A talented group of players lifted their game to new heights under the guidance of head coach Dean Whyte.
Their 2026 campaign began shakily a week ago at the King Edward VII (KES) Thursday Night League, which hosted its inaugural games between KES, St David’s, St Stithians College, St John’s College, Jeppe High School for Boys, and St Benedict’s College.
St David’s narrowly lost 3-5 against Saints, and they’re eager to bounce back against KES this week.
“We had a lot of work to do on the drawing board; there’s lots of stuff to fix,” Whyte told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“We have to work on holistic points – from mobility to intensity, to the physiological side of things.
“One of the big things we want to put our focus on is that it’s a new year, a new team, a new us, and we’ve got to start from the ground and work right back up.”
The newly formed Night League means the Gauteng schools will battle each other weekly with silverware on the line. The final round takes place on Thursday, 19 February.
SA Schools’ star Cooper Haworth will be a key player for St David’s this season. Photo: Hannes Nienaber
It’s an initiative that coach Whyte believes was needed in the region. “It’s great to finally have a night league,” he said.
“Although the Gauteng schools have a deeper range of alternative sports, I just find that it’s super busy, in particular with the swimming season. With that said, this is good. We need more games to close the gap in terms of competing.
“It also develops the sport and allows younger players to come into the fold and step up. It’s nice for blooding in some of our younger players as well.”
Apart from competing in the league, St David’s will also defend their Vides title next month in East London. Whyte, however, isn’t looking too far ahead.
“For us, it’s one game at a time. We will worry about the next game when it arrives,” he reckoned.
“I’m very focused when it comes to these things because school sports are not professional. We are not looking at six or seven games down the line.
“We will go with the intention to compete in every single game. We focus on good processes, and the outcomes we want will follow.”
St David’s locks horns with KES on Thursday at 18:00, while Jeppe takes on St Benedict’s at 18:45. St Stithians and St John’s will be in action at the SAC Shieldin Makhanda.
The St Andrew’s College campus will be abuzz this weekend as some of the country’s best water polo teams take to the water in the SAC Shield. Photo: Toni Butterworth
Rivalries will be renewed, old foes will lock horns, and bragging rights will be up for grabs when the St Andrew’s College (SAC) Shield kicks off in Makhanda this week.
The annual tournament is widely recognised as one of the country’s most prestigious events and marks the start of a jam-packed water polo season.
It runs from 22 to 25 January, with the action taking place at St Andrew College’s picturesque aquatic centre.
In attendance will be some of the nation’s powerhouses who will be out to prove a point and lay hands on the first piece of silverware on offer in 2026.
Rondebosch Boys’ High will be defending the title they won when they defeated St John’s College 12-7 in the final a year ago.
The Cape Town school has been drawn in Pool A along with St John’s, St Andrew’s, Bishops Diocesan College, Clifton College, and Westville Boys’ High.
It is, undoubtedly, the group of death and will certainly influence the quality of matchups when the tournament heads into the playoffs.
Bishops finished with a bronze medal last year, but they’ll be aiming to go further this time around. The side, coached by Jabulani Sibiya, will be brimming with confidence after beating Paul Roos Gimnasium 15-10 in round one of the SACS Nite Series on Tuesday.
The hosts didn’t have the greatest of campaigns a year ago, finishing ninth after beating Westville 9-5 on the final day.
Clifton will also set their sights on improving and playing an attractive brand of polo under coach Pierre le Roux, who had barely touched down in South Africa from New Zealand last year before taking charge of the Durban side.
Hilton College will aim to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish at the SAC Shield. Photo: Toni Butterworth.
While Pool A is littered with top-notch clashes, Pool B could be wide open with several teams licking their lips and eyeing upsets.
Hilton College and SACS will reignite their rivalry at the tournament. They played for fifth place last year, with Hilton winning that contest 10-9.
St Stithians College has made a promising start to the season and racked up victories over St David’s Marist Inanda and King Edward VII(KES) at the KES Night League a week ago.
Led by coaches Michal Stewart and Jason Sileno, they’ll fancy their chances of going far in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape duo of Grey High School and Selborne College will need to play their socks off to keep up with the rest of the pack.
Selborne impressed last year and finished fourth, while Grey finished last after losing 8-9 to Paul Roos Gimnasium on the final day.
The action will kick off bright and early on Thursday with a Pool A clash between the hosts and Westville at 07:30.
Pools
Pool A: Bishops, Rondebosch, St John’s College, St Andrew’s College, Clifton College, Westville Boys’ High. Pool B: SACS, St Stithians College, Hilton College, Grey High, Selborne College, Paul Roos.
Fixtures
Day 1 – Thursday, 22 January
Pool A
07:30 – Westville vs St Andrew’s; 08:20 – Clifton vs St John’s College; 09:10 – Bishops vs Rondebosch; 12:30 – Bishops vs Westville; 13:20 – Rondebosch vs Clifton; 14:10 – St John’s College vs St Andrew’s; 17:30 – Bishops vs St Andrew’s.
Pool B
10:00 – Paul Roos vs Grey High; 10:50 – Selborne vs Hilton College; 11:40 – SACS vs St Stithians; 15:00 – SACS vs Paul Roos; 15:50 – St Stithians vs Selborne; 16:40 – Hilton vs Grey High.
