Jeppe High School for Boys ‘ 1st XI head coach Siya Sityana will join KES in 2026. Photo: Christo van Deventer
Jeppe High School for Boys will bid farewell to their very successful first-team hockey coach Siya Sityana at the end of the year.
SuperSport Schools Plus understands that Sityana will be leaving the Kensington school to join their fierce rivals, King Edward VII School(KES).
While it’s yet to be confirmed, the former Dale College pupil is expected to assume the Red Sticks‘ head coach role, taking over from the experienced Sharmin Naidoo.
The unexpected move will come as a shock to many hockey enthusiasts, not only in the Gauteng region but across the country, considering the outstanding season Jeppe enjoyed under his tutelage in 2025.
The 30-year-old began his tenure with the Jeppe 1st XI in 2024 when he replaced Gilbert De Villiers, who moved to St John’s College. Next year, De Villiers will be on his way to Maritzburg College.
His first season in charge didn’t go smoothly, with Sityana undergoing a baptism of fire. The side’s results were somewhat inconsistent, but he led Jeppe to some famous victories, which included lifting the Aitken Cup after a 2-0 win over Parktown Boys’ High in the final.
It was during the 2025 season that Sityana came into his own as the coach of Jeppe, leading the school, long recognised one of the leading hockey-playing schools in the country, to one of its best seasons ever.
Under his tutelage, they played 31 matches, won 29 and drew only two, against Hilton College and Grey College, at the Nomads Hockey Festival in March.
He also led the side to victory in the Aitken Cup, with Jeppe claiming the silverware after a 4-2 win over St Stithians College 4-2 in the final.
He wasn’t done yet, however. A month later, Sityana aided the SA u16B side to an unbeaten run against Zimbabwe during the Allistar Fredericks Africa Challenge.
His outstanding contributions were recognised when he was named the Boys’ Coach of the Year at the Hyundai Hockey on 216 Awards. Jeppe was, furthermore, nominated for the Team of the Year Award.
Sityana will undoubtedly add value to KES as they seek to improve their hockey programme and become a greater force in the schoolboy game.
His successor is yet to be confirmed, but SuperSport Schools Plus understands that an announcement from Jeppe is imminent.
Rondebosch Boys’ High defeated St John’s College 12-7 in the SAC Shield final earlier this year. The sides will meet again in the pool stage of the SACS Water Polo Tournament. Photo: Toni Butterworth
Twenty of the best boys’ water polo-playing schools in South Africa will assemble in Cape Town this weekend for the prestigious SACS Water Polo Tournament.
The much-anticipated competition takes place from 4 to 6 October, with all matches being played at the picturesque SACS Aquatic Centre.
The tournament, similar to the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, which took place a week ago, includes top sides, but it is contested over shorter games, which is counteracted by sides playing many matches over the three days.
The SACS Water Polo Tournament is also the country’s longest-running schools’ water polo event, having started all the way back in 1984.
The teams are split into two pools of 10, and the group matches stretch right through until the final day, with the top four teams in each pool progressing to the quarterfinals.
Under the tutelage of Jabulani Sibiya, they defeated St John’s College 5-2 in the final to break their SACS Water Polo Tournament hoodoo.
They have been drawn in Pool B, where they will face Clifton College, Grey College, Parktown Boys’ High, Paul Roos Gimnasium, Pretoria Boys High, Selborne College, St Alban’s College, St David’s Marist Inanda, and SACS.
Pool A, meanwhile, will be contested by Grey High School, Hilton College, Jeppe High School for Boys, Northwood School, Rondebosch Boys’ High, St Andrew’s College, St Benedict’s College, St John’s College, St Stithians College, and Wynberg Boys’ High School.
The Eastern Cape’s St Andrew’s College and Grey High will reignite their rivalry at the SACS Water Polo Tournament. Photo: Toni Butterworth
The Breakdown
Pool A
It’s a fools’ game trying to predict how Pool A will pan out, but one can make some educated guesses.
It’s a tough group filled with competitive teams, and the format of the tournament (20 minutes a game) could help to level the playing field for some of the underdog sides.
Hilton College will be brimming with confidence after winning the Clifton Water Polo Tournament for the first time last week. The Paul Martin-coached side edged out St John’s College 10-8 in the final.
Hilton has never won the SACS Water Polo Tournament, but they’re a veteran unit, loaded with some of the heaviest offensive firepower in the country, and they’ll be looking to rewrite history.
Rondebosch Boys’ High will also be a serious contender for the title. Under coach Jared Wingate-Pearse, the ‘Boschboys have produced a strong showing in 2025. In term one, they pushed Bishops all the way in the SACS Nite Series.
Gauteng is one of the game’s traditional powerhouses and they’ll be represented by Jeppe, St John’s College, St Benedict’s College, and St Stithians College.
