Author: asawula

Recent years have been special for the Central Gauteng u19A girls’ water polo team, which has built up a formidable record of success.

After winning the Schools Water Polo South African (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in 2022, the girls in red and black retained their title a year later in Gqeberha. In the final, at Grey High School, they defeated a very strong Western Province team, which was led by Nicola Plasket, 12-10.

Back then, Gauteng was under the guidance of Etienne Le Roux, who left the province in 2024 to join Rondebosch Boys’ High, in Cape Town.

His departure was felt, but it didn’t derail Gauteng’s winning train when coach Kelsey Thomson took over the reins. Under Thomson, the side won the South African Junior Water Polo Championship, better known as the Currie Cup, last year.

In the final of that tournament, in March, they, once again, defeated Western Province, winning 11-7 in East London.

Then, in December 2024, also in East London, Gauteng was back on the top step of the podium after they clinched another IPT title, again at Province’s expense, beating the Capetonians 7-3 in the final.

They’ll be favoured to go all the way again at the 2025 IPT, which takes place in Johannesburg from 6-10 December.

“The team is really excited for IPT to have come around again, and to have it at home gives us both comfort and even more to play for,” coach Thomson told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“With 11 Matric players and four grade 11s, this team has many years of Gauteng polo behind them.

“The 2025 group has been the most competitive that I have come across in years. Every player who made the A or B team, and even non-travelling reserves, pushed hard for their spots.

“I’m really chuffed at how these girls are getting along well, and I am also proud of how they all have been pushing through school academic finals while maintaining a high level of training. too.”

The hosts are drawn in Pool A with Buffalo City, Western Province B, and Nelson Mandela Bay.

Coach Thomson, who identified the qualities of grit, skill, pride, tenacity, and composure as keys to her side succeeding, expects some tough matches.

“It is going to be competitive, for sure,” she reckoned. “There are many good teams in our age group, with some incredible talent, from the players to the coaching staff. I am expecting fast-paced games with brute force in some.”

This year also marks the 50th edition of the Schools’ IPT, and having the support of their passionate home supporters will be an added boost, said the coach. “Gauteng supporters always come in strong, with the Lion Pride always behind us.

“It is so special to be at home, as more friends, families and supporters of Gauteng water polo will be able to see the hard work that has been put in with each team, as well as the organising committee of Gauteng and SWPSA.”

The u19A Gauteng girls open their IPT campaign against Buffalo City on Sunday, 7 December, at 09:00 at St Stithians College’s Olympic Pool.

The action will be live on SuperSport Schools.

GAUTENG TEAMS

u19A 

Taylor Billett (Roedean), Jenna Blaauw (St Mary’s), Emily Carle (St Stithians), Lucy Davis (Kingsmead), Anastasia Hambakis (Reddam Bedfordview), Isabella Imbriolo (St Stithians), Julia Joseph (St Mary’s), Gabriella Morrell (Roedean), Cadha Mosehla (St Stithians), Emma Pelicot (Roedean), Caitlin Scrimgeour (Reddam Bedfordview), Amy Stubbs (Roedean), Tori Tanner-Ellis (St Stithians), Ziyanda Tshabalala (Roedean)

Head Coach: Kelsey Thomson
Assistant Coach: Oluchi McMurray
Manager: Caitlyn O’Shaughnessy

u19B

Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi (Roedean), India-Rose Cope (Crawford Lonehill), Ané du Plessis (Roedean), Esmé du Plessis (Roedean), Isabella Duffy (Beaulieu), Meegan Zomero (Crawford Lonehill), Mia Duffy (Beaulieu), Ambrin McEwan (Roedean), Annabelle Morton (Reddam Bedfordview), Iminathi Njokwana (Crawford Lonehill), Rylee Rogers (Steyn City), Danielle Sassenberg (St Stithians), Anna Springer (St Stithians), Kathryn Thorburn (St Mary’s)

Head Coach: Siyabonga Guzana
Assistant Coach: Oluchi McMurray
Manager: Caitlyn O’Shaughnessy

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) u19 girls’ water polo coach, Cameron Wiid, is relishing the opportunity of leading his side at the Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Johannesburg next month.