Day 2 – Friday, 23 January
Pool A
09:30 – St John’s vs Westville; 10:20 – St Andrew’s vs Rondebosch; 11:10 – Clifton vs Bishops; 14:30 – Rondebosch vs Westville; 15:20 – St John’s vs Bishops; 16:10 – St Andrew’s vs Clifton.
Pool B
07:00 – St Stithians vs Paul Roos; 07:50 – Hilton vs SACS; 08:40 – Grey High vs Selborne; 12:00 – Hilton vs Paul Roos; 12:50 – Grey vs St Stithians; 13:40 – Selborne vs SACS; 17:00 – Paul Roos vs Selborne; 17:50 – SACS vs Grey High.
Day 3 – Saturday, 24 January
Pool A
07:00 – Westville vs Clifton; 07:50 – Rondebosch vs St John’s.
The KwaZulu-Natal u19 boys’ age group has progressed rapidly over the past three years, and the province has asserted its status as one of the country’s water polo powerhouses.
KZN isn’t far from winning an IPT title, and there is little gap between them, Gauteng, and Western Province.
To help improve the KZN game even more, though, Kearsney College, Durban High School (DHS), Hilton College, Maritzburg College, Westville Boys’ High, and Northwood, have launched a league of their own.
With a format echoing the SACS Nite Series, the weekly Kearsney Night Series will run from 20 January to 25 February, with the six teams battling it out for the title of inaugural champion.
It’s a water polo crusade that will bring high-level competition and benefit the region, said Kearsney head coach Nicholas Rodda.
“We were considering attending another tournament in the first term, but last year we played only five fixtures before heading to the KES Water Polo Tournament, which really put us at a disadvantage,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“Some schools arrived having already played 15 or more games. With limited space in the established tournaments, like Vides and the SAC Shield, we decided to create our own series right here in KZN to give our teams, and others in the region, more regular, high-level competition.”
Coach Rodda added that the ability to play competitive matches weekly is vital for the development of the teams. “It’s crucial,” he reckoned. “Playing competitive games on a consistent, week-to-week basis allows teams to keep improving steadily and build momentum.
“It gives us more time to prepare properly for big events. While tournaments are great for intensity, the rising costs of travel and the amount of school time lost are becoming real challenges, so a local league format like this is a smart, sustainable way forward.”
The SACS Nite Series, which also features six teams, has been running in the Western Cape for many years, and Rodda believes it has hugely benefitted those schools – SACS, Bishops, Rondebosch, Reddam House Constantia, Paul Roos Gimnasium, and Wynberg Boys’ High.
“Cape Town schools (through the SACS Nite Series) have long had the advantage of [playing] far more competitive games, which keep them ahead,” he explained.
“KZN has needed something similar for a while to help us catch up, and this is a great first step toward closing that gap and raising the standard across the board.”
After winning the 2024 Saints Invitational Water Polo Tournament, Kearsney produced another strong season in 2025, and they’ll be aiming to build on the foundations already laid. Winning the inaugural event is one of their goals, but coach Rodda and his troops aren’t looking too far ahead.
“We’re hosting [the event] after a really solid season last year and facing strong local KZN teams while missing a couple, like Clifton and Michaelhouse, who couldn’t participate.
“Of course, we’d love to lift the trophy as hosts. But more importantly, this is about getting valuable game time under our belts, sharpening our squad, and building the best possible preparation for the bigger challenge at the KES Tournament in just six weeks.”
FIXTURES
Round 1
16:30 – Hilton College vs Maritzburg College 17:20 – Kearsney College vs Durban High School 18:10 – Northwood School vs Westville Boys’ High
Rondebosch stalwart Noah Reiback will be aiming to impress in the 2026 edition of the SACS Nite Series. Photo: Toni Butterworth
The first term on the school calendar is jam-packed, filled with festivals, tournaments, and, for the Western Cape boys’ teams, the SACS Nite Series.
The annual weekly event runs from 20 January to 24 February at the SACS Aquatic Centre in Cape Town.
It’s the usual suspects – South African College High School(SACS), Bishops, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, Reddam House Constantia, and Paul Roos Gimnasium – in action.
Bishops, under the guidance of coach Jabulani Sibiya, won the last two editions of the competition.
Can Bishops claim a third straight title? That’s the question on people’s minds.
They have a strong and talented team filled with some X-factor players, who can quickly change the tide of a game.
In goal, vice-captain Michael Mafunda will return for his final season, as will the skipper James Malan. SA Schools’ players, Timothy Young and Matt Fenn, need no introduction, and they’ll be deadly in front of the goal.
The team that pushed Bishops hard last year was Rondebosch. The side, led by coach Jared Wingate-Pearse, started the season on a high by winning the Bishops Festival over the past weekend.
They’re not short of talented players either, with the likes of Noah Reiback, Kieran Bennewith, and captain James Pinnock back in the mix.
SACS will aim to bounce back after last year’s disappointing campaign. The hosts made a slow start and were unable to recover in time. They had to settle for a fifth-place finish.
Coach Devon Card will look to experienced campaigners like Benjamin Bigara, Harry Oldham, Luca Orgill, and Aidan Turrell to restore pride in the jersey.
Reddam will also fancy their chances, despite having a youthful team. Adam Brown starred in last year’s tournament, and he’ll be key to the team’s success.
Meanwhile, coach Vaugh Marlow’s Paul Roos side made big strides in 2025 and reached the semi-finals. They and Wynberg will have their sights set on going at least one step further.
