LIVE | Schoolboy rugby derby: Paul Roos v Grey College – Saturday, 20 August 2022

It doesn’t get any bigger than a schoolboy rugby derby between Paul Roos and Grey College.

As with most big derbies, there has been a 2-year gap since the last time these two great rivals and institutions clashed and anticipation for the match is high.

The maroon machine’s last win against Grey was in 2015 at home and they will be confident that they can repeat that feat in 2022 on their home turf.

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This game is also the last for both teams and the players will undoubtably leave nothing on the field, giving their all one last time. It promises to be a spectacle of rugby!

Will the Stellenbosch faithful see the Jolla Bolla once again on Markotter after a Grey game? Or will Grey College upset the party?

Kick-off is at 14:00.

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Derby highlights

1967 – Grey and Paul Roos first met in 1967 at the old Coetzenberg stadium when Grey went on tour to the Cape during the July holidays. The legendary ’67 Grey College First Team has been regarded by many as one of the greatest Grey First Teams of its era. The team was gifted with outstanding athletes such as the two prop forwards and the two flank forwards (twins Danie and Dennis du Plessis) that formed the Grey Relay team which won the 4×100 m Relay at Free State Interhigh schools’ athletics that year.

Dawie Snyman (Springbok) was flyhalf and vice-captain and Wilhelm Landman (Grey School Captain that played Western Province) was Grey’s fullback that year. Grey’s backline was on fire that day with Nelson Babrow at center (WP) and two speedy wings. Grey won this historic encounter 22-0 and one of the highlights was a try scored by the referee – Oom Johnnie Meiring from the Matie Club! One of Grey’s centers went through a gap and with only the Paul Roos fullback in front of him he passed inside. The man on his inside was Oom Johnnie who caught the ball and then raced towards the tryline to score right under the posts! Only to blow his whistle and to call back play for a scrum where he caught the ball. This was exemplary of the spirit in which this game was played. Although both teams had tremendous respect for each other and were pretty serious on the field with such a big encounter there was still a mutual respect and camaraderie from both sides.

This camaraderie resulted in numerous friendships that were forged off the field in subsequent years. In the Paul Roos 1967 team was Johan Carinus (who now farms outside Stellenbosch) and among the matrics of that year was business tycoon Johann Rupert and Braam van Velde (who also farms outside Stellenbosch). All three Paul Roos old boys became very good friends with the Grey fullback, Wilhelm Landman, and later in life Rupert played a big role in Landman’s career when Landman became the MD of Richmont South Africa. Today Dawie Snyman (who later became a Springbok) is the assistant coach of the Paul Roos First Rugby Team. All these seeds were already planted during the first Grey vs Paul Roos match in 1967 in Stellenbosch.

1974 – Paul Roos went on tour to the Free State and their first game was against Sentraal where Paul Roos lock forward and SA Schools player George Rautenbach’s ear was stepped on by a Tralie player and resulted in George missing the Grey game with a hole in his ear. The Paul Roos team had 3 Western Province Craven Week players – George Rautenbach, Agie Koch and Jan (Gans) Coetzee. Agie was then chosen as captain against Grey. The majority of the Grey team played for Free State Schools that year and Jan Geldenhuys and Gerhard Weitz were selected for SA Schools. Grey had a strong pack of forwards but were equally matched by Paul Roos with their stalwart WP Craven Week lock Jan (Gans) Coetzee. Grey won 22-3 and ten days later 14 of the Grey team was selected for Free State Craven Week which lost against WP. Several of the Paul Roos players played for WP Craven Week and this time George was fit to play with special protection that was made for his ear. George played later that year for the SA Schools team that toured overseas along with Jan Geldenhuys from Grey. Both Jan and George became team mates again in subsequent years at Maties in Stellenbosch.

George Rautenbach also founded MEGAPRO in 1986 – South Africa’s first Sports Marketing agency. Today George is not only the face of MEGAPRO but arguably the face of Sports Marketing in South Africa.

1977 – Grey played Paul Roos on tour in the Cape after the Craven Week. The match was remembered as a mud bath and given all the rain leading up to the match the venue was switched to Coetzenberg B field. Despite the heavy field Grey scored four tries and beat Paul Roos 20-10. This Grey First Team had four SA Schools players – Jan Richter, Jacques Nell, Abrie Marais, and Willem Daffue.

Grey also produced a record four old Boys (Morne du Plessis (captain), Dawie Snyman (vice-captain), Theuns Stofberg and Robbie Blair) in the starting Springbok team against the World XV of Willie-John McBride during the inauguration of the new Loftus Versfeld. Two of these Grey old boys’ sons went to school at Paul Roos (Robbie Blair and Theuns Stofberg) while Dawie Snyman is assisting Paul Roos with their rugby program.