Gqeberha’s Grey High School and St Andrew’s College of Makhanda are the two Eastern Cape sides in the pool. They last won the tournament in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
Clifton College’s Caleb Malumbete will be key in their pursuit of a second SACS Water Polo Tournament title. Photo: Toni Butterworth.
Pool B
There is no doubt that Bishops will be pushed hard in their pursuit of back-to-back SACS Water Polo Tournament titles.
They’re up against some stiff competition and will have to deliver their A-game from the outset.
Along the way, they take on their Cape rivals, SACS and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), who were both eliminated in the quarterfinals last year.
SACS last won the tournament in 2023, while PRG is still in search of their maiden title.
Clifton College will also be in the mix and aiming to add to their title win in 2021.
Selborne College has claimed the title on four occasions: in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 2015. Led by coach Storm Siebert, the East London school will also be a threat.
The group is completed by Grey College and the Gauteng quartet of St Alban’s, Parktown, St David’s Marist Inanda, and Pretoria Boys High.
At face value, it’s a well-balanced pool, and the so-called underdogs will be confident of their chances to sneak into the top four.
St Stithians College last lifted the SACS Water Polo Tournament title in 1997. Photo: Toni Butterworth
TEAMS
Pool A
Grey High School, Hilton College, Jeppe High School for Boys, Northwood School, Rondebosch Boys’ High, St Andrew’s College, St Benedict’s College, St John’s College, St Stithians College, Wynberg Boys’ High School.
Pool B
Bishops, Clifton College, Grey College, SACS, Parktown Boys’ High, Paul Roos Gimnasium, Pretoria Boys High, Selborne College, St Alban’s College, St David’s Marist Inanda.
FIXTURES
Day 1 – Saturday, 4 October
07:10 – St Stithians vs Jeppe
07:30 – Rondebosch vs St John’s College
07:50 – Bishops vs Grey College
08:10 – Clifton vs Selborne College
08:30 – Hilton vs Grey High
08:50 – St Andrew’s College vs St Benedict’s
09:10 – SACS vs Parktown
09:30 – St David’s Marist vs St Alban’s
09:50 – Wynberg vs Northwood
10:10 – St John’s College vs Jeppe
10:30 – Pretoria Boys High vs Paul Roos
10:50 – Bishops vs Selborne College
11:10 – Rondebosch vs Grey High
11:30 – Wynberg vs St Benedict’s
11:50 – St David’s vs Grey College
12:10 – SACS vs St Alban’s
12:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Northwood
12:50 – Hilton vs St Stithians
13:10 – Parktown vs Paul Roos
13:30 – Clifton vs Pretoria Boys High
13:50 – St John’s College vs Grey High
14:10 – St Andrew’s College vs Rondebosch
14:30 – Grey College vs St Alban’s
14:50 – Bishops vs Paul Roos
15:10 – St Stithians vs Northwood
15:30 – Hilton vs Wynberg
15:50 – SACS vs Pretoria Boys
16:10 – St David’s Marist vs Clifton
16:30 – Jeppe vs St Benedict’s
16:50 – St Andrew’s College vs St John’s
17:10 – Selborne vs Parktown
17:30 – St Stithians vs Wynberg
17:50 – Clifton vs Paul Roos
18:10 – Hilton vs Jeppe
18:30 – SACS vs Grey College
18:50 – St David’s Marist vs Selborne
19:10 – St Alban’s vs Parktown
19:30 – St Benedict’s vs Grey High
19:50 – Rondebosch vs Northwood
20:10 – Bishops vs Pretoria Boys High
Day 2 – Sunday, 5 October
07:10 – St Alban’s vs Paul Roos
07:30 – SACS vs Selborne College
07:50 – St David’s Marist vs Pretoria Boys High
08:10 – Hilton vs St John’s College
08:30 – St Stithians vs Rondebosch
08:50 – St Benedict’s vs Northwood
09:10 – St Andrew’s College vs Wynberg
09:30 – Grey College vs Parktown
09:50 – Jeppe vs Grey High
10:10 – Hilton vs Rondebosch
10:30 – Bishops vs Clifton
10:50 – Selborne College vs St Alban’s
11:10 – St Andrew’s College vs St Stithians
11:30 – Jeppe vs Northwood
11:50 – Grey College vs Paul Roos
12:10 – SACS vs Clifton
12:30 – St John’s vs St Benedict’s
12:50 – Wynberg vs Grey High
13:10 – St Davids vs Bishops
13:30 – Pretoria Boys vs Parktown
13:50 – Hilton vs St Andrew’s College
14:10 – St John’s College vs Northwood
14:30 – Selborne College vs Paul Roos
14:50 – Rondebosch vs St Benedict’s
15:10 – Wynberg vs Jeppe
15:30 – SACS vs St David’s Marist
15:50 – Clifton vs St Alban’s
16:10 – Pretoria Boys vs Grey College
16:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Grey High
16:50 – Hilton vs Northwood
17:10 – Bishops vs Parktown
17:30 – St Stithians vs St Benedict’s
17:50 – SACS vs Paul Roos
18:10 – Rondebosch vs Jeppe
18:30 – Clifton vs Grey College
18:50 – Pretoria Boys vs Selborne College
19:10 – Bishops vs St Alban’s
19:30 – Wynberg vs St John’s College
19:50 – St Stithians vs Grey High
20:10 – St David’s vs Parktown
Day 3 – Monday, 6 October
06:50 – Hilton vs St Benedict’s
07:10 – Grey High vs Northwood
07:30 – Selborne College vs Grey College
