{"id":73084,"date":"2025-05-23T11:46:41","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T09:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=73084"},"modified":"2025-05-23T11:46:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T09:46:41","slug":"grey-high-set-for-tough-rec-ground-exam-from-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=73084","title":{"rendered":"Grey High set for tough Rec Ground exam from Queen’s"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Queen's
Queen’s College ended St Andrew’s College’s unbeaten start to the season in their last outing. Photo: Queen’s College on Facebook<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A trio of high-profile cross-border clashes will light up the schools’ programme in the Eastern Province and Border regions on Saturday as old rivals prepare to square off against each other.<\/p>\n

A massive clash looms at the Recreation Ground<\/strong> in Komani where Grey High<\/strong> will attempt to become only the second Eastern Cape side to get the better of Queen’s College<\/strong> this season after Pearson<\/strong>‘s win against Queen’s at the Graeme College Festival<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Since then, Queen\u2019s has lost only to Cape Town team, Rondebosch Boys’ High<\/strong>, and coaches Clinton Loest<\/strong> and Tyrone Rankin<\/strong> have built up a sense of continuity in their team which has obvious advantages.<\/p>\n

For the third match in a row they have named an unchanged side under the captaincy of flank Jeffrey Niland<\/strong> and the understanding they have created within the squad could be a big factor in meeting Grey’s challenge.<\/p>\n

Grey, themselves, have put together a good record so far, losing only to Paul Roos <\/strong>and Wynberg<\/strong> Boys’ High<\/strong> in their Western Cape derbies.<\/p>\n

With the Craven Week<\/strong> trials out of the way, they can now return their focus to what has become the most formidable test in Eastern Cape rugby this season.<\/p>\n

Coach Matt King is well aware of what lies ahead: “This weekend is, perhaps, the biggest challenge we have faced since playing Paul Roos away earlier in the season,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

“We are playing arguably the best team in the Eastern Cape on their home ground. The Rec is such a fortress and the Queen’s boys are so proud of their school. It’s going to be an extremely challenging afternoon for us.”<\/p>\n

King has called on his players to play with greater precision than they did in their previous encounter against Wynberg, when they lost 27-32 in Gqeberha.<\/p>\n

“We will need to overcome the electricity which will envelop the stadium and execute our game plan more accurately than we did in our defeat against Wynberg,” he said.<\/p>\n

In the other two anticipated showdowns, Graeme College<\/strong> travels to East London to face Hudson Park<\/strong>, while St Andrew’s College<\/strong> will be seeking redemption on the Lower Field<\/strong> in Makhanda when they host Selborne College<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Graemians have shown impressive form since losing to Hilton College<\/strong> in the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival<\/strong>, racking up five wins in a row before bending the knee to St Andrew’s.<\/p>\n

However, Hudson Park loom as a formidable test for the visitors, particularly on their home turf where they will be fired up to repeat their victory of 2023.<\/p>\n

Graeme coach Jonty van der Meulen<\/strong> is still looking for better consistency across the board from his team.<\/p>\n

“We are definitely still searching for that consistency across different facets of play,” he said. “We need to improve on those areas that didn’t go well against St Andrew’s.”<\/p>\n

Players such as Ayola Mali<\/strong>, Aya Bill<\/strong>, Luke Doyle<\/strong>, and Erin Nelson<\/strong> have been in good form for Graeme and they will need to be at their best on Saturday to combat the bustling play of Hudson No 8 Bubbles Mtshini<\/strong> and the Gidi brothers, Landile and Likho<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The clash in Makhanda is shaping up to be a cracking affair with St Andrew’s eager to regain their winning touch after losing their unbeaten record to Queen’s last weekend (17-38).<\/p>\n

In an earlier game this season, Selborne went down to Queen’s by a similar margin (22-40) and that suggests that there is little to choose between the sides for Saturday’s encounter.<\/p>\n

