Grey win again - a tough one

It was, as expected, a tough encounter.

Grey scored first, relinquished their lead with 8 minutes to play, got it back and scored last.  It was a game played at a high level of intensity and skill with both backs and forwards full participant.

Grey, playing with the wind, attacked first but the first breakaway came from the bulky prop Dewald Donald of Affies. But Grey came back, mauling with intent and  scrumhalf AJ  Bezuidenhout darted over for a try. 5-0 after 9 minutes which became 8-0 two minutes later when Zander du Plessis goaled.

And still they came back. De Wet Marais tapped a penalty and Jan-Hendrik Wessels scored. 15-0 after 21 minutes.

Three minutes later it was 22-0. Affies chipped, Richard Kriel countered at length and fast, strong Wyclef Vlitoor scored. 22-0.

It seemed that Grey would run away with the match. That was not to be, not at all.

Just before half-time Affies got a maul going inside the Grey 22. It was collapsed, Grey were penalised and a player was sent to the sin bin. Affies kicked out for a five-metre line-out. They mauled and Donald scores, Regardt Roets converted. 22-7, the half-time score with Grey ready to gallop off to victory.

Affies had other ideas and eight minutes into the half the score had been changed to 22-21. first flank George Oosthuizen scored a try. Then Stephin Alberts went on a long break and fullback Dieter Crafford sold a dummy and scored.

But the next thing Ian Small-Smith was racing down the left and despite the best efforts of four defenders he scored. 27-21 after 50 minutes.

Kriel had a long run on counterattack but two penalties gave Affies a five-metre line-out, followed by a scrum at which Grey were again penalised. Affies tapped  and went wide left where eighthman Jan Dagutat scored. Roets's fourth conversion gave Affies a 28-27 lead with just eight minutes left.

In those eight minutes, Grey scored two tries. Two penalties and a maul and Danwich Beukes was close and then Werner Gouws scored. 34-28.

From the kick-off Grey gave to speedy left wing Lesley Botha, who sped to the goal-line for a try which ended the exciting match.

Scorers

For Grey:

Tries: AJ Bezuidenhoudt, Jan Hendrik Wessels, Wyclef Vlitoor, Werner Gouws, Lesley Botha

Cons: 

Pen: Zander du Plessis 

For Affies:

Tries: Dewald Donald, George Oosthuizen, Dieter Crafford, Jan Dagutat

Cons: Regardt Roets 4

Teams

Affies: 15 Dieter Crafford,  14 Jason Scheepers, 13 Stephin Alberts, 12 Dian Nordier, 11 Eric Sherman, 10 Regardt Roets, 9 Steyn van der Spuy, 8 Jan Dagutat, 7 Adolph Visser, 6 George Oosthuizen, 5 Chris Kamffer, 4 Zhander Schmidt, 3 Sarel Joubert, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Dewald Donald

Replacements: 16 Jaques-Louis du Toit, 17 Viljoen van Zyl, 18 Duchan Gurovich, 19 Gustav Bester, 20 David Jacobsz, 21 Michael van Aswegen, 22 SD Meyer, 23 Pierre Fourie

Grey College: 15 Richard Kriel, 14 Ian Small-Smith, 13 Wyclef Vlitoor, 12 Franco Smith, 11 Lesley Botha, 10 Zander du Plessis, 9 AJ Bezuidenhoudt, 8 Werner Gouws, 7 De Wet Marais, 6 Raynardo Gouveia, 5 WJ Steenkamp, 4 Danwich Beukes, 3 Herman Agenbag, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Replacements: 16 Corné du Toit, 17 Brandon Matthews, 18 Chris De Wet, 19 Pieter Dippenaar, 20 Eswee de Waal, 21 Ross Braude, 22 MJ Odendaal, 23 Riaan Brits

Referee: Christopher Alison

Assistant referees: Gerrie de Bruin, Corné Rossouw

Results Down the Years

1953: Grey won 3-0

1954: Grey won 9-3

1955: Grey won 19-0

1956: Draw 6-6

1957: Grey won 22-0

1958: Grey won 14-6

1959: Grey won 14-3

1966: Grey won 25-11

1967: Grey won 22-0

1970: Grey won 16-11

1971: Grey won 19-0

1973: Grey won 10-3

1974: Grey won 14-6

1992: Grey won 24-3

1993: Draw 26-26

1994: Grey won 13-6

1995: Grey won 37-13

1996: Affies won 25-3

1997: Grey won 19-9

1998: Draw 23-23

1999: Grey won 17-13

2000: Draw 17-17

2001: Draw 12-12

2002: Grey won 46-21

2003: Grey won 33-3

2004: Grey won 32-29

2005: Affies won 27-20

2006: Affies won 18-13

2007: Grey won 47-10

2008: Grey won 31-12

2009: Grey won 30-13

2010: Grey won 23-6

2011: Grey won 16-11

2012: Affies won 35-29

2013: Affies won 37-31

2014: Grey won 42-31

2015: Affies won 29-18

2016: Grey won 53-29

2017: Affies won 35-32

2018: Grey won 39-28