07:50 – Pretoria Boys vs St Alban’s
08:10 – St Andrew’s College vs Jeppe
08:30 – St Stithians vs St John’s College
08:50 – St David’s Marist vs Paul Roos
09:10 – Clifton vs Parktown
09:30 – Rondebosch vs Wynberg
09:50 – SACS vs Bishops
10:40 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool B (Quarterfinal 1)
11:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B (Quarterfinal 2)
11:20 – 1st Pool A vs 4th Pool B (Quarterfinal 3)
11:40 – 4th Pool A vs 1st Pool B (Quarterfinal 4)
12:30 – Semifinal 1
13:00 – Semifinal 2
14:00 – Bronze medal playoff
14:00 – Final
Owen Mvimbi will leave St Benedict’s College at the end of 2025. Photo: Suppiled
Former South African men’s hockey player and St Benedict’s College first team coach, Owen Mvimbi, will bid farewell to the school at the end of the year.
Mvimbi is set to join Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge as their Director of Hockey from January 2026.
The SportsGwaanz, as he’s affectionately known, leaves Benniesafter three years at the helm, during which he led the school to some of its most memorable days on the AstroTurf.
“The opportunity occurred, and I was quite hesitant because I was happy at St Benedict’s. I looked into it and spoke with Trinity, and we looked at what could transpire between me and the school, and then I took it.
“It’s an opportunity for me to grow and develop personally and holistically.”
Mvimbi enjoyed some special years at the Bedfordview school, during which he formed long-lasting friendships with the staff and players he coached.
Reflecting on some of his best memories, he said: “I’ve had some great times at St Benedict’s. On the field, some of the memories include playing against Jeppe High School for Boys two years ago [Jaydon Brooker‘s age group], and we drew 1-1 with them after they had beaten us 3-1.
Photo: Supplied
“We also faced St Stithians College. They won the Aitken Cup that yearand beat us 6-1 in the first match, but we played them in June and beat them 2-0, and that was an epic victory for us. Those memories will stay with me forever.
“This year, we were invited to the Nomads Hockey Festival for the first time, and we picked up a big win against Selborne College. Getting that victory against them was amazing. We also drew 3-3 with Bishops this year, another top school.”
The coach went on to pay tribute to the staff and people he worked alongside: “I work with an amazing team and amazing colleagues,” he said.
“It’s been amazing from the tennis games we have played, the tournaments, basketball shooting competitions, soccer games, and touch rugby with the boys and coaches.
“We’ve had hectic gym sessions because our staff are into their health, heated debates in the staffroom, everything has just been epic.
“We loved one another and accepted each other for who we are. It’s the best work environment I’ve ever worked in, and I will treasure that for the rest of my life.”
Photo: Supplied
Mvimbi revealed that he has a vision and a plan for Trinity’s hockey programme. He admitted, however, that he won’t rush into implementing a new system but will firstly familiarise himself with the systems in place before making any drastic changes.
“I’m going to learn more and get to know what the culture there is and how the school operates,” he explained.
“I won’t implement too many new things. I want to understand what’s going on, and I have to do that as quickly as possible, and then I will have a better idea of what I can add.
“There are hockey things and tactics, but it’s important to understand the culture, the values, and the mindset of the different parties within the school and see what I need to tweak.”
The mentor also thanked the parents at St Benedict’s for their support and help throughout the years, alongside his players, whom he described as “hard working”.
Dominating almost all of their opposition, with a strong defence and moments of individual brilliance, Rondebosch Boys’ High claimed the Ian MelliarCup for a second successive year in Cape Town on Sunday.
‘Boschwas clinical throughout the tournament and completed an impressive run with a convincing 13-6 win over St John’s College in the final at Wynberg Boys’ High’s Top Pool.
The side, coached by the experienced Etienne le Roux, headed into the tournament as the favourites, having gone all the way in 2024, before continuing to stack wins in 2025.
Rondebosch, though, got off to a rocky start when they fell to a shock 4-5 loss to St David’s Marist Inanda on the opening day.
They quickly put that defeat behind them and, on day two, thumped Pretoria Boys High 7-2 before scoring 13 goals against Glenwood House.
They went on to net 15 unanswered goals against Maritzburg College to set up a playoff match against Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG).
