Paul Roos Gimnasium has produced 56* Springboks, while Grey College has produced 48*. No other high schools have produced as many players for the Green and Gold.
The two Springbok factories meet in a King Price Derby Series clash at the Markötter Field in Stellenbosch at 14:00 on Saturday.
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Grey may have clinched a 26-25 victory in Bloemfontein last year, but they’ll no doubt have been reminded about their last visit to Stellenbosch in 2024, when Ou Polla’s Boys vanquished their rivals 36-3.
Grey College head coach Jannie Geldenhuys acknowledged the strength of their long-time rival, stating: “Paul Roos is always a very well-structured side. Their set-piece and game management are some of the best in schoolboy rugby.
“We always love the challenge that they present.”
Unfortunately, something that impacts both schools when they meet late in the season annually is the absence of South Africa (SA) u18 and SA u18 A players, who are playing in the u18 International Series.
The Maroon Machine will be without captain and centre Tiaan Basson (SA u18), loose forward Werner de Bruin (SA u18 A), and flyhalf Travis Pheiffer (SA u18 A). In their places, Jean Hamman has been brought in at centre, Stef de Villiers at loose forward, and Daniel Whitehead at flyhalf.
The visitors will be missing outside back Lamla Mgedezi (SA u18), and loose forward Niel du Randt (SA u18 A). As a result, Henru Erasmus, Prestan Bennet, and Xander de Beer will make up the trio of Grey College loose forwards, while Caden Janse van Rensburg slots in at fullback.
A ruthless battle is expected between the forward packs, and both teams will aim to use the rolling maul as a primary attacking weapon.
Grey captain and lock Alexi Tyropolis is a powerful enforcer in his tackles and with his carries. He’ll also be a key player in the lineouts.
Paul Roos prop Zak Steyn serves as a solid anchor for the Maroon Machine, and he has the raw strength to force penalties at scrum time.
At the back, fullback Kyle Snyers is a reliable decision-maker for Paul Roos. He’ll be eager to poke holes in the opposition’s defensive line, which is being led by the centre pair of Ruan Roux and Eddie Mabena. They’re capable of turning defence into attack in the blink of an eye.
Coach Geldenhuys said the tradition of facing Paul Roos in the last match of the season adds something extra to the showdown: “Being the last fixture of the year always makes it very special, especially for those boys who will play in their last schoolboy fixture.
“With that also comes the long history and tradition that is associated with the contest. It makes it really special to be a part of history, and to have the privilege to play our small roles in it.”
The 2026 season has been one of the more interesting in many years, with some smaller schools upsetting the traditional top sides. However, a meeting of established powerhouses, backed by very loyal fan bases, is always keenly anticipated, and also an opportunity for the combatants to end their campaigns on a high note.
The teams:
Paul Roos Gimnasium (likely): 15 Kyle Snyers, 14 Reilly Combrinck, 13 Jean Hamman, 12 Tom Cruickshank, 11 Cadynn Samuels, 10 Daniel Whitehead, 9 Jaedon Powell, 8 Gerard Bekker, 7 Stef de Villiers, 6 Christian le Roux (captain), 5 Reuben Winter, 4 Sebastian Cilliers, 3 Zak Steyn, 2 Lehan Bernard, 1 Sian van Heerdan.
Grey College: 15 Caden Janse van Rensburg, 14 Jaco Oosthuizen, 13 Eddie Mabena, 12 Ruan Roux, 11 Kingsley Pule, 10 Christoff Crous, 9 Jonathan Drysdale, 8 Henru Erasmus, 7 Prestan Bennet,6 Xander de Beer, 5 JW Coetzee, 4 Alexi Tyropolis (captain), 3 Hennie Bredenhann, 2 AJ Hendricks, 1 Frans-Paul Troskie.
Referee: Zoë Naudé.
Kick-Off: 14:00
*Just a note on the number of Springboks produced by these two rugby factories. For our official list of Springboks produced, click here. For our criteria for a school to claim a Springbok, the player had to have matriculated at the school or played for the First XV. Our official list therefore differs from what some schools claim, and some of the research to allocate players to the correct schools is still in process. The numbers used in this article are the accepted numbers by the two schools.
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