player as well and a sharp defender. He is able to stand out in a structured game but is deadly on attack when things become a little loose.
One area where Grey College will be extremely strong this year is the front-row. Here they have returning props Ruan Kramer and Andrew du Plessis to rely on. Tighthead Kramer stands 1.87m tall and weighs 118kg this year. He is the Rock of Gibraltar! He is also a big ball-carrier for Grey. Andrew du Plessis is a versatile front-row player, capable of playing both prop and hooker. He will not be the heaviest guy on the park but pound for pound he is strong and very mobile, not to mention his good rugby aggression.
With so many talented young schoolboy rugby players around at any given time in South Africa, it’s not advisable to put one’s head on the block and predict a future Springbok at such a young age. This said, if you absolute had to back one youngster this year to go all the way to the top, look no further than EW Viljoen. The Grey College fullback is special. Viljoen is 1.90m tall, comfortably over 90kg and has been described as the complete player. Defensively he is very alert and solid. He is a good decision-maker with wonderful technique resulting in top drawer kick-run-pass options being executed. He will be a constant threat during games this year, be it from counter-attacks, set moves or general open play. Defenders cannot afford to give him any space at all.
Centre Carel Durow is another SA under-17 Sevens gold medal winner. Looking at the overall package, here is a midfielder of 1.84m and over 90kgs who has both pace and good ball-skills. With his zip-factor, he is bound to be lethal on attack and opponents will also find it difficult to get past him.
Reinhardt Arndt (1.87m, 87kg in 2012) is another of Grey’s versatile and reliable forwards. He is capable of playing in the back-row but will be called to serve his school in the second-row, where they have a need.
Big wing Stephan Rautenbach (1.90m) is another of the senior players with 2012 experience who should prove to be a handful for opponents.
On paper this is definitely one of the strongest outfits in the country in 2013.
Grey College starts against Voortrekker before playing against the Harmony Sports Academy on 09 March and Kroonstad (Red School) on 12 March. The complete list of Grey College fixtures for 2013 can be found here: http://schoolboyrugby.co.za/blog/?p=1759
Grey College Squad
Forwards
Andrew du Plessis
Martin Wipplinger
Ruan Kramer
Dylan Harlen
Reinhardt Arndt.
Marius Louw (captain)
Luan Reynders
Andries Kriek
Ruben Terblanché
Jano Botha
JC Janse van Vuuren
Johan Venter
Backs
Heinrich Sanders
Mike Andrade
Theo Ferreira
Johan Nel
Carel Durow
Stephan Rautenbach
EW Viljoen
Dion Badenhorst
Julian Delicado
Casper Fourie
Charl Pretorius
@Queenian: Tertuis Louw lives in Bloem these days my old man knows him quite well so it only makes sense that his 2 boys go to GCB. Big loss for Queens anyway.
@Woltrui: Was jy in n ongeluk betrokke die naweek? Die rooikop stut na wie jy verwys, is Kitshoff, die huidige Stormers LK. Hy was nie heeltemal vertroud met skrumreels nie, en die skeidsregter moes hom maar daarop wys. Dit was egter tot sy voordeel aangesien hy duidelik n les daaruit geleer het en vandag n baie bruikbare speler is. Duidelik, het jy nog nooit die voorreg gehad om vir Quentin Immelman te aanskou nie, en hy hou gewoonlik sy heel beste vir die laaste in die jaar. KZN, die eerlikste? Kaplan en Joubert? Ek glo, die Sharks sal beslis met jou saamstem.
@MaroonPappa: Ja MaroonPappa. Onthou ‘n wedstryd so 2 of 3 jaar terug. Grey Bloem teen Paul Roos. Rooikop stut van Paul Roos was in verwoestende bui. As hy egter aan die Grey outjie vat, strafskop teen hom. Goosen skop deur. Op enige ander plek so Paul Roos die wedstryd met 15 tot 20 punte gewen het. Hulle het Grey behoorlik van die veld gespeel. Tog verloor. As neutrale toeskouer was dit vir my ‘n skokkend. Die skeidsregter in Bloem seker die onregverdigste/swakste
in die land. Terselfde tyd is die skydsregters van KZN seker die regverdigste/beste.