Once again, it was one-way traffic, with Rondebosch breezing past PRG 13-3. In the quarterfinals, they took on Clifton College and came away with a 12-7 victory.
That was a vital victory over a dangerous side, with Clifton having already beaten SACS and St John’s. Later, they also beat St David’s. In the end, the ‘Bosch loss was the only defeat suffered by the Durban side.
By the quarterfinals, coach Le Roux’s side had hit their stride, and they looked well-nigh unstoppable. In the semi-finals, though, they were made to dig deep for a 9-7 win over SACS. St John’s, meanwhile, handed Wynberg a 10-5 loss to qualify for the final.
It was neck-and-neck in the early exchanges of the title game. However, ‘Bosch started to pull away in the latter parts of the contest to win going away.
“I am immensely proud of the team’s performance,”Le Roux told SuperSport Schools Plus after the title game.
“We had a really bad start to the tournament, with the team having their first loss ever. We had to dig deep to reset and get back to our game and win the tournament.
“The boys showed incredible maturity to be able to accept a loss, learn from it, and then perform, which was the key to our trophy [success].”
Le Roux said a productive off-season had allowed his team to prepare well for the challenges that awaited in the fourth term.
That off-season included, for some, a tour to Montenegro in July. After that, they took on daily sessions from August, with a key focus being on implementing a strong defensive system to help the players get used to the style of water polo Le Roux wants to employ.
“I would describe our style as a ‘suffocation’way to play,”the coach explained.
“We place a lot of focus on limiting mistakes on defence, which makes it incredibly hard for teams to score past us.
“As the game continues, theopposition tends to panic when they cannot score goals. Defence is an absolute key for us, and the boys executed it very well. We conceded very few goals, which then, also, built the base for our attack.”
Le Roux also lauded his team’s cohesion. “I think the entire team performed really well together, and as a team, we are always stronger,” he said.
“There were some excellent performances all round from all the players. I am glad that some of the boys – Ross Webber, Nathan Corlett, Ross Briers-Danks and Blake Galpin – were recognised for their playing by being selected for the team of the tournament.
“There were some individual awards – Best Defender, Blake Galpin, and MVP, Nathan Corlett. Another standout player for us was our goalkeeper, Daniel Smith, who is the backbone of our defence and game strategy.
“He had an incredible tournament and showed that he is one of the best goalkeepers in the u15 age group in South Africa.”
Rondebosch’s attention will next turn to Western Cape league games, with some of the players vying for inclusion in the first team for next month’s St Stithians College Stayers Tournament.
Click HERE to see all the results from the Ian Melliar Cup.
Final standings
Rondebosch Boys’ High
St John’s College
SACS
Wynberg Boys’ High
Clifton College
Hilton College
St David’s Marist Inanda
Bishops
Kearsney College
Selborne College
Paul Roos
Pretoria Boys High
Affies
Grey High School
Paarl Boys’ High
Buffalo City Invitational
Cape Town Invitational
Reddam House Constantia
Maritzburg College
Glenwood House
Reddam House Constantia has enjoyed good preparations ahead of their defence of the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament title. Photo: Supplied
Reddam House Constantia’s first girls’ water polo coach, Connor Whiting, says playing “simple water polo” will be their main focus when they kick off their title defence at the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal.
The annual event, which brings together many of the country’s top water polo sides, runs from 26 to 28 September at the St Anne’s Aquatic Centre.
They return to the tournament as one of the favourites, and coach Whiting is pleased with how his team’s preparations have gone.
“The preparations have been good,” he said. “We had the Mackenzie Cup last weekend, which was like the first tick on the calendar.
“The goal was to prep and do well at our home tournament. Thankfully, at Reddam, we are blessed with an indoor pool, which gives us a bit of an advantage in the Western Cape.
“In winter, we can train and get into the pool a little bit earlier. It’s also a bit easier getting the girls down [to train], knowing they don’t have to be in the rain or the cold. That’s a big positive.”
Whiting also has the luxury of an experienced squad at his disposal. Instead of shying away from the pressure that comes with being the defending champion, the Reddam girls are embracing it.
“The girls are very excited,” Whiting shared. “They had a lot of fun last year and created some good memories.
“Being the defending champions does give you that little bit more energy and having positive results from last year gives us that energy.
“Another positive is that out of the team that’s been selected, there are only two players from last year who are missing. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same team, with two new players.”
In the past week or so, he says they’ve focused on simplifying their game plan while they prepare to tackle some tough opposition.
“We had a look at what we didn’t get right at the Mackenzie Cup, especially in the final,” he said. “Looking at the basics, simple water polo is what I like to see as a coach, and that’s what we do really well. We play with confidence and that’s the key to any successful team.”
Reddam has been drawn in Pool A and will take on St Stithians College, St Mary’s Waverley and Maris Stella.
