On Saturday 15 August Selborne College will take on arch Eastern Cape rivals Grey High in Port Elizabeth for the 46th time. These schools played each other for the first time in 1926 and the history between them speaks of great sportsmanship and mutual respect. In 45 clashes over the last 40 years, Grey has won 26 with Selborne winning 19.
Since 2000 Grey has had the upper hand in this derby, with most of their all-time victories coming in the 21st century. They have won three in a row since 2012, with Selborne itching to set the record straight on the Phillips Field on Saturday.
Both teams will be fielding understrength sides due to SA Schools commitments and injuries, with Grey being the hardest hit as three of their star men miss out. Flyhalf Curwin Bosch, 8th man Khwezi Mafu and lock Kamva Dilima will all be away representing SA Schools. Selborne, meanwhile, will be without their talisman centre David Britz.
Both teams have enjoyed solid campaigns so far with Grey currently 8th and Selborne 13th in the national schools rankings. Both schools contributed heavily to their respective provincial Under-18 teams and the match will have a distinctly provincial flavour.
- Grey High Squad 2015: 1. Tiaan Coetzee, 2. Apiwe Febana, 3. Sive Masoziwe, 4. Joe Rooyakers, 5. Kamva Dilima, 6. Matthew Lawson, 7. Michael de Marco, 8. Khwezi Mafu, 9. David Masterson, 10. Curwin Bosch, 11. Sihle Njezula, 12. Josiah Twum-Boafo, 13. Keanu Vers, 14. Mohammed Connelly, 15. Sihle Njezula, 16. Dylan Barendse, 17. Liam Blake-Taylor, 18. Anovoyo Moyikwa, 19. Lubabalo Dobela, 20. Fred Sematimba
- Selborne Squad 2015: 1. Cole van Tonder, 2. Grant Venter, 3. Daniel Voigt, 4. Daniel Froneman, 5. Hein Rust, 6. Heinrich Nieuwenhuizen, 7. Darren Lemmer, 8. Lutho Selem, 9. Joshua Allderman, 10. Morgan Steyn, 11. Thakga Boloko, 12. David Brits, 13. Andile Koyana, 14. Tristian Coetzer, 15. Michael Botha, 16. Connor Deary, 17. Leon Lyons, 18. Phumzile Maqondwana, 19. Matthew Aucamp, 20. James Bruce, 21. Joshua Armstrong, 22. Sango Xamlashe
Rugby at Grey High
Grey High has a proud rugby history which dates back to the 19th century. Traditional schools they compete against, on an annual basis, are Dale College, Graeme College, Grey College, Queen’s College, Selborne College, St. Andrew’s College, Wynberg High and Paul Roos Gymnasium.
The first official rugby match took place on September 16 1893, against the Muir Academy. Initially rugby was played in black coats and straw hats, and a report in 1895 stated that the greatest problem rugby faced at the Grey was “the lack of rivalry which would prove strong enough to develop excellence.”
By 1897 Grey entered the men’s third league, but then went into the doldrums as Association Football (soccer) enjoyed prominence until 1908. Rugby muscled its way into the psyche of the school after Port Elizabeth hosted the Currie Cup tournament and a Test against England. The arrival of JC Hops, HT “Boetie” Gamble and NS “Tienie” Krige onto the Grey staff didn’t do any harm, either.
Things developed quickly and, by 1933, Grey had its first Springboks in Bunny Reid, Fred Smollan and Fred Turner. Their team manager was Wally Mangennis, an Old Grey who had captained the 1st XV for four seasons.
Rugby initially found its home at the Crusader Ground in St George’s Park. This relationship extended after the move to the school’s present site in College Drive – as Rector Way would not have rugby played on its precious cricket fields.
Money for the main field was donated by an Old Grey, Arthur Phillip, in 1938 and thus it became the Phillip Field.
Players who represented the Springboks through the years include: Jack Hirsh, Fred Smollan, Fred Turner, George Smith, Bunny Reid, Peter Allen, Giepie Wentzel (Master), Roy Dryburgh, Mickey Gerber, Wilf Rosenberg, Iain Kirkpatrick, Sean Povey, Luke Watson and, most recently, Siya Kolisi and JJ Engebrecht.