KZN will be in action from 7-10 December at the St Stithians College Olympic Pool, and the event will be broadcast live on SuperSport Schools.

In 2024, the girls in black and white endured a disappointing campaign in East London and settled for fifth place after beating Buffalo City 13-9 on the final day.

In that final day meeting, Lara Mervis and Kayla Andrews, both of Durban Girls’ College, scored four goals each, while Gemma Malherbe also contributed late to seal the win.

Marvis, the captain this year, and Malherbe, along with Inge Southey, are players from 2024’s unit in the 14-player squad set to do duty in Johannesburg.

“I am very excited for the event as a whole,” coach Wiid told SuperSport Schools Plus. “With it being the 50th edition of these IPTs, it’s a massive privilege to be a part of history.

“The ladies are looking forward to the water polo. For a lot of them, it is the highlight of the water polo calendar, and being able to represent their province at the highest level is something they are extremely excited about.”

While KZN missed out on a podium finish last year, they were not far off of it. They played some entertaining water polo but were also somewhat inconsistent.

It was in certain match situations that they let themselves down, like their inability to recover when under pressure, or their inability to put teams away when they had produced a dominant start.

In preparation for this year’s tournament, Wiid said the focus has been on playing as a unit. “So far, I have been pleased with the intensity at our sessions,” he added, and intensity is what they’ll need to better manage those match situations.

“As a coach, it’s very rewarding working at a provincial level, as naturally you have the opportunity to work with athletes who are already highly motivated and competitive with one another.

“This, coupled with the talent in the team, has made the training sessions and scrimmage matches extremely beneficial for the group. I personally love to focus on transition when it comes to gameplay.

“I enjoy fast-paced, counter-attacking water polo, with a major emphasis on playing together as a team with structured attacks.

“Without giving too much away, I’m looking forward to seeing how the ladies interpret my philosophy of the game and add their own creativity to it throughout the tournament.”

The team comprises players from five schools, with two producing the majority of the line-up. St Anne’s Diocesan College has six representatives, while Durban Girls’ College will be represented by five players.

The squad is completed by one player each from St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), Thomas More College, and Reddam House Umhlanga.

Coach Wiid says they’ve gelled well and are working brilliantly as a unit. “Fortunately, with the u19 age group, we have the luxury that, for most of these ladies, it is not their first provincial tournament, and many have been playing together throughout the various age groups.

“They are quite close outside of the water and often spend time together away from the water polo environment. This has allowed the culture in the team to remain very inclusive. and it enables us to push each other to improve at our training sessions without anybody feeling left out or targeted.”

The coach made the transition from boys’ to girls’ water polo this year. He’s keen to see how the province performs overall at the IPT. “I am extremely excited to see how well the province as a whole can do at this edition of the event,” he said.

“In the boys’ section, if we look at last year’s medal positions, KZN was the best-performing province, and, unfortunately, we were unable to win the overall trophy due to a couple of disappointing results on the girls’ side of the tournament.

“This year, we will be looking to take the trophy away from the tournament hosts and hopefully secure the overall best-performing province, which I don’t think KZN has won in a very long time.

“Of course, an achievement like this is never easy, but I feel that with the level of coaching and the talent pool available within our province, a goal such as this should be something we are striving for every year. There is an extremely high level of talent within our province, and it is spread throughout all of our age groups.”

The KZN u19 girls are drawn in Pool B and will open their campaign against Zimbabwe on Sunday, 7 December, at 11:10.

KZN U19 SQUAD

Sipha Ngcobo, Bailey Bartlett, Isabella Stephenson, Lara Mervis (captain), Inge Southey (all Durban Girls’ College), Amahle Mhlongo, Keira Sim, Farrann Elliot, Hannah Savage, Gemma Malherbe (vice-captain), Inez Letschert (all St Anne’s), Erin Mayoss (St Mary’s Kloof), Madison Beetge (Thomas More), Josie Houston (Reddam House Umhlanga).

