Can PRG beat Grey on Saturday?

PRG tackles big fish this weekend

This weekend’s epic clash between Paul Roos Gimnasium and Grey College in Stellenbosch doesn’t have its match in schools’ rugby. It’s the second to last match of the Supa Quick Premier Interschools and this derby cannot get any better and bigger. As with most big derbies, there have 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. This derby is massive for both schools with old boys travelling from all over South Africa down to Stellenbosch.

The weekend kicks off with a prestigious auction and dinner event being held on Thursday night that will include a panel discussion hosted by Paul Roos old boy Ricky Schroeder and includes ex-players like Schalk Britz and Juandre Kruger from Paul Roos and Richard Strauss and Heinrich Brussouw from Grey College.

Both these teams will lose some players to the SA Schools setup that is also taking place over the weekend, but it will not deter the teams as the players stepping up will play with as much pride and passion as their predecessors. 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?

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 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.

Paul Roos 2022 season