Grey College’s star player Henry Immelman is fit and raring to go after being sidelined for a couple of months with bad facial injury suffered against Affies. The attack-minded fullback is bound to be one of the standout players on display when Grey College takes on Glenwood in Durban on Saturday, 26 July.
With SA Schools trials taking place on the same day, one would have expected Grey, the unbeaten top ranked school in South Africa to have several top players involved in that process but in an unusual turn of events, the schools that is known for churning out Springbok players, had only one player, prop Naas Prinsloo selected. This means that barring a few injuries, Grey could have fielded a full strength starting line-up for the Glenwood match. It’s not quite the case. A number of key players that did Craven Week duty last week are not listed in the official match-day programme. These include talismanic captain at no.8 Alex Jonker, highly rated loosehead Ruben Terblanche, promising young mobile lock Jurie Burger, the exceptional opensider De Wet Bezuidenhout who must be one of the unluckiest players in the country not to be at SA Schools trials and the exciting up and coming fullback Lourens Steenkamp. Nevertheless the Grey College run-on team are not to be underestimated. There is still plenty of quality there including six Craven Week players as well as the livewire flank Henry Slabbert and off course Immelman. It’s unconfirmed but expect Grey to go to their bench in the second half and introduce the fresh legs of the five rested Craven Week players as part of their tactical approach.
By comparison Glenwood have been weakened due to SA Schools trials. Four of their best players are absent. As a result tighthead prop Christoper Klopper who has served the Green Machine well in the past, is recalled to the starting XV. The test will however come at loosehead where regular hooker Percy Mngadi with mainly 2013 propping experience will have to anchor the scrum. His place in 2-jumper goes to usual benchwarmer PJ Kobbie. Much talked about rising star Marco Palvie, a no.8 who most recently caught the eye of national scouts at Academy Week with top notch performances, will be out to enhance a growing reputation when he fills in again for the well-known Jaco Coetzee. At 15, Jayden Morgan another under-17 who continues to improve and excite simultaneously, steps in for the brilliant Morné Joubert. Glenwood has seven current and one former Craven Week player in their starting XV.
The timing of this game could not be worse for Glenwood. At full strength they stood a reasonable chance of causing an upset whereas now they head into this game as definite underdogs. Grey’s previous three visits to Dixon’s field have been hard-fought affairs. In 2006 Glenwood won. In 2008 the Bloemfontein boys produced some outstanding second half backline offences to swing the game in their favour. In 2010 a very talented and unbeaten Grey team containing the maestro Johan Goosen with an outstanding backline outside him, won but were kept in check by a gutsy home team defence. The 2012 game was cancelled when bad weather made road travel to Durban potentially dangerous.
There will be no stopping the die-hards from being at the grounds all morning but hopefully other local supporters who wish to watch the Sharks vs Crusaders Super Rugby semi-final can get to Glenwood ASAP thereafter to be in time for the kick-off of what promises to be a Greyt game of schoolboy rugby.
| GLENWOOD | GREY COLLEGE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Percy Mngadi | 1 | Callie Jv Vuuren |
| 2 | PJ Kobbie | 2 | JC Jv Vuuren |
| 3 | Christoper Klopper | 3 | Janu Botha |
| 4 | Kevin du Randt | 4 | Ruben Schoeman |
| 5 | Nama Xaba | 5 | Kas Rothman |
| 6 | James Venter | 6 | Marius Kruger |
| 7 | Mac Muller | 7 | Henry Slabbert |
| 8 | Marco Palvie | 8 | Werner Roberts |
| 9 | Kwazi Khanyile | 9 | Dian Badenhorst |
| 10 | Curtis Jonas | 10 | Tokkie Kasselman |
| 11 | Ilunga Mukendi | 11 | Glenn Erickson |
| 12 | Donny du Randt | 12 | Michael Andrade |
| 13 | Sparks Ngcobo | 13 | Julian Jordaan |
| 14 | Chris Bredell | 14 | Charl Pretoruis |
| 15 | Jayden Morgan | 15 | Henry Immelman |
| Ruben Terblanche | |||
| Jurie Burger | |||
| De Wet Bezuidenhout | |||
| Alex Jonker | |||
| Lourens Steenkamp |
A game of two halves. Glenwood looked so in control at 12-5 up at the break. Grey put a shaky half behind them and upped their quality in the second half to win it 24-0. Glenwood just seemed out of attacking ideas and struggled to focus. Shades the 2008 game in way Grey came from behind while playing towards the McDonald Road (Now Ivan Clark Pavilion) end with the wind benefiting them.