FIXTURES
Round 1
17:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Reddam House
17:50 – SACS vs Wynberg
18:40 – Paul Roos vs Bishops
Matt Fenn, who represented Western Province u19A at the Inter-Provincial Tournament in December 2025, will be in action for Bishops in home waters. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
The second edition of the Bishops Diocesan CollegeWater Polo Festival will see some of the Western Cape’s best teams in action on Saturday in Cape Town.
The annual festival was launched in 2025 and is used by the participating schools as a pre-season hit-out ahead of a busy blockbuster season.
In action will be the hosts, along with their southern suburbs’ rivals, Rondebosch Boys’ High, South African College High School(SACS), and Wynberg Boys’ High.
They’ll be joined by Paul Roos Gimnasium, Paarl Boys’ High, Reddam House Constantia, and New Zealand’s Hamilton Boys’ High, whose presence has added a healthy dose of intrigue to the event.
They have a rich tradition of producing international sportsmen – including All BlacksTawera Kerr-Barlow, Josh Lord, Scott McLeod, Sevu Reece, and Black Caps‘ Mitchell Santner, BJ Watling, and Scott Styris. Rugby coach Warren Gatland is another famous alumnus, but less is known about their water polo pedigree, and they’ll be up against some of South Africa’s best on the weekend.
The format of the festival is simple: the teams will face one another in matches consisting of two chukkas of seven minutes’ duration each.
The coaches will also have the luxury of using a maximum of 14 players per match, so they’ll be able to work on combinations, build team cohesion, and give players a needed opportunity to work on their match fitness.
The winner of the festival will be determined by which team finishes the day with the best positive goal difference. The hosts came out on top last year, and they’ll be keen to make it back-to-back titles in the event.
Apart from Hamilton and Boishaai, the festival also serves as preparation for the other six sides, who will all be contesting the SACS NiteSeries, which kicks off next week, on Tuesday.
From there, SACS, Bishops, and ‘Boschwill travel to Makhanda for the prestigious St Andrew’s College Shield, which takes place from 22-25 January. Good preparation will be a vital key to their success.
Saturday’s action begins bright and early when Bishops take on Hamilton in the day’s opening match at 08:00.
FIXTURES
1st Session
08:00 – Bishops vs Hamilton; 08:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Paul Roos; 08:40 – SACS vs Reddam House; 09:00 – Rondebosch vs Wynberg; 09:20 – Bishops vs Paarl Boys’ High; 09:40 – Hamilton vs Paul Roos; 10:00 – SACS vs Rondebosch; 10:20 – Reddam vs Wynberg; 10:40 – Bishops vs Paul Roos; 11:00 – Hamilton vs Paarl Boys’ High; 11:20 – SACS vs Wynberg; 11:40 – Reddam vs Rondebosch.
2nd Session
12:00 – Bishops vs SACS; 12:20 – Hamilton vs Reddam House; 12:40 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Rondebosch; 13:00 – Paul Roos vs Wynberg; 13:20 – Bishops vs Reddam House; 13:40 – Hamilton vs SACS; 14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Wynberg; 14:20 – Paul Roos vs Rondebosch; 14:40 – Bishops vs Wynberg.
3rd Session
15:00 – Bishops vs Wynberg; 15:20 – Hamilton vs Rondebosch; 15:40 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Reddam; 16:00 – Paul Roos vs SACS; 16:40 – Hamilton vs Wynberg; 17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS; 17:20 – Paul Roos vs Reddam House; 17:40 – Bishops vs Rondebosch.
Max Mills, who helped the KZN u16A boys win the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial title, has been included in the u18 boys’ team. Photo: Hannes Nienaber.
Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) has announced the national schools’ water polo teams – u16 and u18 boys’ and girls’ sides – that will represent South Africa at the Australia Youth Water Polo Championships, to be held in Brisbane, Australia, from 8-13 April 2026.
The team will depart for Australia on 1 April and will attend training camps with Australian-based coaches in the lead-up to the tournament.
The teams were selected following a comprehensive and rigorous selection process based on the players’ performances throughout the 2025 schools water polo season, with particular emphasis on the SA Schools Inter Provincial Tournament in December.
Selectors evaluated athletes on technical ability, tactical awareness, consistency, teamwork, and their demonstration of the values that underpin SWPSA.
The step up from provincial representation to national selection will see the chosen athletes not only representing their schools and their provinces but the country on an international stage, where they will act as ambassadors for the sport and the country.
SWPSA congratulated the selected players and extended its appreciation to the many athletes who were considered during the selection process.
“The depth of talent across the country continues to reflect the strength and growth of schools’ water polo in South Africa,” the organisation said. It, also, wished the selected teams every success when they compete against leading youth water polo nations in Brisbane.
“Selection to represent Schools Water Polo South Africa is a significant achievement and reflects the dedication shown by these athletes over a sustained period,” SWPSA stated.
“We are confident that the selected teams will compete with pride, discipline, and resilience, while continuing to build the international profile of South African schools’ water polo.”
Press release issued by SWPSA
TEAMS
u18 Boys
Benjamin Bigara (Western Province), Cooper Haworth (Central Gauteng), Dylan Wiggill (GK, Central Gauteng), Ettiene van der Merwe (Northern Gauteng), Jamie Nicolau (KwaZulu-Natal), Luca Orgill (Western Province), Matthew Fenn (Western Province), Max Mills (KwaZulu-Natal), Michael Mafunda (GK, Western Province), Noah Reiback (Western Province), Ruan Engelbrecht (Northern Gauteng), Thomas Aylward (KwaZulu-Natal), Thomas Francke (KwaZulu-Natal), Timothy Young (Western Province).