Coach – Cameron Wiid
Manager – Jade Goosen

The Western Province (WP) u19 girls’ water polo teams will be out to impress at the Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), which kicks off in Johannesburg early next month.

The annual tournament runs from 6-10 December, and the girls’ u19 fixtures will be contested at St Stithians College‘s Olympic Pool.

Coach Connor Whiting will guide the Western Province u19A team’s challenge, while Ruby Versfeld will coach the u19B side.

The experienced Nicola Plasket will act as the assistant to both sides, while Kate Meintjes will have her hands full with managerial duties.

Whiting was involved in last year’s campaign as coach of the u19B team, which finished in fourth place. The A-team, meanwhile, was coached by Etienne Le Roux. They picked up the silver medals after going down to Central Gauteng A 4-9 in the final. Le Roux is in charge of the u16A boys’ team this year.

“I’m definitely excited. I think the IPT is a tournament coaches always look forward to at the end of the year. It’s an exciting time, and it comes with different challenges,” Whiting told SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the tournament.

“Coaching the A-team this year has a different level of pressure compared to last year when I was coaching the B-team.

“Last year was one of my best coaching experiences in the provincial setup. We had a great bunch of girls, super motivated and eager to punch above their weight.

“I learnt a lot, but I’m looking forward to this year, as we have a great team.”

The Western Province A-team will have some continuity, with several experienced players from year’s squad returning and in the final year of their schools’ water polo careers. There’s also young blood coming through in both teams, and Whiting is optimistic they’ll fit right in.

“We have a lot of girls that stayed in the system, and those in the B-team moved to the A-side, and some u16 girls have moved up.

“The new ones have fitted in nicely. I’m also excited for the B-team. They are a very talented side, and I believe they will give teams a good run for their money.”

Preparing for the inter-provincial tournament is a challenge. The squads are made up of players from different schools, among them several who are in matric and who have had to manage busy exam schedules while also putting in the hours in the pool.

“The overall preparation has been good. We’ve had to balance finals and grade 11 exams, but we’ve done a good job with that,” Whiting reckoned.

“The girls have committed nicely to the schedules and programmes. There have been times when life happens, and we’ve got finals and the girls are stressed, so they can come down for only half the practice.

“It’s been a good understanding, and we’ve always made it a point that we train hard and also study hard.”

When asked about the type of water polo that can be expected from his side, Whiting said: “Simplicity is key for us. The goal is always to do the basics really well.

“We want to play at a high tempo and have a little bit of unpredictability, which is key. We have a few players in both the A and B sides that are unpredictable, and that’s the balance we are looking for.

“The goal for the last couple of weeks in training has been to nail down the basics, and hopefully that’s what spectators will see.”

The WP u19A team has been drawn in Pool B and will open their campaign against Central Gauteng B on Sunday, 7 December, at 10:05.

The B-team will compete in Pool A and faces the defending champion, Central Gauteng A, in their opener at 14:25.

 All matches will be streamed live on SuperSport Schools.

TEAMS

u19A 

Kirsten Bottger (Herschel Girls School), Kelly Cadiz (Herschel Girls School), Jade Jarvis (Rustenburg Girls), Carla Lampe (Herschel Girls School), Julia Luckhoff (Reddam House Constantia), Bella Murray (Rhenish Girls School), Iviwe Odoure (Reddam House Constantia), Sarah Palframan (Reddam House Constantia), Emma Stevens (Herschel Girls School), Holly Strydom (Reddam House Constantia), Sophie Vickers (Herschel Girls School), Summer-Lee Wain (Reddam House Constantia), Sofia Walker (Rhenish Girls School), Charlotte Wiltshire (Herschel Girls School).

u19B

Tess Anderson (Herschel Girls School), Holly Binneman (Reddam House Constantia), Olivia Figaji (Rustenburg Girls School), Lauren Helm (Reddam House Constantia), Sophie Maurel (Herschel Girls School), Samantha Miller (Herschel Girls School), Aman Moonda (Reddam House Constantia), Samantha Nimb (Herschel Girls School), Jemma Pearse (Herschel Girls School), Anna van Aarde (Herschel Girls School), Abigail Weatherall (Reddam House Constantia), Nina Wides (Herschel Girls School).