@MaroonPappa: Ag, die klompie is so groot, hulle kan sommer die vleuels gebruik as slotte, as die nood druk. And of course , with QI being the bench mark for rugby integrity and honesty, the Free State simply cannot match that. Have you discussed with him the result yet for the printing of your T-shirts, or are you afraid of an “upset” again, despite—?
I am just glad that we play Grey in Stellenbosch this year.
Never a fair contest in Bloemfontein. (referees)
Grey het nie slotte vanjaar nie
@rugbyfan: Ye i know he had 2 sons and none have been to Queens so could be his sons. I see all the Louw/De Villiers around Venterstad/Bethuile all go to GCB now so you can thank me for our contribution to your school mate.
Ye i think that goes all the way back to you Rugbyfan as your brother was at Queens.
The said Maruis Louw is the son of former Queens great Tertuis Louw (1979) who also played for Free Sate before injury cut he carreer short who played Flank.
Queenian: Put that in your pipe and smoke it boet. He must have seen the light.
@Woltrui, good to hear the supporters gave the 2nd team credit. They were one of only 2 or 3 teams that won on the day. I learnt last year that putting too much expectation on the team does not help. The team has a few new faces so they are an unknown entity. I hope they surprise a few big gun teams this year…..they certainly have one of the toughest fixture lists in the country….
@Queenian: Tell Rob i say good luck,
@rugbyfan: Anyway off to watch my son play cricket against Grey PE this afternoon Under 13 A so hopefully it goes well.
@rugbyfan: I do know that Ian Greig is the only Queenian who played both SA schools cricket and rugby in the same year not sure how many from other schools have done this i dont think to many.
What i can tell you is in 1970 Kenny Mc Ewan was captain of SA schools cricket and turned down the scrum half position for SA schools rugby. And i am sure in 1984 if Daryll Cullinan had made himself available he would have played SA schools rugby as well (No disrespect to MC and Joel Stransky) but Cullinan was a far better school boy fly half than Joel was.
The other one was Tony Greig in 1965 was Captian of SA schools cricket and would have walked into any SA schools rugby team which i think they did not have that year he was just so big as a school boy it would have been a no brainer.
So to answer your question Queens have had only Ian Greig in SA schools Rugby and Cricket in the same year but could have been 4 of them.
@Queenian: Of interest i was reading a story on Tony Greig the other day i see he,s brother Ian was one of the few people to play SA schools Cricket and SA schools Rugby in the same year as far as i know he was Captain of SA school cricket that year and played Fly half for SA school.
I wonder if anybody else did.
@BOG: Ye remember a lot of Spilkin,s at Queens so surprising to see Spilly sporting a Selborne jersey
@rugbyfan: Most likekly you missed your last payroll check in at JJS mate and you had handed in your jersey as bail so now you wont get it back.
@rugbyfan: Im not sure what’s happened there. I put Bog’s back a few minutes ago
Beet: Please put my Grey Jersey back starting to feel like a orphan here.
@QC86: Thanks.
@beet: baywatch told me that Andre Esterhuizen the big new contracted fullback at the sharks academy is already in the vodacom cup side,and he is a machine
@Grasshopper: Grasshopper you are right. Glenwood did beat Affies second team last year. I saw the game. Glenwood played with lots of guts and they were deserved winners. What I also remember is that the Glenwood’s traveling fans and boys really made it an special occasion for the second team. After the match they sang special songs for the team(they showed all what is beatifull about school boy rugby).
Maybe you are a bit cornservative about Glenwood when you say a top 20 position. I think they wil fight for a top 1-10 position.
@Woltrui, here is some perspective for you. Glenwood’s 2nd’s in 2012 beat Affies at Affies 14-10, our 3rd’s lost 7-10 and and 4th’s won 22-10. Quite a few of those boys are back this year so hopefully Glenwood will have the depth. Under16A’s also won 29-27…..so 2013 will be interesting.
@Grasshopper: GCB is playing the Outas at KERF.@rugbyfan: I share your suspicions- I think we need to look no further than the QT alliance. Mind you, if I were them, I would also want a Grey jersey@beet: Just check out the QT lot- almost sure our jerseys are with them.