“We are in quite a tough pool. It’s always difficult to play against Saints, but nothing is more exciting than playing against the other top teams in the country. So, we are very excited for that,” Whiting commented on Reddam’s group stage opposition.
The Capetonians kick off their title defence against St Mary’s on Friday at 08:00.
Reddam House Constantia Team
Iviwe Oduore, Summer Wain, Holly Binneman, Sarah Palframan, Julia Luckoff (c), Abi Weatherall, Bailey Donnachie, Holly Strydom, Sam Nimb, Tayla Bosman, Lauren Helm, Jesica Bester, Aman Moonda.
Durban Girls’ College will be laser-focused as they set their sights on capturing a third title in quick succession. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The Durban Girls’ College(DGC) first water polo side has enjoyed an incredible start to the season under the leadership of head coach Peter Lavett and captain Lara Mervis.
DGC was dominant, dictating play from start to finish in an unbeaten run which culminated in a 10-2 win over St Anne’s Diocesan College in the final.
A week later, the Durbanites journeyed to Cape Town to contest the Mackenzie Cup, which was hosted by Reddam House Constantia.
DGC headed into the event with a good history at the tournament, having won it in 2023, but they were defeated in the semi-finals in 2024.
There were no mishaps this time around as coach Lavett’s girls brought their A-game and dominated their Pool, beating Herschel Girls School, Clarendon, and Glenwood House.
All of those outstanding achievements, however, are in the past, and DGC’s focus has shifted to the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament, which runs from 26-28 September.
Durban Girls’ College water polo coach Peter Lavett. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Coach Lavett spoke to SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the tournament. “The mood in the camp is really high and focused on the tournament ahead,” he said.
“All players have performed [well], and we are in a good space. At the Mackenzie Cup, we followed the game plan at all times.
“The players know their role in each position, and we play to the last whistle.”
Lavett believes his charges are in for a difficult challenge: “We are in a really tough pool and need to be at our best,” he said. “But we need to beat everyone if we want to go all the way.
“Spectators can expect a fast, disciplined team that does not stop, with a solid bench that doesn’t slow us down at the end of a game.”
DGC’s quest for a third trophy will begin against St Dominic’s at 11:45 on Friday.
The Cape outfit won the title in 2024 after dominating Clifton College in the final, winning 10-2.
Standing in the way in their group will be Glenwood House, from George, KZN’s Maritzburg College, and the Gauteng duo of Pretoria Boys High(PBHS) and St David’s Marist Inanda.
‘Boschwas outstanding at last year’s tournament, going unbeaten through their pool assignments and in the playoffs. They faced Glenwood House, PBHS and St David’s and scored a combined whopping 33 goals in those three outings.
They’ll be favoured to go all the way once again. Their quest for back-to-back titles begins against St David’s on day one at 16:00.
Pool A, meanwhile, will be contested by Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool(Affies), Grey High, Hilton College, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), and the hosts, Wynberg Boys’ High. Based on last year’s performances, it’s likely to be a tightly contested group.
Out of those five teams, it was Wynberg who finished the highest in 2024, in fourth, while Hilton was right behind them, in fifth place.
Paul Roos and Grey High finished seventh and eighth, respectively, while Affies will be aiming to improve on their 11th place finish.
Pool C is wide open. Bishops, the champions of 2023, will fancy their chances of getting the job done against a Cape Town Invitational side and Reddam House Constantia. They also take on Kearsney College and Selborne College, with the East London school returning to the event after a year’s absence.
Last year’s silver medal winners, Clifton College, who are in good early season form, are in Pool D. They’re up against a Buffalo City Invitational team, Paarl Boys’ High, South African College High School(SACS), and the formidable St John’s College.
Clifton showed impressive grit when they made the final last year after finishing third in their pool with three wins, a loss and a draw.
In the quarterfinals, they edged out Kearsney 6-5 before downing Wynberg 7-6 in the semi-finals to sneak into the title deciding game.
Those tight playoff wins caught up to the Durban boys in the final, but they’ll draw inspiration from their performances as the aim to go one step further this year.
The tournament commences with two matches at 14:00 when Paarl Boys’ High and SACS meet at the Wynberg Boys’ High Pool, while Wynberg tackles Paul Roos at the Junior Pool.
Pool A: Affies, Grey High, Hilton College, Paul Roos, Wynberg Boys’ High
Pool B: Glenwood House, Maritzburg College, Pretoria Boys’ High, Rondebosch Boys’ High, St David’s Marist Inanda
Pool C: Bishops, Cape Town Invitational, Kearsney College, Reddam House Constantia, Selborne College
Pool D: Buffalo City Invitational, Clifton College, Paarl Boys’ High, SACS, St John’s College
The Selborne College water polo side is eager to make a mark at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament. Photo: Toni Butterworth
“It’s do or die, from the first game.” That was the sentiment Selborne College first team coach, Storm Siebert, shared with SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, which takes place at the Clifton Aquatic Centre, in Durban, from Wednesday.
