We laud some schools for developing rugby and producing quality players like a conveyor belt, well Grey College boasts 9 players in the Springbok touring squad and 8 out of 22 in the match 22 for the Springboks against Scotland! Amazing.
That is ONE THIRD of the total Bokke squad of 27 players, as it currently stands.
Bismarck Du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Frans Steyn, Deon Stegmann, Ruan Pienaar and Coenie Oosthuizen all call Grey College their Alma Mater.
Grey College has been the No 1 Rugby School now for years and the big names roll off the tongue… Morne du Plessis, Ruben Kruger, Theuns Stoffberg, Heinrich Brussow… hell far too many to mention.
College sets the benchmark and has now surpassed Bishops in CapeTown for the number of Springboks produced by one school, but it must be mentioned that Bishops rides on it’s early history for producing Springboks.
- Grey College has produced 37 capped Springboks and one uncapped Bok currently on Tour (Coenie Oosthuizen).
- Bishops has produced 35 Springboks.
- Paul Roos has produced 34 Springboks.
Since South African re-admission into International Rugby circles in 1992, Grey College has produced 22 Springboks.
Amongst our Provincial sides more Grey College names abound, there is probably not one who does not feature an Old Grey boy.
Folks, this is not taking away from the other fine schools in South Africa, Affies in Pretoria, Waterkloof, Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys High, to name a few, it is rather an indication that Grey College does things right… and more importantly that the boys from Grey College do not get lost in the systems after school, like so many others.
I salute you Grey College, even though I never attended Grey College.
List of Grey College rugby Springboks:
1 1896 H van Broekhuizen
2 1912 Boetie Mc Hardy
3 1921 Sarel Strauss
4 1937 Louis Babrow
5 1937 Harry Martin
6 1938 Piet de Wet
7 1955 Popeye Strydom
8 1965 John Wessels
9 1970 Johan Spies
10 1971 Dawie Snyman
11 1971 Morne du Plessis
12 1974 Jackie Snyman
13 1976 Theuns Stoffberg
14 1977 Robbie Blair
15 1986 Jaco Reinach
16 1986 Helgard Müller
17 1992 Andries Truscott
18 1992 Johan Styger
19 1992 Pieter Muller
20 1992 Heinrich Fuls
21 1993 Ruben Kruger
22 1993 Ollie le Roux
23 1993 Naka Drotské
24 1997 Werner Swanepoel
25 1999 Charl Marais
26 2002 CJ vd Linde
27 2004 Gerrie Britz
28 2006 Ruan Pienaar
29 2006 Frans Steyn
30 2007 Bismarck du Plessis
31 2007 Jannie du Plessis
32 2007 Wian du Preez
33 2007 Tiaan Liebenberg
34 2008 Adriaan Strauss
35 2008 Heinrich Brussow
36 2010 Flip vd Merwe
37 2011 Deon Stegmann
38 2011 Coenie Oosthuizen (Uncapped)
History of the school:
Grey College is the oldest school north of the Gariep River and third oldest in the Republic of South Africa. The then Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir George Grey, visited the new Republic of the Orange Free State and on 13 October 1855 donated a sum of money towards the establishment of an institution for higher education. The school was officially opened on 17 January 1859 with dr. Andrew Murray as the first headmaster. The Model Republic, Bloemfontein and Grey College grew and developed together – the school under the leadership of headmasters like Dr. Johannes Brill, Messrs. James Lyle, Jock Meiring, J.M.B. Faure, A.K. Volsteedt. J.L. (Patat) Cronje, Dr. M.G. Heyns and since 1993 Mr. Johan Volsteedt (son of A K Volsteedt).
In 1950 the secondary and primary sections were separated and the Primary School developed rapidly under messrs. C.C.F. Bornman, Steve Strydom (well known in Rugby circles as a Referee and Rugby Administrator) and Chris Bester. Mr. Lindsay Mould is the current principal of the primary school.