1988 – In 1988 Grey played Paul Roos the first time again since 1977 during a pre-season tour to the Cape. It was their second game of the season on 30 March 1988 at the Markotter in Stellenbosch. There was a large crowd and the legendary Doc Craven also attended the game.

The 1988 Grey First Team had five Springboks – Charl Marais, Ruben Kruger, Pieter Muller, Naka Drotske and Heinrich Fuls. Andre Blom went on to play for the US Eagles. The entire Grey First XV was chosen as the starting lineup of the Free State Craven Week that year. Also, in the Grey team was Jannie Momberg who attended Paul Roos until Grade 8 before he finished off his school career at Grey following in the footsteps of his brothers – Niels and Steyn while his younger brother Altus also attend Grey all the way from Stellenbosch. As a result, this was a unique experience for Jannie who was probably the only person at the game that knew all 30 players (many of his primary school friends also played for Paul Roos). Even the referee Johan Carinus (who played for Paul Roos against Grey in 1967) was an old friend of Jannie’s family.

Although Grey had several future Springboks in their team, they were still finding their feet and hadn’t “clicked” as a unit yet in the early parts of the season. Nevertheless, Charl Marais scored Grey’s first try in the corner after a grubber from Naka Drotske. The game was fairly close and Grey won the game in the final minutes with a disputed try by Pieter Muller. To most observers he knocked the ball on, however the referee allowed the try and Grey won 16-9.

1990 – Grey and Paul Roos were invited to play in the main match of the Van Rensburg Rugby Day in George at the conclusion of the schoolboy rugby season. This memorable festival originated from the Van Rensburg brothers in George who were passionate about schoolboy rugby and wanted to see SA’s top rugby schools compete against each other, especially those who do not get the opportunity to compete on a regular basis. They were visionaries in the early nineties to host such a festival which was the front runner of many other festivals to follow many years later. The difference with the Van Rensburg Rugby Day and many other Easter Festivals is that the Rugby Day was hosted at the end of the schoolboy rugby season and comprises of one full day of rugby (vs multiple days) and included SA’s top schools as performed throughout the year. It also included many other festivities around George throughout the weekend and thousands of spectators, fans and old boys from across the country attended this unique event which was only in existence from 1990 – 1991.

The build up to the 1990 final match between Grey and Paul Roos was televised on TopSport TV and legendary rugby critic Zanderg Jansen was doing most of the pre-match build up. He was also the host at the event and was the judge in selecting the best team, forwards and backline of the festival, and man of the match awards from all the top rugby schools participating including Bishops, Paarl Gim, Paarl Boys’ High, Affies etc. The following year Johan Small-Smith (Grey old boy) was passionately involved in the Festival and was also supporting Zandberg Jansen during the announcements on the best teams of the Festival.

Both Grey and Paul Roos were unbeaten leading up to this match and Grey had 5 SA Schools players in their side that year (Pieta Steenkamp, Alex Fenwick, Nico Linde, Jean Craven, and Andre Venter). The 1990 Paul Roos side was the first unbeaten Paul Roos side in 37 years and had two future Springboks – Justin Swart and Cobus Visagie.

It was a tightly contested match with Paul Roos’ forwards gaining the upper hand at scrums while Grey’s backline was firing on all cylinders. Grey’s scrumhalf and future Springbok, Werner Swanepoel, broke blindside from a scrum to score the winning try for Grey with a final score of 17-9.

1991 – The Paul Roos First Team of 1991 will go down as one of the best teams the school has ever produced. On 10 August 1991 as part of Paul Roos’ 125 Year Festivities the Grey First Team and Cherries were invited to play against Paul Roos at the Markotter. Paul Benade (old Grey) was instrumental in helping finance the transportation of the buses and other logistics for the Grey teams.

The Paul Roos First Team of 1991 had the chance to become the first undefeated Paul Roos team in 38 years and after the narrow defeat against Grey the year before, this was always going to be the pinnacle of all schoolboy matches in 1991. In addition, Grey had 5 SA Schools players (Andre Venter, Alex Fenwick, Werner Swanepoel, Ollie le Roux and Hugo Venter) including 2 future Springboks – Ollie and Werner. Paul Roos had 2 future Springboks (Justin Swart and Cobus Visagie) in their side which set the table for a massive showdown.

1999 – Both teams were unbeaten going into the final game of the season. Paul Roos had won all 20 matches and Grey all 15 this season and between them they had played the elite rugby schools of South Africa. Both defeated Affies and Paarl Boys High while PRG also beat Paarl Gym and Bishops. This was the showdown for the best Rugby School in SA in 1999 at the end of the season.