Since the loss to Queen’s, Selborne has got their season back on track with hard-earned wins over Port Rex<\/strong> and Dale<\/strong> College<\/strong> in recent weeks, matches in which they showed the sort of character and toughness they will need when tackling St Andrew’s on Lower Field.<\/p>\n

TEAMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Queen’s College vs Grey High at Rec Ground, Komani, 14:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

Queen\u2019s College: <\/strong>15 Mveli Mqolo, 14 Ayathanda Mtyando, 13 Thina Fenako, 12 Splash Magwebu, 11 Ncutu Kepe, 10 Inganathi Mnunu, 9 Ayola Somhlahlo, 8 Khaka Xoseni, 7 Acwenga Saul, 6 Jeffrey Niland (captain), 5 Sambesiwe Vetman, 4 Zeacke Mata, 3 Ahlume Gqetywa, 2 Bullz Manqina, 1 Amyoli Ngxongwana<\/p>\n

Grey High: <\/strong>15 Meyer Prinsloo, 14 Noah Mbizi, 13 Bradley Myburgh, 12 Ciaran Killian, 11 Akhumzi Masoka, 10 Tristan Kemp, 9 Ray-Dylan Wilkinson, 8 Sibonelo Stuurman, 7 David Melariri, 6 Cody Wilmot, 5 Joandre van Jaarsveld, 4 Riley Higgs, 3 Ross Atkinson, 2 Evan Mucka, 1 Daniel Naude.<\/p>\n

Hudson Park v Graeme College, Hudson Park (East London), 13.40<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hudson Park: <\/strong>15 Likho Gidi, 14 Zearan Booysen, 13 Lunathi Dolo, 12 Ukhona Kama, 11 Masibulele Kwakwini, 10 Mahle Zinto, 9 Landile Gidi, 8 Sibabalwe Mtshini, 7 Likhanye Mandila, 6 Phindokuhle Mdlalana, 5 Sange Gwarube, 4 Tatenda Saunyama, 3 Tyrique Peters, 2 Kwazokuhle Pasha, 1 Manyano Mpendu.<\/p>\n

Graeme College: <\/strong>15 Inathi Planga, 14 Elgin Fanton, 13 Erin Nelson, 12 Torres Fourie, 11 Masi Maboza,
10 Alden Walters, 9 Luke Doyle, 8 Ayamila Bill, 7 Ayola Mali, 6 Lwandle Dlamini, 5 Andrew Muir, 4\u00a0 Akho Tonjeni, 3 Athi Bonga, 2 Lebo Mahasele, 1 Bagcine Njengele.<\/p>\n

St Andrew’s College v Selborne College, St Andrew\u2019s Lower Field, 14.30<\/strong><\/p>\n

St Andrew\u2019s College: <\/strong>15 Will Stevens, 14 Asante Chivere, 13 Alastair de Kock, 12 Aphindile Ngcuka, 11 Qhawe Madikizela, 10 Myles Sansom, 9 David Chorley, 8 Joshua van Zyl, 7 Luca Nigrini, 6 Coel Trollip, 5 Matthew Harvey, 4 William Beamish, 3 Sivatho Mjali, 2 Adam Nurse, 1 Amo Habi.<\/p>\n

Selborne College: <\/strong>15 Bungqina Nuku, 14 Linamandla Ndamase, 13 Njongo Mbanga, 12 Aaron James, 11 Chad Weimann, 10 Oliver Schmidt, 9 Aaron Senekal, 8 Travis Enslin, 7 Connor Maree, 6 Lwandle Bacela, 5 Luca Liebenberg, 4 Matthew Bean, 3 Zothando Mrara, 2 Luke Bowman, 1 Robert John-Osunkwo (captain).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A trio of high-profile cross-border clashes will light up the schools’ programme in the Eastern Province and Border regions on Saturday as old rivals prepare to square off against each other. A massive clash looms at the Recreation Ground in Komani where Grey High will attempt to become only the second Eastern Cape side to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":73096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=73084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/73096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=73084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=73084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=73084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}