Grey College is one of the best known schools in the country, and its past pupils are to be found in all walks of life – not only in South Africa, but also abroad.
In many respects Grey has developed into a unique school since it was founded in 1855. Here pupils receive their tuition through the medium of Afrikaans or English in separate classrooms. The two groups participate together in extramural activities, play together on the schoolgrounds, live in the hostels and attend the hall periods. The pupils take great pride in their school and loyalty is a hallmark of the Grey boys. The traditions and good name of the school bind them all together and inspire them to give even more than their best. We believe that in our parallel medium policy lies the solution to many of our country’s problems, especially since each language group maintains its own cultural heritage but is enriched by the other cultures.
New school buildings have replaced old ones and some old buildings have been restored thereby giving the whole complex a totally new, modern appearance without affecting the rich traditions of the school.
An atmosphere of moderation and tolerance pervades the school.
Their 3rd team would beat most 1st teams in this country. There are some big boys there, what do they feed them, small children 🙂
dis ma hoe ons dinge doen in die vrystaat,was dit nie vir grey nie was natal seker nou nog in die b afdeling
@Smallies72
“was dit nie vir grey nie was natal seker nou nog in die b afdeling”
WELL said.
Trying to obtain a Springbok Rugby honours list from the folks at Grey College… listing all Rugby Springboks who hail from Grey College.
Will post it if and when I receive it.
Well, my 2 grandfathers, dad (matric 1947) and 2 uncles, 2 brothers and numerous cousins ans second cousins all attended Grey College.
I have huge respect for the school.
Rugby 365 se lys gaan net tot by CJ ek het die wat ek van weet by gesit maar kan dalk verkeerd wees en een of twee gemis het
Herman van Broekhuisen, Boet McHardy, , Sarel Strauss, Henry Martin, Louis Babrow, Piet de Wet, Popeye Strydom, Gert Cilliers, John Wessels, Johan Spies, Morné du Plessis (captain), Dawie Snyman and his brother Jackie, Theuns Stofberg (captain), Robbie Blair, Jaco Reinach, Helgard Müller and his brother Pieter, Andries Truscott, Johan Steyger, Heinrich Fuls, Ruben Kruger, Ollie le Roux, Naka Drotské, Werner Swanepoel, CJ van der Linde.Heinrich Brussow,Frans Steyn,Ruan Pienaar,Deon Stegman Coenie Oostuisen
@ smallies72:
Jannie bismark en flip asook wihan dupreez moet bykom
so dis
Herman van Broekhuisen, Boet McHardy, , Sarel Strauss, Henry Martin, Louis Babrow, Piet de Wet, Popeye Strydom, Gert Cilliers, John Wessels, Johan Spies, Morné du Plessis (captain), Dawie Snyman and his brother Jackie, Theuns Stofberg (captain), Robbie Blair, Jaco Reinach, Helgard Müller and his brother Pieter, Andries Truscott, Johan Steyger, Heinrich Fuls, Ruben Kruger, Ollie le Roux, Naka Drotské, Werner Swanepoel, CJ van der Linde.Heinrich Brussow,Frans Steyn,Ruan Pienaar,Deon Stegman Coenie Oostuisen jannie bissmark flip en wihan
het gerrie brits vergeet
7@ smallies72:
Dankie, het nou ‘n volledige lys bekom
@gbs het op twitter gelees dat hulle bishops verby gevat het en nou eerste is
daar is 22bokke wat sedert hertoelating uit grey uit kom weet nie of daar n ander skool is wat naby kom nie
9@ smallies72:
Thanks, het gelees op Vleisboek, en die Artikel opgedateer.
If only the other fluckers would stop poaching our players.
@ super maar die bestes bly darrem agter brussow cj wihan adrian johan gosen bly ok dis net daai demm bismark en sy boetie,ek skat dis omdat betlehem so naby aan natal is hulle breine het elke vakansie gaan roes
Another Interesting comparison would be to compare Springboks coming from the different Varsities in SA.