Non-travelling reserves
Adam Brown (Western Province), Blake Morton (Central Gauteng), Bradley van Loggerenberg (KwaZulu-Natal), Dane Paterson (Nelson Mandela Bay), Daniel Nothard (KwaZulu-Natal), Elliot Springate (GK, (KwaZulu-Natal), Ethan Baty (Central Gauteng), Fu-Nam Chen (Central Gauteng), James Swart (Western Province), Kian Sing (GK, Central Gauteng), Luca Whitehead (Eden).
Management
Travis Theron – Team Manager (Western Province) Jon-Marc De Carvalho – Head Coach (Central Gauteng) Juan-Claud Tribbelhorn – Assistant Coach (Northern Gauteng)
u18 Girls
Cadha Mosehla (Central Gauteng), Caitlyn Scrimgeour (Central Gauteng), Charlotte Wiltshire (Western Province), Danielle Sassenberg (Central Gauteng), Farran Elliot (KwaZulu-Natal), Gabriella Morrell (Central Gauteng), Hannah Savage (KwaZulu-Natal), Holly Strydom (Western Province), Inez Letschert (KwaZulu-Natal), Jenna Blaauw (Central Gauteng), Kara Battling (Buffalo City), Lucy Nagel (Nelson Mandela Bay), Madison Beetge (GK, KwaZulu-Natal), Ngcali Metu (GK, Central Gauteng).
Non-travelling reserves
Charlotte Jolley (Central Gauteng), Esmé du Plessis (Central Gauteng), Jade Jarvis (Western Province), Jemma Pearse (Western Province), June Stander (Central Gauteng), Kabo Maema (GK, Central Gauteng), Keira Holland (Central Gauteng), Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi (GK, Central Gauteng), Meegan Zomero (GK, Central Gauteng), Micha Danilewitz (Western Province), Motloduwa Makwane (KwaZulu-Natal), Olivia Attwell (Nelson Mandela Bay).
Dylan Wiggill (Goalkeeper of the Tournament) and James Crick (Player of the Tournament) were included in the SA Schools’ squad. Photo: TeamPhoto SA
Five players from Central Gauteng A and four from Western Province A were included in the SA Schools boys’ squad that was announced at the conclusion of the Schools Water Polo South AfricaInter-Provincial Tournament(IPT) in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Central Gauteng A and Western Province A dominated play from the opening day and finished the group stage unscathed and with maximum points.
In the semi-finals, Gauteng defeated KZN in a repeat of last year’s title game, while Province was made to work hard for their victory over Northern Gauteng.
The final, at St David’s Marist Inanda‘s Jubilee Pool, had to be stopped and continued at the Indoor Aquatic Centre at St John’s College because of lightning.
Gauteng made a strong start and kept their noses in front, holding off a strong finish from Province to lay claim to the trophy. Their reward included a handful of players being named in the South African Schools’ squad.
Goalkeeper Dylan Wiggill was the first name called out, and he was quickly joined on the stage by his teammates Declan Wood, Cooper Haworth, James Crick, and captain Nicholas Searle.
Both Benjamin Bigara (Western Province no. 8) and Jamie Nicolau (KZN no. 4) made the SA Schools’ squad. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
Province, meanwhile, was represented by shot-stopper Michael Mafunda, Matthew Fenn, Tim Young, and the exciting Ben Bigara.
KwaZulu-Natal finished in third place and secured three places in the team.
Ettiene van der Merwe was the sole representative from Northerns, while Thomas Caswell, of Buffalo City, made the line-up for a second year running after another impressive campaign.
The fairytale story of the IPT, however, was that of Luca Whitehead, from Eden Districts, who played his socks off and cracked the nod despite his team finishing in ninth place.
SA Schools Squad
Dylan Wiggill (Central Gauteng A), Michael Mafunda (Western Province A), Jamie Nicolau (KwaZulu-Natal A), Declan Wood (Central Gauteng A), Cooper Haworth (Central Gauteng A), James Crick (Central Gauteng A), Thomas Aylward (KwaZulu-Natal A), Ettiene van der Merwe (Northern Gauteng), Matthew Fenn (Western Province), Tim Young (Western Province), Ben Bigara (Western Province), Thomas Caswell (Buffalo City), Luca Whitehead (Eden Districts), Matthew Lortan (KwaZulu-Natal A), Nicholas Searle (Central Gauteng A)
Awards
Best Defender – Tim Young
Best Forward – Matt Fenn
Best Utility Player – Thomas Aylward
Best Goalkeeper – Dylan Wiggill
Player of the Tournament – James Crick
u19 Boys’ Final IPT Standings
Central Gauteng A
Western Province A
KwaZulu-Natal A
Northern Gauteng
Nelson Mandela Bay
Central Gauteng B
Western Province B
Buffalo City
Eden Districts
KwaZulu-Natal B
Eastern Gauteng
Zimbabwe
Twenty-three goals were scored in the final, but in the end only one separated the champions, Central Gauteng A, from the runners-up, Western Province. Photo: Hannes Nienaber.