After finishing in fourth place at last year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in East London, the Buffalo City u19 boys’ water polo team has set its sights on, at least, matching that achievement in 2025.

Guided by coach Storm Siebert, the Eastern Cape outfit will be aiming to spring a couple of surprises when the tournament kicks off in Johannesburg next month.

The 2025 event marks the 50th edition of the Schools Water Polo South Africa IPT. It runs from 6-10 December, with the u19 boys’ matches taking place at St David’s Marist Inanda.

With less than a month to go before the first blast of the whistle, SuperSport Schools Plus caught up with coach Siebert to discuss his team and the tournament.

“The prep has been good so far,” he said. “We’ve managed to start pretty early as a team and got lots of hard work done early.

“There is still a lot to get done in this last month leading up to IPT. I’d say our goal would definitely be a top four finish, and anything else, we wouldn’t be happy with.”

It’s a fairly young and inexperienced side that will take to the pool for Buffalo City. Only SA Schools’ player, Thomas Caswell, and Samuel van der Venter featured in last year’s team.

Siebert, however, isn’t too concerned about his charges’ lack of experience, and he believes the young players will deliver a fresh and exciting challenge.

“We only have two players in the team who played in the tournament last year. There’s a lot of young and new blood coming in,” he said. “That brings some excitement and energy into the team for IPT.”

Buffalo City have been drawn into a tough Pool A alongside Central Gauteng A and B and their Eastern Cape provincial rivals, Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB).

Depending on where they finish in their pool, they could face either KwaZulu-Natal or Western Province in the cross-pool playoffs. That’s a possibility that coach Siebert isn’t ruling out.

“The top provinces, such as KZN, Gauteng and Western Province, will always be tough to beat at any age group, as well as NMB, who have a good team this year.

“I’m expecting well-drilled opposition across the board. We’re going to have to stick to our own game plan rather than letting our opponents dictate how we play.

“We must be prepared and be strong enough when we get pressed and stay calm on our attack.

“I’m excited to see how this group of players goes, and we will once again happily wear that underdog tag with pride,” he concluded.

Buffalo City Team

Thomas Caswell, Aaron James, Joshua Lentz, Cullen Mortlock, Samuel van der Venter, Daniel Woodin (all Selborne College), David Emslie, Thando Frans, Daniel Stead (all Merrifield College), Lutho Mbiza, Matthew Wiseman (both Stirling High School).

Non-travelling reserves

Gino De Ascencao, Michael Oliver (both Stirling High School), Abakhe Ngamlana (Merrifield College).

Coach: Storm Siebert
Manager: Jaco Jacobs

The South African national u17 boys’ hockey head coach, Justin Collins, has praised his team for showing character and grit at the recently concluded Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia.

Malaysia Speedy was crowned the champions of the boys’ section, while Japan defeated Malaysia Tigress to win the girls’ title.

The SA u17 girls bagged a bronze medal, and the boys finished in fourth after going down in the third-place playoff match against the Malaysia Tigers.

Reflecting on the tournament, Collins said he was pleased with his team’s efforts but lamented small errors that cost them in crucial moments.

“International hockey is a difficult platform to compete on,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “It’s about small defining chances that you need to take advantage of. We created a lot of good opportunities and showed a lot of promise within the time frames we had to prepare.

“This year, we had very structured ideas of how we wanted to play, and I feel the boys tried their best to achieve this.

“If we look at the tournament in totality, we have lost only one game, and that being against Japan. We drew against the champions in the pool stages and narrowly missed out on the final.