An extra day has been added to the event this year, making it five days in duration, from 24-28 September.
Some of the country’s top sides will be in action, including Selborne College, the sole representatives from the Eastern Cape.
The East London school heads to Clifton with their sights set on improving on last year’s showing.
In 2024, they just sneaked into the top 10 after beating Northwood School 9-6 in the 9th/10th playoff match.
“The preparation has been good. We have had a good couple of weeks of prep heading into the Clifton Tour,” Siebert reckoned.
“We had a couple of matrics make themselves unavailable for this season due to prelims. So, we have a mix of a fair amount of core players together with some exciting youngsters, who are getting an opportunity on the big stage.”
Selborne has been drawn in Pool A where they will face Clifton, Reddam House Constantia, and Maritzburg College.
They have some serious firepower in their squad, which includes SA Schools’ stars Liam Hansen and Thomas Caswell, while the experienced Samuel van de Venter will also be eager to put on a show.
Their ability to score goals in crucial moments will be key, and attack is an area on which they’ve placed a lot of their focus.
“Our attack, at times, has been rushed, and we’ve really focused on patience and maturity on attack,” coach Siebert said. “Another big focus point has been the team’s mentality and calmness in pressure situations.
“We are expecting a pool of very close results, where any team can top another one on the day. We need to prepare thoroughly for each encounter.”
Daniel Woodin will be in action for Selborne College at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament. Photo: Toni Butterworth
The Clifton tournament will also provide coach Siebert’s side with an opportunity to prepare for the SACS Water Polo Tournament, which happens a week later, through the tough matches they’ll face in Durban.
“I’m not too concerned about a final placing as our goal. Rather, [our focus is about] getting our processes and game plan correct and trying to improve in every game.
“The results and final placings will fall into place,” he ended.
Selborne kicks off their campaign in Pool A against Reddam House Constantia on Wednesday at 15:10.
SELBORNE COLLEGE TEAM
Matthew Bean, Nathan Weise, Adam de Lange, Liam Hansen, Michael Miller, Daniel Woodin, Cullen Mortlock, Thomas Caswell, Blake Abrams, Samuel van de Venter, Nico van de Venter, Joshua Lentz, Aaron James.
FIXTURES
Wednesday, 24 September
Game 1 – 11:00 – Pool A – Clifton vs Maritzburg College
Game 2 – 11:50 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Northwood
Game 3 – 12:40 – Pool C – DHS vs Westville
Game 4 – 13:30 – Pool D – Hilton vs Michaelhouse
Game 5 – 14:20 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Grey College
Game 6 – 15:10 – Pool A – Selborne vs Reddam Constantia
Game 7 – 16:00 – Pool C – St John’s vs Affies
Game 8 – 16:50 – Pool D – SACS vs KES
18:00 – Opening Ceremony
Thursday, 26 September
Game 9 – 07:00 – Pool D – Hilton vs KES
Game 10 – 07:50 – Pool C – St John’s vs DHS
Game 11 – 08:40 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Grey College
Game 12 – 09:30 – Pool A – Clifton vs Reddam Constantia
Game 13 – 10:20 – Pool D – Michaelhouse vs SACS
Game 14 – 11:10 – Pool C – Westville vs Affies
Game 15 – 12:00 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Northwood
Game 16 – 12:50 – Pool A – Selborne vs Maritzburg College
Game 17 – 13:40 – Pool D – Hilton vs SACS
Game 18 – 14:30 – Pool C – St John’s vs Westville
Game 19 – 15:20 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Paul Roos
Game 20 – 16:10 – Pool A – Clifton vs Selborne
Game 21 – 17:00 – Pool D – KES vs Michaelhouse
Game 22 – 17:50 – Pool C – Affies vs DHS
Game 23 – 18:40 – Pool B – Grey College vs Northwood
Game 24 – 19:30 – Pool A – Reddam Constantia vs Maritzburg College
Friday, 26 September
Game 25 – 08:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool C
Game 26 – 09:00 – 2nd Pool B vs 3rd Pool D
Game 27 – 10:00 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool C
Game 28 – 11:00 – 3rd Pool B vs 2nd Pool D
Game 29 – 13:00 – Loser 25 vs Pool D
Game 30 – 14:00 – Loser 26 – 4th Pool A
Game 31 – 15:00 – Loser 27 – 4th Pool B
Game 32 – 16:00 – Loser 28 – 4th Pool C
18:00 – Parents Social Evening
Game 33 – 07:00 – QF1 – 1st Pool D vs Winner 27