“Chemistry” – That was the word used by Central Gauteng u19A boys’ coach, Jon-Marc De Carvalho, to describe his team after they successfully defended their Schools Water Polo South Africa(SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament(IPT) title in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Playing at home, Central Gauteng A defeated Western Province A 12-11 in the final at the St John’s College Indoor Aquatic Centre.
It was a drama-filled final day of IPT action, which including the title-deciding clash having to be moved midway through from the Jubilee Pool at St David’s Marist Inanda to St John’s because of lightning.
On Tuesday night, both sides also played at St John’s after their semifinals had to be moved due to adverse weather.
In the final four, Gauteng took on KwaZulu-Natal A in a repeat of 2024’s final and sealed a 13-8 win, while Province put 14 goals past Northern Gauteng and won by eight to set up a date with their familiar foes.
The last meeting between the teams in the final of an IPT was back in 2023. After an epic encounter, WP won on penalties.
The stage was set, and the stands were filled to the rafters with a sea of red and black, in support of the home side, and plenty of blue and white, in support of Western Province.
The game’s first chukka had it all. There were outstanding goals and some mind-blowing skills on display, and both sides brought a high level of physicality.
Gauteng quickly built scoreboard pressure by rushing into a 4-2 lead, courtesy of goals by James Crick, Fu-Nam Chen, and a brace by skipper Nicholas Searle.
Province responded through Timothy Young and Ben Bigara, but they were forced to play catch-up.
In the second chukka, the hosts were not at their best, which allowed Western Province A to close up the gap. Blake Brown, Luke Burger, Andrew Reynolds, and the lanky Jandro Rojo-Roos, were on the scoresheet for the visitors, but Gauteng held a slim 7-6 advantage at the break.
The third chukka resumed about 25 minutes later at St John’s. Again, it was end-to-end stuff.
Province pounced first through Young. His goal gave lifted coach Devon Card‘s side, but Central Gauteng responded quickly, with Cooper Haworth striking before Searle converted a five-metre penalty.
Heading into the last chukka, Gauteng was 10-8 to the good. They added two more goals, pulled off a penalty save and held on to score a hard-fought 12-11 victory.
“They were unbelievable. They bought into everything,” coach De Carvalho told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game.
“There are a few guys from last year’s team, but, as a collective, this group decided they were going to dig deep, and they trained hard. They were a proper unit.”
With the game being disrupted several times, the players had to stay composed. De Carvalho spoke about how his players handled the situation: “We had the two breaks at St David’s, and I think we worked that one out quite well,” he said.
With the final having to be moved part-way through due to lightning, the title game became a test of the players’ skills and composure. Photo: Hannes Nienaber.
“Province handled the move to St John’s a bit better. That’s probably because we had a couple of guys running late, and things like that.
“But when we scored first in the fourth chukka, we kind of turned it around, and the penalty save helped a lot.”
Coach De Carvalho led Gauteng to IPT glory in East London last year, and before that, he won the Currie Cup with the side.
It has been a couple of successful years under his tutelage, and he gave credit to his players.
“In 2023, we lost on penalties when we were leading, so we’ve been there before,” he said. “Last year, the guys pushed through and did really well, and this year they’ve done it again. I think we played good, structured water polo.
“They’ve followed my instructions well, and they’ve taken points from other coaches who have helped them, and they’ve done everything well. I’m happy that they buy into the system so much.”
Other matches
KwaZulu-Natal A ended their campaign on a high by claiming the bronze medal with a 14-7 win over Northerns.
Western Province B defeated Buffalo City by a single goal, while Nelson Mandela Bay edged out Central Gauteng B in a penalty shootout to secure fifth spot.
The Aussie Crocs were rampant in their final fixture, thumping Zimbabwe 23-12, while Eden proved too good for KZN B.
RESULTS
Aussie Crocs 23: Harry Colley (5), James Martin (5), Giacomo Hernandez (3), William Plowman (3), Hudson Dikes (2), Benjamin Spall (2), Rorey Nelson (1), Bonguthixo Cibane (1), Jack Plowman (1). Zimbabwe 12: Donovan Bodington (4), Nicholas Roukounis (3), Blaise Scheepers (2), Daniel Oxden-Willows (2), Patrick Duff (1).
9th: Eden Districts 6 (2): Luca Whitehead (2), Matthew Eickhaus (2), Rorke Bubanj (2). Keegan Vogt (2), Kyle Human (2), Oliver van der Merwe (1), Matthew Lock (1). KwaZulu-Natal B 6 (1):
7th: Western Province B 6: James Pinnock (2), Nicholas Wilson (1), Harry Oldham (1), Connor Mortlock (1), Colin Douglass (1). Buffalo City 5: Thomas Caswell (3), Joshua Lentz (1), Samuel van de Venter (1).
5th: Nelson Mandela Bay 8 (2): Christian Chandler (3), Oliver Martin (1), Carter Rosser (1), Murray Copeland (1), Dane Paterson (1), Coel Trollip (1). Central Gauteng B 8 (1): Matthew Cross (2), Luke Shipway (1), Roan Wessels (1), Mukhetwa Maemu (1), David Latilla-Campbell (1), Troy Pasqualle (1), Ryan Morley (1).
3rd: KwaZulu-Natal A 14: Thomas Francke (3), Sebastian Laudenberg (3), Jamie Nicolau (2), Drew Hollingsworth (2), Matthew Lortan (1), Oliver Ludwig (1), Adrian Truter (1), John Watkins (1). Northerns 7: Ettiene van der Merwe (4), Adriaan van Niekerk (1), Julien du Toit (1), Johan Pieterse (1).