“The boys can be really chuffed with pushing the limits against some of the best in the world, especially because they are u17 competing against u18 boys. Japan was crowned the Asian champ earlier this year at u18 level, and for us to show so many promising signs against them, we can take a lot away from that.

“Hard lessons learnt, but the boys didn’t stop fighting for everyone back home.”

Heading into their final pool game against Japan, the South African boys needed one point to progress to the final.

It wasn’t going to be smooth sailing, though, as Japan had dominated play throughout the tournament and was unbeaten ahead of the meeting.

SA, however, made a bright start and went 2-0 up. However, lapses of concentration, mainly in the second half, cost them, and the East Asian side mounted a terrific comeback to win 5-2.

“The Japan match was a great game. We got outplayed in three of the four quarters. We had a chance to go 3-0 up, and a great save from them on the line unfortunately didn’t allow for that to happen,” Collins said.

“The boys were really disappointed to not get over the line, but what was encouraging was that we could put any team under pressure this tournament and, more importantly, we never gave up the fight. The boys showed courage and learnt some difficult lessons on the day.”

When asked for his opinion on what younger players aspiring to represent South Africa in the future should work on, the coach said: “I think, as a nation, and specifically at schools, we need to be more specific on training defensive concepts. Defending is a massive part of the game, and small moments can define outcomes.

“I also feel that younger players coming up the ranks could work on ball hitting in the circle. That makes your chances of making a national side much higher.”

Collins also thanked the Malaysian Hockey Federation and those who had got behind the South African teams.

“Playing in these conditions away from home, with different interpretations of the rules, is a great way for players to grow and broaden our base of players in our country.

“We, obviously, wanted to finish higher up, in the medals, but the boys tried their best.

“The coaching staff have been exceptional with giving these boys a base to grow their game. We have given the boys lots of tools to grow and hopefully exposed them to understand what it takes to get to the next level.

“I want to thank all the coaching staff for all their hard work in preparing for the tournament, as well as on the ground in Malaysia.

“Lastly, in closing, we want to thank everyone back home for supporting us and watching Team SA. We will bounce back and learn from the lesson tournament,” he concluded.

The South African u17 girls’ head coach, Natalie Esteves, says she’s pleased with how her team showed “improvement and growth” at the Dato’ Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia.

The international hockey tournament concluded on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, with South Africa ending their sojourn on a high by claiming the bronze medal after defeating Queensland (Australia) 5-3 on penalties after their match had ended in a 2-2 draw.

Finishing third is the best finish yet achieved by the South African girls in the Dato Mirnawan Cup. In 2023 and 2024, they were beaten in the third-place playoff.

“It’s always important to win your last game when playing in a tournament,” Esteves told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I think they showed unbelievable courage and tenacity to come back from 0-2 down to get a win.

“Heading into this tournament, we just wanted to expose players to this level of hockey and allow them the chance to grow and develop. I think overall the team showed huge improvement and growth.”

The South African girls started their campaign on the back foot, losing 1-3 to Queensland on the opening day despite enjoying the majority of possession.

On day two, they bounced back with a confidence-boosting 1-0 victory over the Australia Crocs, thanks to a Holly Hofmeyr strike.

The side went on to draw 2-2 with Malaysia Tigress before suffering a 0-5 loss against the tournament’s outstanding team, Japan, in their final pool match.

Japan went on to lift the title with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Malaysia Tigress.

“We are so lucky to be able to play against international opposition and expose players so young to other styles of the game,” Esteves said.

“The different levels of physicality and the adversity of playing in tougher conditions away from home are crucial. It’s an unbelievable opportunity for these players, and I’m sure we will see the rewards in the future.”

The South African Schools Hockey Association (SASHOC) will surely feel positive about the strides the South African boys’ and girls’ u17 teams have made in Malaysia in recent years. The event has also helped to identify areas in which the local game needs attention, Esteves said.

“I think, naturally, as SA teams, we need to get physically stronger on the ball and more clinical in the final third.

“There are some technical skills that we can look to execute at a higher level. In saying that, I think we have incredible school programmes and provincial programmes that are working hard to try and fill those gaps.”