I would suspect Maties is right at the top of the List, with Tukkies second, thereafter possibly Kovsies, then Ikeys, then Rau (now Joburg University after combing with Wits), then possibly Pukke.
@ grootblousmile:
I had the opportunity about 5 years ago to walk through at Grey and take in all the history and see all the awards, blazers, ties etc of all the Boks.
It is mind blowing and a very special experience that gets right inside you.
I think any boy faced with this culture and history around him that you can go and see every day on the walls will be motivated to give his very best.
15@ tight head:
Yeah, also been through there… the Drill Hall, 3 of the Hostels (Murray House, Brill House and Leith House)…. the sports fields, the old Tuck Shop…
Amazing place in the middle of the nothingness that Blingfontein is….
My mother also went to school in Bloemfontein, in the leading Girls School there, Oranje Meisies…
When I was a lightie my late dad, GBS Maximus, gave me the choice…. “do you want to go to Grey, your place is booked… or do you want to go to school from home”.
I chose to go to school from home, had a solid group of friends and many things going in my life in Pretoria, so I went to Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria, which was the best Athletics school in the country by a mile at that stage.
I never regret going the route that I did, it made me what I am.
Some interesting people went to Grey over the years….
Amongst them, the following:
Bram Fisher, who was a notorious “Commie” in our recent political history
Hansie Cronje & Kepler Wessels
Ryk Neethling
General Dennis Earp, former head of the Air Force (was in matric with my dad)
Steve Hofmeyr… the singer of “Liefling” and “Die Bloubul” songs… and rondpomp-fame
@ grootblousmile:
Hansie was loved at Grey and there is a memorial place for him there in the grounds which made me think of the great tragedy when I visited it.
…. then again, some interesting people went to my school as well….
Karen Kruger (Botha) – SA Athlete & Naas’s wife
Annelie van Rooyen – singer
Koos Kombuis – singer
Henning Gericke – SA Athlete and currently leading Sports Psycologist
Claudie van Straaten (Van Onsselen) – SA Athlete
Rudolph Streauli
Johan Marais – Springbok No 8 1976
Jacques Olivier – Springbok wing
Laurie Dippenaar – Founder of the FirstRand Group
GBS – Infamous Blogger
Tripples – Well Known Blogger
Hehehehe
hansie se as is ook op grey se skoolgronde dis in n muur van herindering gesit,dit was die eerste oldgrey wat se as daar geplaas is
20@ smallies72:
Was jy op Grey?
@ gbs nee jong ek is mos n pan en kom uit stoffberg uit maar is n groot fan van grey en as jy die staat ondersteun dan ondersteun jy ma vir grey,maar my laaity gaan n grey brak word dis verseker
22@ smallies72:
O ja, jy is ‘n Panner… en as jy uit Stofberg kom dan is jy ‘n SPanner…. hehehehe
@gbs was op kofsies gewees en dis net lang grey en ook maar baie te doen met grey synde grey die stigters van kofsies was jy sal ook opmerk dat die shimmlas en grey ook die selfde rugby truie het,kovsies se naam was ook eers grey universityds kollege
24@ smallies72:
Ja, Sir George Grey het goeie werk gedoen… Laerskool Grey College, Grey College, die Universiteit, Grey High Port Elizabeth….
die mooiste dorpie in die oos-kaap is ook na sy vrou lady-grey dis my ma se geboorte dorp
@smallies na ry vrou vernoem
Yes that is some achievement for one school well done. Am just a bit confused because I thought Grey was an Afrikaans school, but is Grey College (not Kollege) actually an English school that Afrikaans children attend, also going by all those hostel names it sounds quite English GBS.
GBS – have sent you email.
ps: so if the Boks by some small chance lose on Saturday can we blame Grey for not being able to produce players that are good enough for this level 🙂
@bullscot double meduim and completly bilingual
28@ Bullscot:
Grey College has always been a dual-language school, half and half
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