Grey High defeated SACS in Port Elizabeth on the opening day of one of two enthralling schools festivals this weekend across the country.
After trailing 10-5 at halftime, Grey regained the lead before a try for the boys from Cape Town put them ahead 17-15 with 12 minutes remaining of the main encounter of the Grey Rugby Festival on Thursday.
But the hosts fought back with two tries in the last period to help clinch the match 27-17 on the Kolisi Field. In earlier action, Jeppe High produced an eight-try 51-5 mauling of Queen’s College.
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Hudson Park held on for a 29-28 win against St Stithians, while Muir and Parktown got the festival off to a rousing start on the Pollock Oval as the Johannesburg side recorded a 21-7 victory.
Selborne were rewarded for some enterprising play as they outclassed Brandwag 32-0 after leading 5-0 at the break, Nico Malan and St John’s played out a thrilling 17-17 draw, as KES edged Grame College 12-0.
Action resumes on day two of the festival on Saturday.
Elsewhere, proceedings kick off at the annual Wildeklawer Festival on Friday night between Paarl Boys’ High and Glenwood at Diamantveld High School in Kimberley.
Grey High Festival results (Day one):
Invitation XV 5-15 Pretoria Boys’
Selborne 32-0 Brandwag
Westville 28-5 Voortrekker Bethlehem
Graeme 0-12 KES
Queen’s 5-51 Jeppe
Muir 7-21 Parktown
Nico Malan 17-17 St John’s
Hudson Park 29-21 St Stithians
Fixtures (Day 2, Saturday):
Kolisi Field
9:10am: Hudson Park v St John’s
10:25am: Selborne v Jeppe
11:45am: Graeme College v Voortrekker Bethlehem
12:55pm: SACS v Pretoria Boys’
2:05pm: Queen’s v KES
3:25pm: Grey High v Westville
Pollock Oval
9:10am: Muir v St Stithians
11:45am Brandwag v Parktown
12:55pm: Dale v Nico Malan
2:05pm: Grey Unicorns v Despatch
3:25pm Invitation XV v Westering
Wildeklawer Festival fixtures (28 April – 1 May):
Friday, 28 April
7pm: Paarl Boys’ High vs Glenwood
Saturday, 29 April
9:10am Boland Landbou vs Monnas
10:20am: Framesby vs Welkom Gim
11:30am: Stellenberg vs Maritzburg College
12:40pm Diamantveld vs Drostdy HTS
1:50pm: Paul Roos vs Durban High
3pm: Affies vs Oakdale
4:10pm: Outeniqua vs EG Jansen
5:20pm: Paarl Gim vs Helpmekaar
6:30pm: Grey College vs Garsfontein
Monday, 1 May
8am: Glenwood vs Welkom Gim
9:10am: Oakdale vs EG Jansen
10:20am: Diamantveld vs Boland Landbou
11:30am: Paarl Boishaai vs Helpmekaar
12:40pm: Framesby vs Maritzburg
1:50pm: Durban High vs Drostdy HTS
3pm: Paarl Gim vs Monnas
4:10pm: Grey College vs Stellenberg
5:20pm Outeniqua vs Garsfontein
6:30pm Affies vs Paul Roos
Photo: SA School Sports website