The coach also thanked the Malaysia Hockey Federation for hosting an outstanding event.

“It’s just an incredible tournament, and it’s such an honour to be invited,” Esteves said.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity and exposure. I know that all the players have grown and learnt something, which is what it’s about at this age group.”

The South African u17 boys’ and girls’ teams will have their sights set on securing places in the finals of the Dato Mirnawan Cup when they return to turf action on Saturday.

The international tournament, which is being hosted in Kuala Lumpur, wraps up with the title games being played on Sunday morning.

Both South African teams are in with a shot at playing for the titles, but they’ll need positive results on Saturday to make it there.

Their recent performances have been promising, with both sides performing better than the teams of 2024.

Boys’ Recap 

The boys’ outfit, led by Mohlodi Maseko, and his deputies, Andile Lembethe and Logan Lackey, has impressed immensely.

In their opening match of the tournament, they defeated the Australian Crocs 2-0, thanks to goals by Maseko and Thandanani Zuma.

Their second match against Malaysia Tigers was testing and required the team to dig deep after going down by two goals in the opening chukka.

South Africa, though, turned it around and secured a 4-2 victory, courtesy of a fourth chukka hat-trick by Keegan de Jager, and an earlier strike from Jacques van Dyk.

They had a rest day before facing arguably their toughest challenge, Malaysia Speedy. Ahead of the clash, the hosts were unbeaten, and they had South Africa on the back foot went they took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

De Jager, though, pulled one back for the visitors before the hosts made it 2-1. Soon after that, Maseko was on the scoresheet again, and it ended 2-2.

On Thursday, South Africa bagged another win, defeating Queensland (Australia) 3-1 with goals from Martin de Bruyn, Zuma, and Maseko.

They’re currently second on the log behind Malaysia Speedy, with 10 points. Their final group match will be against Japan on Saturday at 10:00 SAST. A draw would be enough to secure South Africa’s place in Sunday’s final.

Girls’ Recap

The SA u17 girls, who arrived in Malaysia as underdogs, have displayed resilience to put themselves in with a shot at making the final.

At last year’s event, the team qualified for the bronze medal playoff, but they were defeated and had to settle for fourth place.

A lot has changed since then, though, and this year’s team, led by coach Natalie Esteves, has made its mark on the AstroTurf.

 They endured a disappointing start to their campaign, losing 1-3 against Australia (Queensland) last Sunday, but they bounced back to beat the Australia Crocs 1-0, thanks to a strike by Holly Hofmeyr in the third chukka.

On Thursday, the South African side was made to work hard for a 2-2 draw with the Malaysia Tigers.

After opening the scoring early through Anjun Kazie, they surrendered the advantage. SA, though, continued to create goalscoring opportunities, which resulted in Jemma Ferreira netting her first goal of the tournament.

The Tigers kept fighting, however, and were able to breach the South African defensive line for a second time to grab a 2-2 draw.

The task is clear for South Africa: they need to beat the log leaders, Japan, in their final pool match to qualify for Sunday’s final. 

Currently, South Africa is in third place, behind Japan and Queensland, with four points after three matches and a game in hand. They face Japan at 10:00 SAST. 

Holly Hofmeyr‘s strike late in the third chukka proved to be enough as the South African u17 girls team defeated the Australia Crocs 1-0 on Monday, day two of the Dato Mirnawan Cup, in Malaysia.

After going down 1-3 against Queensland (Australia) in their opening match, the South African girls were eager to turn the tide and secure their first points of the tournament.

Coach Natalie Esteves’ players dominated their opener, owning the majority of ball possession, but they failed to turn their opportunities in the final third into goals.

Apart from the lack of finishing, there were plenty of positives to be taken away from the match against Queensland, including the manner in which the side bossed proceedings in midfield, and the link-up play, which led to some eye-catching, flowing moves.

The side knew they weren’t far off the mark and they took on board some lessons learned in Sunday’s loss to deliver a win on Monday.