Both sides chose attack over defence and there were some thrilling tries, notably when Grey fullback Dandre Gerber scored in the corner after an impressive break by flanker Haupt. That try put Grey ahead 26-21 after Paul Roos had seemingly taken control soon after halftime when, with the wind at their backs, they led 21-14. With a minute of regular time left the score was 26-26. A penalty in front of the posts enabled Grey to win 29-26.

2004 – In 2004 both Grey and Paul Roos missed some key players towards the end of the season during their Interschools match in Bloemfontein. Grey lost their SA Schools players and the back row included Heinrich Brussow (Springbok), Deon Stegmann (Springbok) and Richardt Strauss (Cheetahs & Ireland). Pieter Myburgh played SA Schools for Paul Roos that year. This was another closely contested game and Paul Roos’ first victory over Grey in Bloemfontein by 21-18.

2006 – Leading into the final Grey derby of the season Paul Roos was the top rugby school in SA and had a magnificent season in 2006. It was a memorable game for Rector Jock de Jager attending his final Interschools as Paul Roos headmaster from 1993 – March 2007. Paul Roos had one of their best teams in years and was the top Rugby School in SA in 2006. Many experts compared this team with the likes of 1991 and 1999 PRG teams. Four backline players from the 2006 Paul Roos team were selected for the final trial for the SA u/20 team – scrumhalf Francois Hougaard, flyhalf Coenie van Wyk and centers Charl Weideman and Stephan Dippenaar. However, neither Hougaard nor Dippenaar made the Craven Week.

In another close encounter, Paul Roos beat Grey 16-11 which resulted in two consecutive Interschools victories for the first time for Paul Roos in Bloemfontein. Springbok Frans Steyn played for Grey in 2006.

2007 – The class of 2007 produced a remarkable Grey First Team which beat Paul Roos with a record score of in Stellenbosch. The Ebersohn twins Robert (Springbok squad) and Sias (Cheetahs) plus Coenie Oosthuizen (Springbok) played for Grey that day.

Grey College defeated Paul Roos with a record score of 40-14 at Markotter stadium. The visiting team led Paul Roos 17-9 at the break.

Both locks of Grey College, Pieter Labuschagne and Joubert Horn, played well in Grey’s victory. Boom Prinsloo, Roelf Pienaar (both flanks) and Adriaan Theisinger (eightman) also had great performances on the day.

Grey’s SA Schools centre, Robert Ebersohn, showed once again why he was so highly rated in school’s rugby. Under Ebersohn’s captaincy Grey won all 14 their matches this season.

Springbok Willie le Roux played flyhalf for Paul Roos and kicked three penalties in the first half to keep his team in contention until the break. 

This Grey Team had the highest average score for any Grey First Team over the last 40 years with an average of 55 points per game.

2008 – Building on the previous record score at the Markotter, the 2008 Grey First Team beat Paul Roos with a record score in Bloemfontein by 47-15. Grey had two SA School players (Francois Venter and Franna du Toit) that year and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach – son of double Springbok Jaco Reinach (Grey 1980) and nephew of another legendary old Grey Herman Reinach (1988). Both Reinach and Venter became Springboks later in their careers.

2009 – The 2009 Grey First Team equaled the 1981 team for most amount of SA Schools players produced by one school up to then, namely six – Pieter Rademan (captain), Riaan Britz, Piet Lindeque, Jean Cook, Carl Wegner and Stephanus Kotze. This record was broken by Paarl Boys High in 2016 when they produced 8 SA Schools players. JP du Plessis played SA Schools for Paul Roos in 2009.

Both Grey and Paul Roos played without their SA Schools players during the last match of the season. Hero of the day was flyhalf Lucas Roothman, who landed the three decisive penalties, while Grey full-back Niel Marais could only manage one. This ended a winning streak for Grey since 2007.

2010 – The 2010 Grey College First Team is regarded as one of the best Grey Teams in modern times. Grey produced six SA Schools players that year – William Small-Smith (captain), Anrich Bitzi, Kevin Luiters, Paul Jordaan, Johan Goosen, and Neethling Fouche. Grey beat all of South Africa’s top rugby schools including Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys’ High, Monnas, Affies, Grey High, Glenwood as away games which is a remarkable performance. Paul Roos also had a very successful season with three SA Schools players (Steven Kitshoff, JP Lewis and Tshotso Mbovane) so the table was set for a climax in Bloem. With tighthead prop Steven Kitshoff Paul Roos had a very strong scrum but was also penalized several times. Johan Goosen scored 36 points (including one try) on the day when Grey won a nail biter 41-29.

2014 – Grey was back on top of the school’s rankings in 2014 and their final match against No 2 ranked Paul Roos was the decider for the season. The star of the match was again Henry Immelman as he scored both of Grey’s tries and kicked two penalty goals from inside his own half. He actually missed his first kick – from just outside of his own 22! Grey scored two tries to one but Aidynn Cupido, son of WP legend Wilfred, kicked 15 points for Paul Roos on the day.

