The Grey College first Xv pose for a picture. Photo: Grey College.
Grey College fixtures pit them against tough opposition in 2023
Grey College will play against six Top 10-ranked schools in 2023 following the release of their fixtures for the upcoming season.
The Grey College first Xv pose for a picture. Photo: Grey College.
It has been confirmed that Grey College will play against six Top 10-ranked schools in 2023 following the release of their fixture list for the upcoming season.
Grey College finished the year as the No 1-ranked schools team in South Africa and finished an honourable second at the World Schools Festival in Thailand, despite sending a squad made up of a mix of U17 and U16 players who will form this year’s XV team.
ALSO READ: Grey fall short in World Schools Festival final
Grey College have now released its set of fixtures for the looming 2023 campaign and it confirms they will play 17 matches across the season, including showdowns against Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys High, Affies, Monnas, Oakdale and Paul Roos, all of who make up the top 10 in the official rankings.
Additionally, Grey will compete at three rugby festivals — Graeme College Rugby Day in March, the North-South festival in April and at Wildeklawer on 29 April to 1 May.
Their first game of the year is on 25 February when they face an unknown side at the President Steyn Rugby Day, followed by away fixtures against Hoërskool Duineveld in Upington and Welkom Gym in Welkom.
Over the weekend of 23-25 March, Grey are scheduled to take on Eastern Cape sides Marlow and St Andrew’s College at the Graeme Rugby Day tournament.
Then it’s the big showdown between the two best school teams in the country. Grey College up against Paarl Gym at the North-South tournament in Pretoria. No 1 vs No 2. It could well be a clash which determines who will top the rankings when the season ends later this year.
On day two of the North-South event, Durban-based side Maritzburg College will take on Grey College. But ranked outside of the Top 20, Maritzburg should be an easy enough challenge for Grey College to overcome.
After the North-South tournament in Pretoria, Grey College will enjoy a 12-day break before traveling from Bloemfontein to George where they will face hosts Hoërskool Outeniqua on 15 April.
Grey College’s third and final appearance at a festival will see them play two matches at Wildeklawer. Although the fixtures for the tournament are yet to be released, it is believed that one of Grey College’s fixtures will pit them against Hoërskool Garsfontein.
If that is the case, it’ll take Grey’s tally of Top 10 oppositions for the year from six to seven.
May will be an extremely busy, congested and challenging period for Grey College. After the second game at Wildeklawer on 1 May, Grey will welcome Selborne in Bloemfontein on the sixth.
That is followed by a tough run of three fixtures against Paarl Boys away in Paarl (13 May), Affies at home in Bloemfontein (20 May) and Monnas in Krugersdorp (27 May).
As the season heads to a close, Grey College have play against namesakes Grey High with the fixture taking place in Port Elizebeth on 29 July. August will see riveting encounters against Boland schools Oakdale and Paul Roos, both in Bloemfontein.
Grey College 2023 fixtures:
✈ 25 Feb — vs TBC (President Steyn Rugby Day, Waterbron)
✈ 4 Mar — vs Duineveld (Upington)
✈ 11 Mar — vs Welkom Gim (Welkom)
✈ 23 Mar — vs Marlow (Graeme College Rugby Day, Grahamstown)
✈ 25 Mar — vs St Andrew’s College (Graeme Rugby Day, Grahamstown)
✈ 1 Apr — vs Paarl Gim (North-South Festival, Pretoria)
✈ 3 Apr — vs Maritzburg College (North-South Festival, Pretoria)
✈ 15 Apr — vs Outeniqua (George)
✈ 29 Apr — vs TBC (Wildeklawer, Kimberley)
✈ 1 May — vs TBC (Wildeklawer, Kimberley)
✈ 6 May — vs Selborne College (Bloemfontein)
✈ 13 May — vs Paarl Boys High (Paarl)
✈ 20 May — vs Affies (Bloemfontein)
✈ 27 May — vs Monnas (Krugersdorp)
✈ 29 Jul — vs Grey High School (Port Elizabeth)
✈ 5 Aug — vs Oakdale (Bloemfontein)
✈ 12 Aug — vs Paul Roos (Bloemfontein)