@Greenwood: Agreed, close to try of the season and a great game by Westville to lose by a slender margin of only 12 points, many were expecting Grey to win by 50.
@Grasshopper: Now, now, no need to get defensive just because there is a comment from a Westville supporter. All I’m saying is that Glenwood have a very powerful and highly ranked team, so there are high expectations for tomorrow’s game. Let’s hope it’s a close one..
@RBugger: I can assure you that the mood at the school will be that GW will win tomorrow. and if the players believe they can win tomorrow, then there is a strong chance they will. I have witnessed a new vibe in the GW teams this year. They seem positive and let’s be honest, they are playing some good rugby.
@RBugger: In CT we refer to it as the N1 Virus. Over the years many a good Bishops, Berg and Bosch team seemed to have gone off colour when they hit to road to Paarl or Stellenbosch. Definitely no difference in talent, maybe just a lack of fortitude.
@Tjoppa: Ja nee, ek weet mos. But still, the same principle applies, because they are at an English Speaking Boys School, the majority of fellow school goers do not believe they can win, it has a rub off effect on the 1st team.
You know what I mean, you can see the demeaner amongst the comments when an English School play the Afrikaaner hot schools – GC, AFFIES, WATERKLOOF, THE PAARLS ETC – very much a head game
@RBugger: Just remember Glenwood is aiming at a 60% Afrikaner representation in all their teams. So pas op soutie volgende keer word die saal opening in Afrikaans gedoen.
@JohanP: @Tjoppa: Ek vermoed hy gaan nie dadelik speel nie – hy is deel van die groepopset gemaak met die oog op die toekoms.
@Woltrui: Ja, bly Bulle kyk weer bietjie nader aan die huis.
Weet nie wanneer laas jy vir Nico gesien het nie – hy het groot en sterk geword. Sal waarskynlik vanjaar Curriebeker speel van die bank af en aanstaande jaar moontlik Superrugby.
@Grenwood @ Grasshopper: To my mind, your comment are exactly why we will never beat the likes of Grey on a regular basis. By we, I am talking about an English speaking boys school.
Even before the game, we admitting defeat and furthermore, do not seem bothered about the apparent impending defeat, but rather just except it.
Yes, granted, GW have 4 star players missing, but I read they still have 6/7 CW players in the side and Grey are the visiting team – I sat stuff them, go in full out, give them the same punishment that they dish out year in and year out – the boys need to believe they can win and so do the supporters. Otherwise, it is just a huge negative circle going round and round which will never be overcome.
The power of the boys is now equal, they all gym, they all get conditioned, we are no longer behind the Afrikaans speaking boys in terms of physical strength, but due to the past, we are still way behind mentally.
By the way, this is no dig at Afrikaaners
@JohanP: My punt beslis. Weens die geld wat skraps is het die unies nie die diepte op senior vlak nie. Dus moet die seuns van vroeg af inval in die senior spanne.
Ek kyk baie klub rugby en sien weekliks in die Bulle se area manne wat hul plek beslis op CB vlak kan staan. Dink veral van die stut van Polisie wat tot S15 vir die Leeus gespeel het. Direk uit ‘n klub.
Miskien moet die unies se manne bietjie by klubrugby opdaag. Ek is verseker daar is ‘n paar hardebaarde wat die jongetjies gaan laat bloei.
Djou/ Tjoppa: Manne ek verstaan die outjie is goed, maar dis op skole vlak, my bekommernis is die physicality van senior rugby en seer sekerlik moet daar iets gelees word in die groot beserings wat die meeste van ons jong sterre op senior vlak op getel het die afgelope twee jaar of so, en hier dink ek aan manne soos Pieter Steph, Goosen, Arno Botha, Paul Jordaan ens. Die manne is almal vroeg gedruk om bo te speel.