The match was tightly contested from the get-go, with both teams enjoying their fair share of possession in first chukka.

Soon, though, South Africa started to play themselves into dangerous positions and create goal-scoring opportunities.

The contest’s key moment arrived in the third chukka, when they won a penalty corner and executed a variation. When the ball landed on Holly Hofmeyr‘s stick, she slammed it into the back of the net.

The South African girls then held onto their slender lead the rest of the way.

“I think one thing that we did, which we did really well, was fighting back despite the heat and conditions,” Hofmeyr said after the game.

“The halftime team talk helped us. We came together as a team and fought back.

“In our next game, it’s going to be important for us to go forward and use the chances we create in midfield.”

Busiwe Mayekiso, who scored South Africa’s goal in their 1-3 loss on Sunday, added: “One thing we can work on is probably connecting on the field.

“We must be able to trust each other as a team and work together.”

The South African team returns to match action on Thursday, 6 November, when they tackle the Malaysia Tigers at 12:00 SAST.

Keegan de Jager, of Kearsney College, scored a late hat-trick to help the South African u17 boys team seal a morale-boosting 4-2 win over the Malaysia Tigers at the Dato Mirnawan Cup, in Bukit Jalil, on Monday.

Ahead of the match, South Africa had their sights on bagging a second straight win after beating the Australia Crocs 2-0 on the opening day.

They were eager to make a statement against one of two home sides but were struck a massive blow in the first chukka when the Tigers struck twice to take a 2-0 lead and set South Africa a huge challenge if they were to grab a share of the spoils or win the game.

The comeback, though, began in the second chukka when Jacques van Dyk, of Stellenberg High, pulled one back, and with that goal the game’s momentum began to shift.

The third chukka was goalless, but the team talk shared by coaches Justin Collins and Michael Abrahams ahead of the fourth chukka worked like a charm.

The South African side was more assertive, challenged for every ball, and put the Tigers under immense pressure.

In the 49th minute, the contest tilted in favour of SA when they won a short corner, and De Jager’s drag flick flew into the back of the net to make it 2-2.

There was no stopping South Africa after that, and two more PCs, in the 55th and 59th minutes, resulted in De Jager scoring from both to seal his hat-trick and complete the comeback.

Speaking after the game, Logan Lackey, one of the co-vice-captains, said he was pleased with the character shown by the side.

“The game was really good,” he said. “Last year, we were in the same position against the same team, but we couldn’t get the outcome we wanted. I’m glad we could walk away with the win this year.

“When we were 0-2 down, I still had hope. There’s always that little bit of hope you have, but I’m glad we pushed through.”

Lackey also revealed what coach Collins had said in the dugout at halftime.

“The coach told us not to drop our heads but to work together and trust each other, and everything will work out.”

The South African team has a rest day on Tuesday before returning to action on Wednesday, 5 November, against Malaysia Speedy at 12:00 SAST.

The South African u17 boys’ and girls’ teams showed glimpses of their potential on the opening day of the Dato Mirnawan Cup, in Malaysia, on Sunday.

The annual international tournament, hosted by the Malaysian Hockey Federation, runs through to Sunday, 9 November, in Kuala Lumpur.

It’s an u18 event, but the South African Schools Hockey Association (SASHOC) has sent national u17 sides to it over the past three seasons in an effort to build for the future.

The boys’ team opened their campaign against the Australian Crocs, while the girls took on Queensland.

BOYS’ RECAP

Beginning with a morale-boosting win was the goal for the SA u17 boys and they fulfilled that goal by beating the Crocs 2-0. After a fifth-place finish in 2024, it was an encouraging start for coach Justin Collins‘ charges.

It was all South Africa in the early going, with skipper Mohlodi Maseko opening the scoring in the first minute. Thandanani Zuma made it 2-0 eight minutes later.

From there, South Africa held on for the win despite having to weather several promising attacks from their opponents.

“I think the first half was really good from the boys,” captain Maseko told team manager Pius Nkosi after the game.