Game 34 – 08:00 – QF2 – 1st Pool C vs Winner 28
Game 35 – 09:00 – QF3 – 1st Pool B vs Winner 25
Game 36 – 10:00 – QF4 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 26
Game 37 – 11:00 – Winner 29 vs Winner 30
Game 38 – 12:00 – Winner 31 vs Winner 32
Game 39 – 13:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 30
Game 40 – 14:00 – Loser 31 vs Loser 32
Game 41 – 15:00 – Plate SF 1 – Loser 33 vs Loser 35
Game 42 – 16:00 – Plate SF 2 – Loser 34 vs Loser 36
South Africa vs Argentina – Viewing on five big screen TVs
Game 43 – 19:30 – SF 1 – Winner 33 vs Winner 35
Game 44 – 20:30 – SF 2 – Winner 34 vs Winner 36
Sunday, 28 September
Game 45 – 07:00 – 15/16 – Loser 40 vs Loser 39
Game 46 – 07:50 – 13/14 – Winner 40 vs Winner 39
Game 47 – 08:40 – 11/12 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38
Game 48 – 09:30 – 9/10 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38
Game 49 – 10:20 – 7/8 – Loser 41 vs Loser 42
Game 50 – 11:10 – 5/6 – Winner 41 vs Winner 42
Game 51 – 12:00 – 3/4 – Loser 44 vs Loser 43
Game 52 – 13:00 – 1/2 – Winner 44 vs Winner 43
Jandro Rojo-Roos is one of the key players to keep an eye out for in the SACS team. Photo: Toni Butterworth
A simple and structured brand of water polo is what South African College High School (SACS) will be out to deliver when they begin their title defence of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament in Durban on Wednesday.
The prestigious event, one of South Africa’s premier boys’ tournaments, runs from 24 to 28 September at the Clifton Aquatic Centre.
In a thrilling and nail-biting final in 2024, SACS defeated St John’s College 8-7 to repeat as champions.
The Newlands-based outfit is seeded in Pool D and will face Hilton College, Michaelhouse, and King Edward VII.
SuperSport Schools Plus caught up with SACS head coach Devon Card ahead of the tournament to discuss their preparations, expectations, and the makeup of the team.
“Preparations are always challenging during the winter, especially as many of our players are still focused on their winter sports until the end of August,” he said.
“Despite that, we’ve managed to get some solid hours under our belt, particularly with our school getting the heaters on so early in the term.”
Coach Card’s side last played tournament polo at the KES Water Polo Tournament, in Johannesburg, in March.
There, they finished in sixth place after a disappointing SACS Nite Series campaign, which saw them finish fifth.
Despite those hiccups, SACS has plenty of talented players who have been focusing on key areas ahead of the tournament.
“We’ve always been a process-driven team, and that mindset is deeply entrenched in our group,” Card said.
“We firmly believe that defence wins tournaments, so we’ve been stress-testing our structures against the SACS Old Boys team, which features some of the best attacking talent in the country.
“Another key focus has been building confidence within the squad to step outside the framework when needed – to back themselves, trust their instincts, and play what’s in front of them.”
Defence is one of the key areas SACS has been working on ahead of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament. Photo: Milan Boolsen-Lotz
Card said his players are relishing the opportunity of playing under pressure as the two-time defending champs.
They are also wary of the challenges that will be posed by their opponents in Pool D.
“It would be naïve not to acknowledge the quality of the opposition,” he said.
“Hilton have proven in previous tournaments that they’re among the best in the country, and both KES and Michaelhouse are definitely teams we’ll need to take seriously.
“That said, our focus remains on ticking the first box in front of us and on controlling the things within our control.”
When asked about what spectators and the SACS faithful can expect from his side, the coach said: “As always, we’ll be bringing our SACS brand of polo to the tournament. Spectators can expect to see us playing as a team, not relying on individuals, and delivering simple, structured water polo.”
The Cape outfit will kick off their campaign on day one against KES at 16:50.
SACS TEAM
Leo Jackson, Harry Oldham, Luca Orgill, Matt Robinson, Nick Wilson, Finn Lecuona, Aidan Turrell, Ben Bigara, Matt Forbes, Michael Skeeles, Connor Mortlock, Jandro Rojo-Roos, Seth Hopkins, Jake Dave.
