Grey High delivered a slick performance, linked to power up front, to go on a seven-try romp as they outclassed SACS 41-9 on the first day of the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival in Gqeberha on Thursday.
The event, supported by Powerade and Algoa FM, is back on track after missing two years and the players reveled in excellent conditions in front of thousands of fans.
In the day’s finale, SACS tested their opponents in the early stages and took the lead through a fine penalty by flyhalf Conrad Raashied.
However, Grey soon found their rhythm and they constantly challenged the SACS forwards in a tough battle for supremacy.
This paid off when prop Liyabona Matabielie powered over from close range and then a clinical cross-kick by flyhalf Mihle Matanise saw wing Siviwe Bwowe cross unchallenged to make it 10-3.
Grey then began to gain an ascendancy upfront and from a five-metre lineout, they forced their way over for skipper Ivan Ingram to cross for the first of two tries in that fashion.
They led 17-6 at the break and although SACS never stopped trying, they could not break down the home defence, and, in their half, they were tested to the limits.
This resulted in two further tries from five-metre lineouts, one a penalty try and then Ingram’s second, and as the gaps opened Luvuyo Nkomphela and Zuki Tom also crossed the whitewash.
Raashied’s boot kept SACS in the hunt with two more penalties, but ultimately Grey’s control up front and energetic attacks from the back proved too much for the Cape Town side.
In the opening match on the Philip Field, Queen’s College were desperately unlucky to lose to Westville Boys’ High, being undone by a try in the final minute to go down 22-20.
It was a game in which neither side was able to stamp their dominance on proceedings and although Queen’s ran in three good tries, each time the Durban outfit was able to counter that.
In the first half, Lesego Bota crossed for a fine try after a good backline move created space on the left and Aluve Stemela added a second, which Bota converted.
But Westville twice hit back with tries and the teams went into the halftime break deadlocked at 12-12.
The see-saw battle continued in the second half as Bota slotted a penalty, only for Westville No 8 Avethandwa Tukwayo to power over from close range for their third try to put his team 17-15 in the lead.
Queen’s stormed back onto the attack and Sisipho Mpaka scored in the righthand corner to regain the initiative, but Westville was not done.
Some good work by their forwards and backs saw them work their way back into the Queen’s 22-metre area and a series of penalties close to the line eventually resulted in big lock Ockert Schonken barging over to take the score to 22-20.
Although the conversion failed, the final whistle went before Queen’s could kick off again to deny them a final chance at glory.
Selborne College had a tough outing against George side Outeniqua but held their own for much of the first half before their opponents upped the pace with direct running at their defence.
Eventually, the dam wall broke and centre Tony Bruiners was first to score when he sliced through for a superb try.
Outeniqua’s ability to create chances was revealed with an excellent try by scrumhalf Jamil Pretorius and hooker Riaan Swart made it 21-0 at the break when he powered over under the posts.
In the second half, the George team was awarded a penalty try and crossed again through flank Dewald Gerber before Selborne finally had some joy when they attacked near their opponents’ line.
Jordan Luck was able to force his way over and Kyle van Wyk added the conversion to make it 33-7.
But Outeniqua was not finished and yet another attacking move ended in their sixth and final try to secure a well-deserved 40-7 win.
Framesby showed good control to land four penalties by flyhalf Logan Muller and a try from flank Corne Scheepers to register a hard-earned 19-0 win over Jeppe High School for Boys’.
Bishops displayed their exhilarating brand of running rugby to outplay Makhanda rivals St Andrew’s College 42-5, while KES got their festival off to a good start with a 20-12 win over Nico Malan.
They did not have things their own way and Nico Malan pressed hard towards the end, only for KES to avoid the danger with an intercept which took playback to the halfway line.
Die Brandwag van Uitenhage het met drie spelers die grootste verteenwoordiging in die Klein Karoo Saadproduksie XV-tal wat na afloop van Oakdale Landbou se rugbyweek net buite Riversdal
Grey High are preparing themselves for a serious examination when they defend a proud record in their annual Standard Bank Grey Rugby Festival, which will be played in Gqeberha on Thursday and Saturday (March 31 and April 2).
Die Brandwag van Uitenhage het met ‘n sege van 36-18 oor die Hoërskool Lichtenburg op die laaste dag van die Klein Karoo Saadproduksie Rugbyweek net buite Riversdal daarin geslaag om die week onoorwonne af te sluit. 
Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool van Pretoria het die jaarlikse NMI Toyota Menlyn Noord/Suid-toernooi op ‘n hoogtepunt afgesluit deur die Hoërskool Durbanville op die laaste dag van die toernooi op sy tuisveld met 73-6 af te slag. Affies het teen die omdraaislag reeds ‘n stewige voorsprong van 40-6 opgebou. 
Die Brandwag van Uitenhage het met nog ‘n indrukwekkende sege van 27-23 oor die Hoërskool Diamantveld van Kimberley tydens die tweede dag van die Klein Karoo Saadproduksie Rugbyweek wat deur Oakdale Landbou aangebied word, gewys dat hy vanjaar oor ‘n bulspan beskik. 
Die Hoërskool Diamantveld het op die eerste dag van die Klein Karoo Saadproduksie Rugbyweek by Oakdale Landbou net buite Riversdal in die hoofwedstryd vir Hoërskool Rustenburg met 26-5 die loef afgesteek. Rustenburg vier vanjaar sy 100ste bestaansjaar. 
Die Noorde en die Suide se spanne is heelwat nader aan mekaar vanjaar op skolevlak as wat die afgelope paar jaar die geval was. 
Die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl het sy Kwagga-week (vir o.14-spanne) in George met ‘n klinkende sege van 33-0 oor die Hoërskool Menlopark van Pretoria afgeskop. Die ander span vanuit die Paarl in aksie op die week, Paarl Gimnasium, het vir Monument van Krugersdorp in hul tweestryd met 20-12 uitoorlê. 
Grey-kollege van Bloemfontein het sy spiere behoorlik op die eerste dag van die jaarlikse Jean de Villiers o.16-rugbyfees in die Paarl gebult. Die span van die Rosestad het die gasheer, Paarl Gimnasium, met 33-3 in die hoofwedstryd kaf gedraf.