Bonthuis – that Westville – GC game at Kerf this year was awesome
and that one try by Westville is one of the best I’ve ever seen
Hopper
maybe in the future we should schedule GWD – GCB games earlier
in the season to avoid this situation – I think GW may have shaded GC
with a full team – but who knows what may happen tomorrow , but even as a rabid GM supporter I would not put my bucks on the Green Machine
@Bonthuis: remember they are No1 in the country too! When Westville played them it was festival rugby with many other factors like rotation and fatigue, now it’s a fresh Grey in an interschools game, very different. I predict maybe 1 win on the day…
@Bonthuis: with the 4 game breakers not playing…and Grey always get better and better as the season goes on. They will want to prove a point too, I say Grey by 20 or 30….without our game breakers we don’t have the attack strong enough to score enough points….
@Grasshopper:
That perspective should be looked at with the strength of the DHS team in mind as well. The result this year doesnt at all mean that your 2nd team is weak, it isn’t. But yes, it isnt exactly the strongest you’ve had.
But weak? A bit harsh .
By all accounts this should be a fairly close game. I’m not sure which other KZN opposition Grey College have played, but, Westville lost to them by only 12 points, 20-32 at the Kearsney festival early in the season, so the expectation is for a very close game, especially given that it’s a home game for Glenwood and the fact that they make up the bulk of the KZN Craven Week team.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: OK bro! You sound like some teenage kid. My point is they used to smash the DHS 2nd team by 60 points plus in years gone by so it’s perspective. They are not as strong as in previous years…
@Grasshopper:
Bro, that DHS 2nd team is the best the school has had for a while. Also bro, the current matrics of the two schools have always been close strength-wise at A and B level barring U15.
So bro, i actually take offense to the manner in which you used the DHS 2nd team there cause you know nothing about their strength. Okay, bro?
Well with Keyter, Vers, Joubert and Immelmann we sorted for fullback amongst the franchises for the future. The Glenwood 15 for Saturday ain’t bad himself…
@Djou: TOV Nico Lee. Jy is so reg Djou. Nico is puik en was duidelik nie na waarde geag in Pretoria. 2 Jaar terug toe hy in matriek was was die Bulle se werwings beamptes egter nog betower deur die skoliere van die Perel. Hulle sou jou in detail die Alfa en Omega kon vertel van elke speler in daai area. Sal my egter verbaas as hulle weet wie Nico Lee is. Hartseer. Moet die BB egter krediet gee. Die huidige 0/19 span bevat heelwat spelertjies van Pretoria. Miskien het die manne by die Bulle iewers besin oor hulle sienswyse dat die Pretoria laaities nie kan ruppie speel nie.
@JohanP: @Tjoppa: Nee, Henry is werklik so goed en het die temperament. Interessant dat hy sommer reguit Curriebekergroep toe is en nie o.19 en o.21 nie. Ook bly dat Nico Lee – die mees onderskatte senter uit Affie-geledere – nou in die Cheetahs se Curriebekergroep is. Blou Bulle het lekker misgevat met hom.
@JohanP: Die geld is maar skraps so ons gooi almal in die pot en sien wie dryf. Die wat sink – hoekom worry die voerband loop oor.
@Djou: Jinne Djou, dink jy nie dis bietjie te vroeg vir daai man nie? Ek het hom al n paar keer sien speel en hy is goed, maar eks nie seker oor die senior game nie en is net bang hulle druk hom nie te vroeg nie
Henry Immelman now part of Free State’s Currie Cup squad. Not bad for a schoolboy.
@RUGBYMAD: bro, we almost lost to DHS at 2nd team. They certainly not as strong as previous years where the 2nd team was probably stronger than the 1st’s beating Affies 2nds etc….our opens as a group are fairly weak this year….
@Grasshopper: I really can’t understand why u keep on saying we have a weak 2nd team we only lost to Westville with one point this season.
@vatikaki: At full strength you smoking china, the Glenwood team are very good, especially at home. They beat Bishops quite comfortably so you should maybe concentrate on that game this weekend. Realistically Glenwood shouldn’t win this game, our back-up and depth is nowhere near as good as Grey’s, so Grey by 30 is my predication, something like 38-8…….2nd team big loss and only win on the day by our Under14A’s…
Glenwood, is by faaarrr the favourites for this match, BUT Im sure, a VERY motivated GCB team
Grey gonna give them a hiding, and would’ve done even with their SA Schools players IMO. Interested to see what happens regardless