SACS Pool fixtures
Wednesday, 24 September
16:50 – SACS vs KES
Thursday, 25 September
10:20 – SACS vs Michaelhouse 13:40 – SACS vs Hilton College
FIXTURES
Wednesday, 24 September
Game 1 – 11:00 – Pool A – Clifton vs Maritzburg College
Game 2 – 11:50 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Northwood
Game 3 – 12:40 – Pool C – DHS vs Westville
Game 4 – 13:30 – Pool D – Hilton vs Michaelhouse
Game 5 – 14:20 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Grey College
Game 6 – 15:10 – Pool A – Selborne vs Reddam Constantia
Game 7 – 16:00 – Pool C – St John’s vs Affies
Game 8 – 16:50 – Pool D – SACS vs KES
18:00 – Opening Ceremony
Thursday, 26 September
Game 9 – 07:00 – Pool D – Hilton vs KES
Game 10 – 07:50 – Pool C – St John’s vs DHS
Game 11 – 08:40 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Grey College
Game 12 – 09:30 – Pool A – Clifton vs Reddam Constantia
Game 13 – 10:20 – Pool D – Michaelhouse vs SACS
Game 14 – 11:10 – Pool C – Westville vs Affies
Game 15 – 12:00 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Northwood
Game 16 – 12:50 – Pool A – Selborne vs Maritzburg College
Game 17 – 13:40 – Pool D – Hilton vs SACS
Game 18 – 14:30 – Pool C – St John’s vs Westville
Game 19 – 15:20 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Paul Roos
Game 20 – 16:10 – Pool A – Clifton vs Selborne
Game 21 – 17:00 – Pool D – KES vs Michaelhouse
Game 22 – 17:50 – Pool C – Affies vs DHS
Game 23 – 18:40 – Pool B – Grey College vs Northwood
Game 24 – 19:30 – Pool A – Reddam Constantia vs Maritzburg College
Friday, 26 September
Game 25 – 08:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool C
Game 26 – 09:00 – 2nd Pool B vs 3rd Pool D
Game 27 – 10:00 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool C
Game 28 – 11:00 – 3rd Pool B vs 2nd Pool D
Game 29 – 13:00 – Loser 25 vs Pool D
Game 30 – 14:00 – Loser 26 – 4th Pool A
Game 31 – 15:00 – Loser 27 – 4th Pool B
Game 32 – 16:00 – Loser 28 – 4th Pool C
18:00 – Parents Social Evening
Game 33 – 07:00 – QF1 – 1st Pool D vs Winner 27
Game 34 – 08:00 – QF2 – 1st Pool C vs Winner 28
Game 35 – 09:00 – QF3 – 1st Pool B vs Winner 25
Game 36 – 10:00 – QF4 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 26
Game 37 – 11:00 – Winner 29 vs Winner 30
Game 38 – 12:00 – Winner 31 vs Winner 32
Game 39 – 13:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 30
Game 40 – 14:00 – Loser 31 vs Loser 32
Game 41 – 15:00 – Plate SF 1 – Loser 33 vs Loser 35
Game 42 – 16:00 – Plate SF 2 – Loser 34 vs Loser 36
South Africa vs Argentina – Viewing on five big screen TVs
Game 43 – 19:30 – SF 1 – Winner 33 vs Winner 35
Game 44 – 20:30 – SF 2 – Winner 34 vs Winner 36
Sunday, 28 September
Game 45 – 07:00 – 15/16 – Loser 40 vs Loser 39
Game 46 – 07:50 – 13/14 – Winner 40 vs Winner 39
Game 47 – 08:40 – 11/12 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38
Game 48 – 09:30 – 9/10 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38
Game 49 – 10:20 – 7/8 – Loser 41 vs Loser 42
Game 50 – 11:10 – 5/6 – Winner 41 vs Winner 42
Game 51 – 12:00 – 3/4 – Loser 44 vs Loser 43
Game 52 – 13:00 – 1/2 – Winner 44 vs Winner 43
The annual event was hosted at the Western Province Cricket Club (WPCC) AstroTurf and featured many of the region’s top primary schools’ teams.
Beaumont claimed the boys’ crown after beating Bishops Diocesan College 3-1 in the final, while the Eversdal girls edged out Durbanville 2-1 in a penalty shootout after their title game ended goalless.
The sides’ journeys to the title-deciding contests were quite similar, with both excelling during their pool stage assignments.
In the boys’ competition, Beaumont finished top of Pool B, with 10 points, after three wins and a draw in their four fixtures.
They next met De Hoop Primary in the semifinals and scraped through to the final after a 2-1 victory.
Bishops, meanwhile, beat Gene Louw 2-1 in their final four clash but couldn’t replicate that performance in the final and missed out on retaining the title they won in 2024.
Beaumont won the boys’ section at the Western Province u13 Top Schools Tournament. Photo: ES MEDIA.
In the girls’ section, Eversdal quickly asserted their dominance in Pool A by winning all four of their group matches, scoring 11 goals while conceding only one.
They brushed aside last year’s winners, De Hoop, in the semifinals but had to dig deep to win gold against Durbanville.
Eversdal, who also hail from Durbanville, held their nerve to win a pulsating shootout, which meant they claimed the Top Schools title.
Final standings
Boys
Beaumont
Bishops
Gene Louw
De Hoop
Kenridge Primary School
Sweet Valley Primary
SACS
Somerset House
Panorama
Western Province Prep
Girls
Eversdal
Durbanville
De Hoop
Springfield Convent School
Kenridge
Somerset College
Panorama
Beaumont
Kirstenhof
Sweet Valley Primary