Luke Watson, Mpho Mbiyozo and Steven Hunt have also represented the South Africa Sevens side.
Mike Willemse represented South Africa at the 2013 Junior World Cup in France. Well known television commentators and outstanding players Gavin Cowley and Andrew Patterson also graced the Phillip Field.
Special mention must also be made of Michael Catt, Rory Duncan and Luke Watson – who captained the England, Free State and Western Province Currie Cup sides respectively.
Rugby at Selborne College
Selborne began playing rugby in 1892 when it met Dale College of King William’s Town, in what remains an enthusiastic fixture to this day. As with most schools in South Africa, early rugby opponents were men’s teams and in the early days soccer had a grip on the imagination until rugby finally took over in 1912.
Now Selborne plays teams all over South Africa as one of the country’s best known schools, not only for its strength but also for the expansive game it plays and its spirit of sportsmanship.
In 1926 Selborne first played Grey High, which is still a big Interschools day each year as the schools get together for all manner of sporting and cultural activities.
In 1992 Selborne hosted a festival which included teams from England and Zimbabwe, as well as touring the UK. In 2002 a nationwide rugby competition for schools was introduced by Media24 and Selborne became the first winners when they beat Paarl Gim 11-10 in the final.
Dale College, of nearby King William’s Town, are rivals in chief, but there are also big matches with Grey High, Queen’s College in Queenstown and Grey College in Bloemfontein.
The following Old Boys have played for South Africa: Bernard Duffy, Innes Froneman, André de Wet, Ray Carlson, Keith and Mark Andrews, André Vos and Brent Russell.
Duffy also swam and played waterpolo for Border and was later the president of the Border Rugby Union. His brother Aubrey also played for Border.
The Andrews family, from up in the magnificent foothills of the Drakensberg, have had a big impact on Selborne rugby. Keith’s father, Kenny, captained Selborne in 1953, Keith in 1981.
Kenny’s brother Fish played for Selborne and had three sons who captained the college: Gary in 1981, Murray in 1983 and Mark in 1990. Mark was at one stage South Africa’s most capped Springbok of all time.
Grey High National Week Representatives:
- Craven Week: Sihle Njezulu, Josiah Boafo, Mohamed Connelly, Curwin Bosch, Kwezi Mafu, Michael de Marco, Kamva Dilima, Siwe Masosiwe, Lubabalo Dobela, Khanyo Mafunda.
- Academy Week: Nicky Ferreira, Aya Oliphant, Matthew Lawson, Apiwe Febana, Tiaan Coetzee, Dylan Barendse.
Selborne National Week Representatives:
- Craven Week: Daniel Voigt, Lutho Selem, Leon Lyons, Cole Van Tonder, Daniel Froneman, Heinrich Nieuwenhuizen, Josh Allderman, Sango Xamlashe, David Brits, Thakga Boloko and Tian Coetzer.
Since 1975 Selborne have won 19 times against Grey, whilst Grey beat Selborne 26 times out of the 45 games played.
Results through the years:
1975: Selborne won 22-21
1976: Grey won 17-11
1977: Grey won 21-4
1978: Selborne won 26-19
1979: Selborne won 22-13
1980: Selborne won 18-12
1981: Grey won 24-7
1982: Grey won 12-10
1983: Grey won 29-9
1984: Grey won 18-6
1985: Selborne won 7-6
1986: Selborne won 15-10
1987: Grey won 12-6
1988: Selborne won 12-10
1989: Grey won 27-3
1990: Selborne won 17-9
1991: Grey won 7-0
1992: No match
1993: Grey won 16-15
1994: Selborne won 50-6
1995: Grey won 18-17
1996: Selborne won 10-8
1997: Selborne won 20-10
1998: Selborne won 31-10
1999: Selborne won 23-22
2000: Grey won 28-0
2001: Grey won 28-12
2002: Grey won 16-15
2003: Grey won 20-14 and 38-13
2004: Grey won 18-16 and Selborne won 20-11
2005: Grey won 16-3 and 62-3
2006: Grey won 16-15
2007: Grey won 18-3
2008: Grey won 38-16
2009: Selborne won 22-15
2010: Selborne won 30-17
2011: Selborne won 29-21
2012: Grey won 28-22
2013: Grey won 45-0
2014: Grey won 20-18
Alan Straton
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