Final: Central Gauteng A 12: Nicholas Searle (3), Harry Winks (2), Chris Chapman (1), Cooper Haworth (1), Simon Mussett (1), Erik Arwidi (1), Fu-Nam Chen (1), James Crick (1), Declan Wood (1). Western Province A 11: Jandro Rojo-Roos (2), Benjamin Bigara (2), Tim Young (2), Matt Fenn (2), Blake Brown (1), Luke Burger (1), Andrew Reynolds (1).
Cooper Haworth was on fire for Central Gauteng on day four of the IPT. He scored two goals in their semifinal clash against KZN A. Photo: Frans Lombard
That clash took place at Grey High School, in Gqeberha. It was a nail-biting thriller that more than lived up to expectations, and WP did just enough to win it 8-7 on penalties after the game ended tied 8-8after regular time.
Two years on, and the fierce rivalry between the provincial rivals will be reignited when they go at it in the final at St David’s Marist Inanda‘s Jubilee Pool on Wednesday at 13:10.
The finalists booked their spots in the big game after a weather-stricken day four that was affected by lightning, delays, and a change of venues.
Their respective journeys to the title decider were quite similar. Both finished the group stages unbeaten, as Central Gauteng A swept through Group A, while Province was almost untouchable in Pool B.
In the last eight, Central Gauteng A met Western Province B and made light work of their opponents.
Coach Jon-Marc De Carvalho’s side scored a whopping 21 goals and conceded just four as Harry Wilkins scored five times, while Cooper Haworth netted four, and Aiden Khoury, Erik Arwidi, and Chris Chapman all fired in hat-tricks.
That victory set up a semifinal date with KwaZulu-Natal A, who were made to sweat for their 12-8 victory over Central Gauteng B in the quarterfinals.
Due to the bad weather, their showdown was played at St John’s College‘s Indoor Aquatic Centre. It was a cracker! From the first chukka, it was end-to-end stuff.
Declan Wood opened the scoring for the home side, but KZN responded almost immediately through Adrian Truter. Harry Wilkins replied to give the local outfit the lead again.
Central Gauteng A started to link up well, and they moved the ball around with intent. Goals by Erik Arwidi, James Crick, Simon Mussett, and a brace by Cooper Haworth edged them into a 7-5 lead at the break.
The tempo of the game increased in the second half, but it was Central Gauteng A who held onto their slender advantage.
The visitors had moments where they looked good, but a miracle was needed to stage a dramatic comeback.
In the second half, Gauteng eventually outscored their opponents by six goals to three to seal a gritty 13-8 win, which kept their title defence alive.
Matt Fenn will aim to bring his A-game when Western Province contest the final of the IPT against Central Gauteng. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
While Central Gauteng A defeated KZN A, coach Devon Card‘s Western Province A outfit knew they were in for a tough outing against Northerns.
WP had enjoyed smooth progress in their quarterfinals game against Buffalo City, winning 10-4. Northerns, meanwhile, pulled off a stirring 10-9 win over Nelson Mandela Bay(NMB) to secure their semifinal spot.
WP A was favoured to win, and they showed why in the early going, opening up a two-goal buffer in the first chukka.
Luke Burger scored two incredible goals, and he was joined on the scoresheet by two of the usual suspects, Matt Fenn and James Malan.
Northerns, however, weren’t going down without a fight, and coach Juan-Claud Tribelhorn‘s side showed grit, tenacity, and a never-say-die attitude.
At half-time, the boys from the Western Cape led, but it wasn’t a comfortable lead. They upped the ante in the last two chukkas.
Fenn was instrumental, scoring five goals, and Burger completed his brace. Migael Terblanche and Benjamin Bigara also got in on the action, scoring twice each before Tim Young, James Malan, and Cole Abrahams sealed a 14-6 victory for WP.
For Northerns, Ettiene van der Merwe was once again their standout player with a hat-trick, and his counterpart, Ruan Engelbrecht, troubled the WP defenders at times.
Last year, Western Province A finished third in East London. They’ll try to go all the way in the Jubilee Pool at St David’s on Wednesday. But they face a formidable foe in the home team, Central Gauteng A.
RESULTS
Central Gauteng 21: Harry Wilkins (5), Cooper Haworth (4), Aiden Khoury (3), Erik Arwidi (3), Chris Chapman (3), James Crick (2), Fu-Nam Chen. Western Province B 4: Joshua Ripsold, James Pinnock, Harry Oldham, Colin Douglass.
Zimbabwe 11: Blaise Scheepers (4), Daniel Oxden-Willows (4), Thomas Dorward, Tapfuma Taundi, Donovan Bodington. KwaZulu-Natal B 10: Kyle Human (5), Tane Greene (3), Keegan Vogt, Oliver van der Merwe.
Northern Gauteng 10: Ettiene van der Merwe (3), Adriaan van Niekerk (2), Johan Pieterse, Julien Du Toit, CJ Henning, Joshua Bergh, Ruan Engelbrecht. Nelson Mandela Bay 9: Calum Emslie (4), Carter Rosser (2), Oliver Martin, Spencer Adshade, Johan Moolman.