@Grasshopper: I think you are spot on Grasshopper. In the Noord-Vaal KES will also be strong. I know they had a very strong 2nd team last year. Their seconds lost to Affies, by a whisker, after they played almost the whole match with 14 players.
Looking forward to the Noord-Vaal super 16 tournament. Answers will be provided by teams like Monnas, Garsies, Centurion and HTS Middelburg(Always a competative side).
@Rugbyfan, sounds like all the usual suspects are looking good this year Grey Bloem, Affies, Monnas, Selborne, Paul Roos, Paarl Gim, Boishaai & Waterkloof in the top 10 with Outeniqua and a few others who there or there abouts eg Noord Kaap, Boland Landbou, Garsfontein. Westville & Kearsney from KZN might push for a top 10 spot, but realistically again KZN sides with be upper teens and early 20’s. Personally I am hoping Glenwood can make top 20 this year….
@rugbyfan: I’ve looked on IE and Firefox. GCB jJerseys are there???
Beet: I see all the Grey jersey,s have fallen off the bus here.
@Grasshopper: Outeniqua should finish in the top 5 this year i am sure of that.
Hey what happened to my Jersey i am sure Queenian stole it.
@Queenian: Did you not get a state busary to go to JJS
Grey are always the team to beat! However, I am hearing big things are expected of Outeniqua. I don’t believe Grey play them this year. Glenwood will have the very tough task of travelling up to Grey at the end of the season again after last year’s game was snowed out…
@BOG: JJS is unique in that they offer busaries from the state all you need is to land up in front of a magistrate and he will organize one for you.
@BOG: Maybe Beet is looking for a JJS jersey for you best place to find one is on the Correctional Service, s website
@Queenian: I guess that they are “in a league of their own” As you can see, my jersey has already gone missing, and then you ask such a question
@BOG: I see you chaps are avoiding JJS this year or you scared you would lose to them.
Looks like Grey will be the team to beat this year.
@Lwandile: I totally agree with you. The most interesting of all the matches I watched in EL was in 2007. The score was 68-0. Perhaps they can make it that interesting again this year.@Woltrui: @Muzi: Where on earth is Pretoria? Could not find it on Google
@Muzi: Calvin is a big strong boitjie. Very aggressive player(in a good sense). Affies will be competative.
@Woltrui:
Hey……i’ve been told Number 8 Calvin Allison is a machine.
@BOG: Affies bog. Van Pretoria. Pretoria, die bakermat van Sa rugby. Tuiste van die Blou bul. Tuiste van legendes soos Naas, Uli Boelie, Moaner, Wikus Thys Lourens. Enigste Sa span wat al die S15 trofee gewen het. Sedert hul ontstaan die mees suksesvolle CB span in SA. Onthou nou?
Die stad waar jy woon dan nie waar? 
@Woltrui: Waar is julle nou weer?
Ja, ons moet maar kyk. Ek dink nie Grey sien enige span as “underdogs” nie – hotdogs wel,. 
Di deel van hulle sukses, glo ek- nederigheid en respek vir alle opposisie. @beet: You dont by any chance have details of their coaching staff?
@BOG: Ou Bog, hierdie span van julle lyk na wilder as die wildtuin.
Die Grey/Affies wedstryd gaan ‘n grote wees. Ek beskou affies hierdie jaar egter as die “Underdogs”. 
Grey College vs Selborne College is always interesing when its played in EL
@spilly: That was confirmed by Selborne if I’m not mistaken
@beet please confirm Selborne vs Grey Bloem fixture now being the 27th April in EL many thanks.
@spilly: You must be a Spilkin?But I thought that they all went to Queens? Beet could probably tell you quicker than I could. I am not near the team, but according to the original fixture list, they were going to meet on 4 May. Why the change then. Mind you, I dont think that Harmony was on that list.
@spilly: that is correct
@BOG Looks like a great team with around 5 players from 2012, the forward pack looks relatively new . Looking at the fixtures , I believe Selborne now play Grey on Saturday 27 April in EL ,please confirm this to be correct.
at least we wont have a 6 hour drive home with battered and bruized kids this year,selborne play Grey at home
There we go- things look back to normal, once again. If there is a “weakness”, it would seem to be at lock. But then, they could always pull in the wing, Stephan Rautenbach, who stands at 1.9 mtrs tall