Paul Roos ended their season with a 19-12 victory over Grey College in the Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools clash in Stellenbosch, MARIETTE ADAMS reports.
Both sides had ample opportunities early on, but lacked composure inside the danger zone and failed to turn those chances into points.
Then, with Grey on the attack, the Maroon Machine forwards forced a turnover and the hosts counter-attacked from deep. They gave the ball air and when Western Province Craven Week star winger Nico Leonard got his hands on the ball, he showed great vision to breach the Grey defence. After regathering his own chip kick over the defensive line, Leonard stepped inside the cover defender to score his 51st try for the 1st XV.
Grey hit back through right wing Marnus Boshoff and when Mario Vieira converted, the visitors took a 7-5 lead. But that was short-lived, as scrumhalf Josh van Eeden made a sniping run to dot down under the sticks on the stroke of half-time.
The crowd rose to their feet after the break when flyhalf Damian Willemse pushed home their advantage with Paul Roos’s third and final five-pointer.
Like they did in the first half, Grey dominated possession but stern defence kept them at bay. The boys from Bloemfontein did eventually make their dominance count to set up an interesting finish when Boshoff bagged his second effort, but it proved to be their final chance, as Paul Roos held on to end the school's 150th anniversary on a high.
Paul Roos – Tries: Nico Leonard, Josh van Eeden, Damian Willemse.Conversions: Hein Steenkamp (2).
Grey College – Tries: Marnus Boshoff (2). Conversions: Maria Vieira.
Paul Roos – 15 Hein Steenkamp, 14 Nico Leonard, 13 Troy Payne, 12 Kristoff Baard, 11 Jason Myburgh, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Josh van Eeden, 8 Pierre van der Merwe, 7 Lazlo Pschorn, 6 Malan Basson, 5 Joa Swart, 4 Louis Conradie, Dre Calitz, 2 Abrie Coetzee, 1 Muammir Salie.
Subs: 16 Peter Cordy, 17 Robert Matthee, 18 Stephan Annadale, 19 Dean van Tonder, 20 Roelf Burger, 21 Tiaan Coetzee, 22 Sebastian Uys, 23 Paul Burger.
Grey College – 15 Jandré de Beer, 14 Johan van der Walt, 13 Francois Agenbach, 12 Dawid Snyman, 11 Marnus Boshoff, 10 Mario Vieira, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Hardus Nel, 7 Dian Schoonees, 6 Dawid Theron, 5 Janco van Tonder, 4 George Rossouw, 3 IG Prinsloo, 2 Daniel Rust, 1 Gideo Beukes.
Subs: 16 Pieter van Staden, 17 Stef Brits, 18 Johan Swanepoel, 19 Marius Stander, 20 Johan Dippenaar, 21 Niel Durow, 22 PR Serfontein, 23 Lourens Schreuder, 24 Jaco Wessels, 25 Marius Kruger.
Schools rugby results (22 August)
Photo: Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