KwaZulu-Natal A 12: Jamie Nicolau (3), Thomas Aylward (2), Thomas Francke (2), Adrian Truter, Sebastian Laudenberg, Drew Hollingsworth, Matthew Lortan, Nathan Burger. Central Gauteng B 8: Luke Shipway (2), Matt Cross, Roan Wessels, Craig Toet, Matthew Peacock, Troy Pasqualle, Ryan Morley.
Western Province A 10: Luke Burger (2), Matthew Fenn (2), Jandro Rojo-Roos (2), Blake Brown, Tim Young, Benjamin Bigara, Aidan Turrell. Buffalo City 4: Thomas Caswell (2), Samuel van der Venter (2).
KwaZulu-Natal B 14: Tane Greene (4), Kyle Human (3), Keegan Vogt (3), Jordyn Beyleveldt, Blake Gardner, Rich Port, Jess Webber. Eden 13: Luca Whitehead (9), William Tindall (3), Rorke Bubanj.
Nelson Mandela Bay vs Aussie Crocs — Cancelled due to lightning
Western Province B 7: James Pinnock (3), Colin Douglass (2), Joshua Ripsold, Alex Barrett. Central Gauteng B 7: Matthew Cross (2), Luke Shipway, Roan Wessels, Samuel Gomes, Matthew Peacock, Ryan Morley.
Central Gauteng A 13: James Crick (5), Erik Arwidi (2), Cooper Haworth (2), Simon Mussett, Declan Wood, Harry Wilkins. KwaZulu-Natal A 8: Drew Hollingsworth (2), Adrian Truter (2), Thomas Aylward (2), Jamie Nicolau (2).
Western Province A 14: Matt Fenn (5), Luke Burger (2), Migael Terblanche (2), Benjamin Bigara (2), Tim Young, James Malan, Cole Abrahams. Northern Gauteng 6: Ettiene van der Merwe (3), Ruan Engelbrecht (2), Francois Hartslief.
Nelson Mandela Bay 8: Spencer Ashade (2), Oliver Martin (2), Calum Emslie, Tiago Williams, Carter Rosser, Murray Copeland. Buffalo City 4: Daniel Woodin (2), Thomas Caswell (2).
Fixtures, Wednesday, 10 December
07:00 – Zimbabwe vs Eastern Gauteng (11th/12th place) @Kingsmead College
07:30 – KwaZulu-Natal B vs Eden Districts (9th/10th place) @St David’s
08:05 – Western Province B vs Buffalo City (7th/8th place) @Kingsmead College
10:40 – KwaZulu-Natal A vs Northerns (3rd/4th place) @St John’s College
11:45 – Central Gauteng B vs Nelson Mandela Bay (5th/6th place) @St John’s College
12:00 – Aussie Crocs vs Zimbabwe
13:10 – Central Gauteng A vs Western Province A (Final)
It was a long day at the Jubilee Pool at St David’s Marist Inanda, with a number of matches being delayed due to lightning. Some teams, however, escaped the bad weather, with Central Gauteng A, Western Province A(WP) and Nelson Mandela Bay(NMB) making a splash in the morning session.
Central Gauteng A, the defending champions, defeated the Aussie Crocs20-10, while Western Province A downed KwaZulu-Natal A 12-8 in a key clash, and NMB edged out Central Gauteng B 10-8.
After a nervy start on Saturday, Central Gauteng A found its mojo on Sunday. On Monday, the home side functioned like a well-oiled machine.
They produced a clinical performance to double up the unpredictable Crocs, with James Crick and Aiden Khoury scoring hat-tricks, and Harry Wilkins, Erik Arwidi, Nicholas Searle, Connor McJannet, and Cooper Haworth all netting twice.
That impressive result put to bed any doubts about whether or not Central Gauteng A is a serious contender for the title and the performance left head coach Jon-Marc De Carvalho pleased with his side.
“We started a bit slowly, but I think the team has progressed nicely,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“On Saturday, NMB came out firing, and their crowd was behind them, and that caught our guys off-guard, but that was a good wake-up call.
“The boys stepped up against Buffalo City. We are progressing. I told them that we don’t need to be playing our best ‘polo on the first day. We need to be playing it on the last day.”
The hosts will face Western Province B in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. De Carvalho said they’re not taking any team lightly.
“The tournament really starts tomorrow,” he reckoned. “There are two big games – the quarters and possibly the semis – and if we win both, we w
Tim Young scored a hat-trick against KZN A to ensure Western Province finished their group assignments on a high. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
ill be in the grand final on Wednesday, but it won’t be easy.”
Earlier in the day, Western Province A also secured automatic qualification after outplaying a strong KZN side.
The boys from Cape Town were impressive. They took their chances in front of goal, and restricted KZN with a strong defensive display.
Matt Fenn, Tim Young, and captain Jandro Rojo-Roos contributed 10 goals between them, while Benjamin Bigara, Luke Burger, and Blake Brown were also on the scoresheet.
For KZN, Thomas Francke and Jamie Nicolau bagged braces, while Nathan Burger, Thomas Aylward, Drew Hollingsworth, and Sebastian Laudenberg also scored.
Coach Rob Ambler‘s charges made it an interesting contest, but Province delivered the final blow in the fourth chukka to seal the win.
“We knew it was going to be a tough battle, but we had scores to settle from when we played them last year,” coach Devon Card said after the match.
“All the talk was about being mentally switched on and making sure we don’t lose focus in our prep for the game.
