August 2025
Grey College closed out their season on a high with a nail-biting 26–25 win over Paul Roos in Bloemfontein.
The opening half was action-packed, with Grey turning around 19–15 in front. After an early Grey try, Paul Roos fought back to take a 10–7 lead through a penalty and followed by a powerful close-range effort seven-pointer. Grey responded with two excellent tries of their own before hooker Lehan Barnard powered over for the visitors to keep the scoreboard tight.
The second half didn’t quite match the same intensity, with blustery conditions likely playing a role. Grey created opportunities from penalties but lineouts and/or play from the setpiece failed them and they were unable to capitalise on several promising platforms. Paul Roos’ defence was stubborn as well.
The highlight of the half for Paul Roos came when imposing outside centre Tiaan Basson bulldozed past defenders to score a superb solo try. A long-range penalty soon after stretched the Maroons’ lead to 25–19 as time began to run out. But ill-discipline crept in, and the steady stream of penalties eventually cost them.
With little time left Grey turned down a kick for the corner and opted for a tap-and-drive, setting up clean recylced ball. Flyhalf Darius Erwee, returning from injury and named man of the match, proved the decisive figure. Despite sometimes receiving scrappy service at times during the match, his first-half brilliance had already inspired Grey: a clever chip-and-collect sparked wing Benjamin van der Berg’s try — finished off with a memorable hand-off — while a perfectly timed chicken-wing offload by the no.10 put u17 flyer Eddie Mabena over for his first score.
And fittingly, it was Erwee who delivered the final blows. From second-phase ball inside the 22, he produced a textbook cross-kick into the in-goal area. Wing Mabena launched himself spectacularly in the air to claim and ground the ball, sealing his brace. Erwee then coolly slotted the angled conversion to put Grey ahead by a single point. They held firm to the final whistle, despite missing several SA u18 representatives who had starred big time earlier in the season.
Paul Roos, likewise missing their talismanic No. 8 on national duty, felt his absence in attack, though Barnard again covered admirably at hooker for the captain who was also on international duty.
In the broader derby day, Paul Roos won 18 of the 28 matches, which is an outstanding achievement in Bloem but Grey claimed three of the four A-team encounters — including the one that mattered most.
@POD (Comment #5)
I remember a few years back PRG struggled with this. This changed since Corne Uys took over.
@beet (Comment #4)
gradual decline in grey rugby over the last 10 years -enough money to keep a sides good but for the rest a slow decline- demographics not in their favour- they will have to recruit very well in the black communities in places like the eastern cape to keep up
@beet (Comment #4)
Also, save for 1 or 2 games, the scores were very tight. Of 11 u19 games, 8 games had a points difference of less than 10, 3 of those games had a 1 point difference, including u19L. Really cool for the boys who are not rugby gods to play competitive matches.
One of the interesting stats was that pre-Covid, on their last visit to Bloem, Paul Roos lost 26 out of 26 games.
I don’t think Grey is getting weaker at the A and B team levels as evidenced by their results against non-powerhouse schools.
However other 4 powerhouse schools have definitely upped their game big time. Their depth in the lower teams is showing up now and across the board they compete very well against Grey even in Bloem, where wins were once extremely hard to come by
@TWE (Comment #2)
That is a storm in the tiniest teacup in the world.
Seemed to recall some commentators a number of years ago complaining about Paarl supporters running onto the field before the final whistle, assume they are also shocked at the scenes on Saturday?
I understand both teams were not at full strength and the second half was scrappy, but that try at the end was unbelievable and the conversion kick amazing.