2015 – In their last rugby match of their 150th year celebrations Paul Roos pulled out all the stops and secured a rare win over Grey College. This was the one that counted for the boys in Maroon. To win your last big derby match against the old foe surpasses any odd loss they might have suffered during the season. Paul Roos’s defence won them the day and although they scored three good tries of their own, their defensive effort in the second half, when they virtually had no ball, made sure they claimed the honours by winning 19-12.  The stars of the show were Paul Roos’s SA Schools flyhalf Damian Willemse along with winger Nico Leonard who both contributed with tries and was outstanding in attack and defence.

2016-2018 – These three years were all very similar with one number standing out. The number 2. The winning margin in each of the three games, with Grey College being the fortunate team on the winning side in each encounter. The margins speak about very close fought games that could have gone either way with the perhaps the team that kept the most composure coming out on top. Paul Roos was not the favourite to win in this period, but in each game, they upped their tempo and gave Grey their utmost at the end of the season.

Derby results

Paul Roos 2022 season

Paul Roos had an unusual start to their season by losing both their opening matches at the North-South tournament. Granted they did have some pre-season injuries and the team took some time to adjust. They gradually started building confidence again and with some key players returning they became a force to be reckoned with. They drew with a very good Bishops side only to lose in the dying seconds to a resurgent Garsfontein. Their best win of the season came against neighbours Paarl Gymnasium when they ran out winners against all odds against a Paarl team that only a week before beat the mighty Grey College. Their good results were halted when Paarl Boys comfortably beat them on home turf and to make matters worse, another lost followed against Rondebosch. Their up and down season continued with wins against Wynberg and Oakdale, only to draw against Boland Landbou again.

Grey College 2022 season

Grey College is having a stellar season again, but held to their own high standards, the one lost against Paarl Gim will hurt. They will not want to lose another game this season, especially the last one and especially to Paul Roos. With wins against the likes of Outeniqua, Oakdale, Selborne, Paarl Boys, Affies and Monument under their belt you would think their season is already a highly successful one, but Grey College strives for more and better at each game and this last one against Paul Roos will define and complete their season and close down another great chapter of schoolboy rugby at Grey College.

Rugby at Paul Roos

The words Paul Roos and rugby are synonymous as the great man was the originator of the now famous Springbok emblem and name for the South African national team. He is seen by many as the “father” of South African rugby and it is fitting that the school that carries his name is such a powerhouse in South African schools rugby.

Paul Roos has to date produced the most South African players to represent their country on a rugby field with Juandre Kruger becoming their 50^th player when he played against England at Kingspark on 9 June 2012. Their latest Springbok is scrumhalf Herschel who became Springbok no 913 in 2019 and Paul Roos’s 54^th player to represent his country.

Willie le Roux, Schalk Britz, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse and Herschel Jantjies were also part of the 2019 Springbok rugby squad that won the world cup in Japan in 2019.

The following players from Paul Roos represented South Africa on the rugby field.

Arthur Nicholas de Kock (1891), Jacob Stephanus (Japie) Louw (1891), James Alexander (Jim) McKendrick (1891), Robert (Bob) Shand, Paul Johannes de Waal (1896), Japie Krige (1896), Bob Loubser (1896), Pieter Albertus Ryno Otto (PO) Nel (1903), Paul Johannes Roos (1903), Koei Brink (1906), Henry John (Pinkie) Daneel (1906), Boy de Villiers (1906), Freddie Luyt (1910), Dick Luyt (1910), Koot Reynecke (1910), Gideon Daniël Roos (1910), Wakkie Krige (1912), John Douglas Luyt (1912), Tom van Vuuren (1912), Nic du Plessis (1921), Theuns Kruger (1921), Charlé Meyer (1921), Mannetjies Michau (1921), Phil Mostert (1921), Tokkie Scholtz (1921), Jackie Tindall(1921), Attie van Heerder (1921), PK Albertyn (1924), Nico Bosman (1924), Daunce Devine (1924), Kenny Starke (1924), George Murray Daneel (1928), Manus de Jongh (1928), AF du Toit (1928), PK Morkel (1928), Boet Prinsloo (1928), Ferdie Bergh (1931), George Lionell van Reenen (1937), Ballie Wahl (1949), Tjol Lategan (1949), Jannie Engelbrecht (1960), Gertjie Brynard (1965), Hempies du Toit (1980), Cabous van der Westhuizen (1994), Justin Swart (1996), Cobus Visagie (1999), Andries Bekker (2008), Schalk Brits (2008), Francois Hougaard (2009), Juandre Kruger (2012),Willie Le Roux (2013), Steven Kitshoff (2016), Damian Willemse (2018), Herschel Jantjies (2019).