NGXV Global Schools Challenge Preview
Grey College host local rivals and UK schools
Photo credit: Premier Interschools
Grey College will host the inaugural NextGenXV Global Schools Challenge which will take place from 14 – 18 December 2024.
The Premier Schools competition sees Grey College, Grey High and Oakdale from South Africa taking on Strathallan School from Scotland and Denstone College from England, as well as an u18 invitational team from Hamilton Rugby Club in Cape Town in three gamedays.
December Rugby – A precursor to success the following season
In December 2022, Grey College took a strong u17 group to the World Schools Festival in Thailand and lost narrowly to Hamilton Boys’ High, a perennially strong school side in the Waikato/Chiefs region. That Grey side went unbeaten in 2023 as they were the undisputed #1 side in the country.
In December 2023, Paul Roos went on tour to Ireland with a large group of players as they sought to build camaraderie and combinations in tough conditions that would be similar to the Western Cape winter. They won all their matches in Ireland and then enjoyed their first unbeaten season since 1991 in 2024.
This December, apart from the three SA schools playing in the NextGen festival this weekend, Paarl Boys have been on a tour to Ireland, Scotland and England, while Paul Roos play in the World Schools Festival in Abu Dhabi. Between Boishaai, Paul Roos and Grey College, we could well have the top 3 schools in 2025, with Affies also being in the reckoning.
NextGenXV Global Schools Challenge Preview
It is due to be unpleasantly warm in Bloemfontein over the coming week and surely the two sides from the UK will wilt in these stifling conditions as they contend with altitude and the hardest fields they will have experienced.
Strathallan School and Denstone College both endured difficult seasons in their local matches and while they will have the advantage of being properly match fit, they will surely not be able to live with three very strong sides from South Africa who will all be hungry to prove they deserve their 1st XV jersey in 2025.
Grey College
The hosts will be without star SA Schools lock AJ Meyer who is recovering from injury and have had to regenerate almost an entire side with the 2024 side being mostly made up of matrics. The Cherries went unbeaten this year though and they will form the bulk of this side, together with a couple players who excelled at Grant Khomo this year in Henru Erasmus (who has converted from No. 8 to hooker) and lock Alexi Tyropolis who was very unlucky not to be included in the SARU u16 EPD camp. I feel sorry for Hamilton u18 on Day One. Grey will still be licking their wounds from the PRG debacle last time out and they could rack up some massive scores on their hallowed turf.
Players to Watch
· Ethan Adams (centre)
· Adem Nieuwoudt (loose forward)
· AJ Booysen (loose forward)
· Jan Hendrik van der Linden (utility back)
· JG Badenhorst (prop)
Oakdale
Oakdale have produced two brilliant u16A sides in the past two years and are bound to have another good season in 2025. They will have a big, abrasive pack like always, with much attention falling on excellent loosehead Kai Pratt who will be one of the hottest properties in the school scene in 2025.
Jacobus de Villiers is Paul’s brother (Stormers and SA U20) and he is already much bigger than his older brother and is rated more highly at the same age by his school coaches. In Reinhardt Viljoen they have an extremely aggressive 10/15 who loves contact and does not shy away from the physical exchanges, strange for such a small guy.
Players to Watch
· Kai Pratt (prop)
· Diaan Augustyn (lock)
· Jacobus de Villiers (loose forward)
· Reinhardt Viljoen (flyhalf/fullback)
Grey High School
After a couple barren years, Grey are on to something in 2025. They are building an excellent pipeline and DoR Robbie Kempson’s recruitment is about to come to fruition. Grey should have a solid pack, even if they lack height in the locks. In the backline, the halfbacks may be a concern but there is depth in the outside backs with some devastating runners to look out for in the form of Meyer Prinsloo and Ciaran Killian.
I haven’t been this excited to see my alma mater in a while and here’s hoping they get off to a flying start and dazzle the crowds in Bloem on a field they have performed well on since COVID. Not suffering injuries is also going to be crucial!
Players to Watch
· Daniel Naude (prop)
· Evan Mucka (hooker)
· Ciaran Killian (centre)
· Meyer Prinsloo (centre/fullback)
· Michael Nyandoro (fullback)
All games will be streamed live on the SuperSport Schools app in South Africa and on RugbyPassTV for international viewers.
Fixtures
14 December 2024
14:00 – Oakdale v Strathallan (Scotland)
15:15 – Grey College v Hamilton u18
16:30 – Grey High v Denstone College (England)
16 December 2024
14:00 – Grey College v Denstone College (England)
15:15 – Grey High v Strathallan (Scotland)
16:30 – Oakdale v Hamilton u18
18 December 2024
14:00 – Grey High v Hamilton u18
15:15 – Oakdale v Denstone College (England)
16:30 – Grey College v Strathallan (Scotland)