“We put them under pressure and created a lot of opportunities for ourselves. Towards the second half, we started playing around too much and made some mistakes.

“We didn’t create as many chances but, overall, I think it was a good shift from the boys to win the game 2-0.”

Maseko and his team will take on the Malaysia Tigers in their next game on Monday at 12:00 SAST.

GIRLS’ RECAP

It was not the best of starts for the girls’ team, who went down to a 1-3 defeat against Queensland.

The South African side was on the back foot early on and conceded three goals in the first half. However, after the halftime break, they showed character and fight to pull a goal back with Busiwe Mayekiso from Hudson Park High, opening the team’s goal-scoring account.

Despite the loss, co-captains Katherine Sickle and Ella Bowyer said they remained optimistic.

“I think the girls played well and dominated the game. We were just unlucky with the score, but we will keep pushing for the days to come,” Sickle told team manager Thando Ndlovu after the game. 

“The team really feels good, even though the score didn’t go our way. We feel uplifted and spirited, and we’re just going to continue working,” she added.

Bowyer was impressed with the hunger of the South African forwards to score, even though they had gone three goals down. 

“When we conceded goals, we were very composed and pushed really hard, especially the forwards in the press,” she said. “That’s when we got our goal, scored by Busi.

“We will use this as a learning experience and just come back tomorrow stronger and more positive than we were in this game.”

The South African girls tackle the Australia Crocs on Monday at 10:00 SAST.

Click HERE to see our full coverage of the Dato Mirnawan Cup.

TEAMS

Boys

Marley Musasa, Daniel Fisher (both Rondebosch Boys’ High and Western Province), Viwe Ndlovu, Andile Lembethe (both Maritzburg College and KZN Inland), Ruben Gouws, Logan Lackey (both Paul Roos Gimnasium and Boland), Cameron Cordeiro, Chavez Sanger, Mohlodi Maseko (all SACS and Western Province), Keegan de Jager (Kearsney College, KZN Coastal), Jacques van Dyk (Stellenberg High, Western Province), Liam Brooker (Pretoria Boys High, Northern Gauteng), Thandanani Zuma (Michaelhouse, KZN Inland), Matteo Stipcevich (St David’s Marist Inanda, Southern Gauteng), Neilyandro van Schalkwyk (Grey College, Southern Free State), Ryan Groenewald (Fairmont High, Western Province), Chad Julius (Wynberg Boys’ High, Western Province), Martin de Bruyn (Paarl Boys’ High, Boland).

Girls

Annika Kloppers (Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Northern Gauteng), Peyton Marais (Curro Durbanville, Western Province), Timari Jonker (Potchefstroom Gimnasium, North West), Jamie da Silva, Ella Bowyer (both St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, KZN Coastal), Zezethu Kunene (Maris Stella, KZN Coastal), Raffael Abrahams (Steyn City School, Southern Gauteng), Holly Hofmeyr (St Anne’s Diocesan College, KZN Inland), Xylia Choene (Oranje, Southern Free State), Claire Volschenk (Eunice, Southern Free State), Azania Petersen (St Andrew’s School For Girls, Southern Gauteng), Siphiwe Thwala (Middelburg High School, Mpumalanga), Busiwe Mayekiso (Hudson Park High, Border), Katherine Sickle (Rhenish Girls’ High, Boland), Emihle Wulana (Parel Vallei, Boland), Jemma Ferreira (St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls, Eastern Gauteng), Anjun Kazie (Milnerton High, Western Province), Amogelang Motlatle (Curro Hazeldean, Northern Gauteng).

BOYS’ FIXTURES

Note*: Fixtures are in South African Standard Time.

3 November
12:00 – South Africa vs Malaysia Tigers

5 November
12:00 – South Africa vs Malaysia Speedy

6 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Queensland (Australia)

8 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Japan

GIRLS’ FIXTURES

3 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Australia Crocs

6 November
12:00 – South Africa vs Malaysia Tigers

8 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Japan