“KZN teams are dangerous. We had to make them work for all their goals and keep the tempo up from start to finish. Overall, I’m very happy with the performance today. We ticked a lot of boxes.”
Western Province A finished the group stage unbeaten and top of Pool A. They’ll tackle Buffalo City in the last eight after Buffalo City beat KwaZulu-Natal B in a cross-pool playoff.
“In the knockout stage, every game you treat like a final regardless of who you’re playing against,” Card emphasised.
“As I’ve said, there are no easy games at IPT. We must make sure we don’t drop our standards, be more ruthless in transition moments, and have the killer instinct.”
NMB head coach, Daniel Ward was pleased with his team’s performance on day three of the IPT. Photo: Frans Lombard.
Ahead of the tournament, Nelson Mandela Bay carried a “dark horses” tag, and they’ve lived up to it, bringing some excitement to the event.
After a strong showing on Saturday against Central Gauteng A, they defeated Buffalo City in an Eastern Cape derby on Sunday before scoring a 10-8 win over a motivated Central Gauteng B outfit on Monday to finish second in their pool.
It was far from a perfect outing for coach Daniel Ward‘s troops, but a solid first half provided the foundation for their win.
Dane Paterson was in a league of his own, scoring five times, while Carter Rosser and Spencer Adshade both found the back of the net twice. The St Andrew’s College duo of Calum Emslie and Coel Trollip were also on the scoresheet.
“I’m happy that we are through to the quarters. That’s the first milestone we wanted to achieve,” Ward said after the clash with Central Gauteng B. “In this game, we were in control after the third chukka, but we lost that control in the last chukka. The boys panicked, and the pressure got to them.
“We have built good momentum, but, again, there’s a lot to work on. The quarters and semis are high-pressure games, and we need to be clinical in the small areas.”
NMB will face Northerns for a place in the semifinals.
Despite going down to Western Province A in the first match of the day, KZN also progressed to the last eight with two wins from three matches. They’ll square off against Central Gauteng B at 09:10 on Tuesday.
RESULTS
Western Province A 12: Matt Fenn (4), Tim Young (3), Jandro Rojo-Roos (3), Benjamin Bigara (1), Luke Burger (1). KwaZulu-Natal A 8: Thomas Francke (2), Jamie Nicolau (2), Nathan Burger (1), Thomas Aylward (1), Drew Hollingsworth (1), Sebastian Laudenberg (1).
Central Gauteng A 20: James Crick (4), Aiden Khoury (3), Harry Wilkins (2), Erik Arwidi (2), Nicholas Searle (2), Connor McJannet (2), Cooper Haworth (2), Danilo Giuricich (1), Chris Chapman (1), Fu-Nam Chen (1). Aussie Crocs 10: Benjamin Spall (4), William Plowman (2), Hudson Dilkes (2), Harry Colley (1), Jack Plowman (1).
Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Dane Paterson (4), Carter Rosser (2), Spencer Adshade (2), Callum Emslie (1), Coel Trollip (1). Central Gauteng B 8: Ryan Morley (2), Craig Toet (2), Mukjetwa Maemu (1), Matthew Cross (1), Luke Shipway (1), David Latilla-Campbell (1).
Northern Gauteng 11: Christiaan Truter (3), Francois Hartslief (2), Oliver Oberholzer (2), Joshua Bergh (1), Ettiene van der Merwe (1), Ruan Engelbrecht (1), Gert Pretorius (1). Western Province B 8: James Pinnock (4), Connor Mortlock (1), Joshua Ripsold (1), Harry Oldham (1), Alex Barrett (1).
KwaZulu-Natal B 5: Kyle Human (3), Tane Greene, Oliver van der Merwe. Buffalo City 5: Thomas Casewell (3), Daniel Woodin, Joshua Lentz.
Western Province B 11: Connor Mortlock (2), Nicholas Wilson (2), Alex Barrett (2), Harry Oldham (2), James Pinnock, Umr Firfirey, Colin Douglass. Zimbabwe 7: Daniel Oxden-Willows (4), Tapfuma Taundi, Blaise Scheepers, Donovan Bodington.
Aussie Crocs 14: Harry Colley (6), James Martin (3), Hudson Dilkes, Benjamin Spall, Joseph Gallagher, Bonguthixo Cibane, Thomas Elliott. Buffalo City 7: Thomas Caswell (3), Daniel Woodin (3), Matthew Wiseman.
Eden Districts 11: Luca Whitehead (4), Rorke Bubanj (4), Matthew Tindall (2), Jacob Hersch. Eastern Gauteng 8: Dyaln Kempen (3), Travis Kempen, Yuhui Xiao, Matthew Craukamp, Ethan Kempen, Riley Nienaber.
Fixtures, Tuesday, 9 December
07:00 – Central Gauteng A vs Western Province B (Quarterfinal 1)
07:15 – KwaZulu-Natal B vs Zimbabwe @KES
08:05 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Northern Gauteng (Quarterfinal 2)
09:10 – Central Gauteng B vs KwaZulu-Natal A (Quarterfinal 3)
10:15 – Western Province vs Buffalo City (Quarterfinal 4)
11:20 – Eden vs KwaZulu-Natal B
12:25 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Aussie Crocs
13:30 – Eastern Gauteng vs Zimbabwe
The KwaZulu-Natal u19 boys’ age group has progressed rapidly over the past three years, and the province has asserted its status as one of the country’s water polo powerhouses.
