Author: asawula

Ready, Set, Go!

The countdown is on for the 2025 edition of the u18 SASHOC National Week in Pietermaritzburg.

The tournament commences on Monday, 30 June, with the final scheduled for Saturday, 5 July.

The A-Section boys’ matches will be played at Maritzburg College‘s Pape’s AstroTurf, with the B-Section being hosted at Epworth School.

Last year, Western Province A reigned supreme and ended the week unbeaten after defeating Boland u18A 3-2 in the final.

It’s going to be highly competitive, and while Western Province might be favoured to repeat as champions, there are plenty of challengers who could spring a surprise. The battle for medals is going to be intense.

The action from day one will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools and on DStv Channel 216.

You can also follow the action here on SuperSport Schools Plus

Below are the squads for the u18 boys’ teams playing in the A-section.

Note: Changes will be made if any teams need to be updated.

Boland u18A

Adam Lietch (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Bukhosi Mapete (Worcester Gimnasium), Callum van Oudtshoorn (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Christo Swanepoel (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Danesh Titus (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Jeandre Cilliers (Paul Roos Gimnasium), John Coetzee (Paarl Gimnasium), Logan Lackay (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Luca Jordaan (Parel Vallei High School). Luka Meets (Parel Vallei High School), Matthew Cardoza (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Milani Tisana (Paarl Boys’ High), Philip Barnard (Paarl Gimnasium), Reuben Gouws (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Seth Paterson (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Tylor Carter (Paul Roos Gimnasium).

Boland u18B 

AJ Mostert (Paarl Boys’ High), Caleb de Lange (Worcester Gimnasium), Christian Vusindawa (Curro Hermanus), Daniel Overmeyer (Charlie Hofmeyr), Da-Niell Willemse (Paarl Boys’ High), Heymish Zyster (Hugenote), Iminathi Makatshu (Parel Vallei High School), Joe Van Coller (Paarl Gimnasium), Johen Pietersen (Hoërskool Dirkie Uys), Keagan Murphy (Somerset College), Martin de Bruyn (Paarl Boys’ High), Noah Hendricks (Hoërskool Swartland), Rico Esterhuyse (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Rikus de Kock (Paarl Gimnasium), Ryan van der Merwe (Paarl Gimnasium), Stefan Wiehahn (Paarl Gimnasium).

Western Province u18A

Aiden Hughes (SACS), Aiden Topper (El Shaddai Christian School), Daniel Fisher (Rondebosch Boys’ High), Ethan Daniels (Wynberg Boys’ High), Ethan October (SACS), Jo le Roux (SACS), Joe Gitlin (Reddam House Constantia), Joshua Beattie (Rondebosch Boys’ High), Litha Kraai (SACS), Luc Dicey (Bishops), Matthew Lassen (SACS), Mohlodi Maseko (SACS), Reece Theunis (SACS), Thomas Gordon (Rondebosch Boys’ High), Zach Gibbon (Wynberg Boys’ High), Zach Redfern (SACS).

Western Province u18B 

Milani Bekaphi (Langa Hockey Club), Loyiso Mnani (Langa Hockey Club), Aadam Thompson (SACS), Armand Basson (Curro Durbanville), Cameron Cordeiro (SACS), Cameron Groves (SACS), Chad Julius (Wynberg Boys’ High). Charlie Naylor (Reddam House Constantia), Chavez Sanger (SACS), Daniel Graser (SACS), Daniel Rightford (Wynberg Boys’ High), Hayden Stellenberg (Stellenberg High School), Jacques van Dyk (Stellenberg High School), Litha Mbiko (Bishops), Ryan Groenewald (Fairmont High School), Zach Alexander (Wynberg Boys’ High).

Southern Free State u18A 

Sayur Pillay (Grey College), Raphael Kambanis (Grey College), Andrew Koupis (Grey College), Tshepang Machepa (St Andrew’s School), Matthias Visser (Grey College), Kananelo Mathe (Grey College), Aobakwe Phengu (St Andrew’s School), Waren Legaiwa (Grey College), Gianni Tyropolis (Grey College), Waldo Konig (Grey College), Nkhahle Sematlane (St Andrew’s School), Luke Visser (Grey College), Neilandro Van Schalkwyk (Grey College), Gurshwin Matebesi (Jim Fouché), Cobus Van Wyk (Fichardtpark), Henry Kruger (Grey College).

Northern Gauteng u18A

Owen McMennamin (Pretoria Boys’ High), Luken Brunette (Hoërskool Garsfontein), Kabo Mulaudzi (Pretoria Boys High School), Junior Moloisane (Pretoria Boys High School), Liam Brooker (Pretoria Boys’ High), Tuduetso Monnanyana (Cornwall Hill), Johan Pieterse (Affies), Duardt Tollig (Hoerskool Garsfontein), Rorisang Boshomane (Pretoria Boys High), Wium van Niekerk (Affies), Tyler Trower (CBC Mount Emund), Mwela Mutale (Pretoria Boys High School), Clayton Koorbanally (St Alban’s College), Amand van der Vyfer (Hoërskool Garsfontein), Andrea Clerihew (Hoërskool Garsfontein), Lesego Msiza (Hoërskool Garsfontein).

Southern Gauteng u18A

Aidan Blatch (St Stithians College), Benjamin Simon (King Edward VII), Cole Stanbury (Jeppe High School for Boys), Ethan Kapanda (Jeppe High School for Boys), Ezray Stadt (Jeppe High School for Boys), Jack Hodson (King Edward VII), Jared Beilings (St David’s Marist Inanda), Juan Martin (Jeppe High School for Boys), Khanyisa Kraai (Parktown Boys’ High), Khotso Mabona (St David’s Marist Inanda), Matteo Stipcevich (St David’s Marist Inanda), Matthew McKenzie (Jeppe High School for Boys), Ndyebo Pongwana (Parktown Boys’ High), Owethu Sishuba (St John’s College), Reece Green (Monument), Zeyad Davids (Parktown Boys’ High).

Southern Gauteng u18B

Joshua Smith (St Stithians College), Rayhaan Thokan (Parktown Boys’ High), Michael Candy (King Edward VII), Jarryd Gordon-Watt (Jeppe High School for Boys), Jay-Dee Carolus (Krugersdior High School), Andrew Arouca (King Edward VII), Zieg Roos (King Edward VII), Oratile Mohajane (Parktown Boys’ High), Siyanda Mzizi (King Edward VII), Raphael Madzivadondo (Jeppe High School for Boys), Jordache Arnold (King Edward VII), Matthew Lea (Dainfern College), Conrad Koen (Trinity House Randpark), Kenrick Duncan (Trinity House Randpark), Zachary Klein (King Edward VII), Elethu Bam (Parktown Boys’ High).

KZN Inland u18A

Robert Burman (Hilton College), Gordon Deutscher (Michaelhouse), Xavier Enslin (Hilton College), Lynton Fitz (Maritzburg College), Ben Heuer (Michaelhouse), Tadi Hove (Hilton College), Dane Jackson (Maritzburg College), Kadin Jenkins (Maritzburg College), Andile Lembethe (Maritzburg College), Reagan Mudau (Hilton College), Viwe Ndlovu (Maritzburg College), Jayden Roux (Hilton College), Siwe Sithembu (Maritzburg College), Matthew Thomas (Hilton College), Gregor von Mayer (Michaelhouse), Thandanani Zuma (Michaelhouse).

KZN Coastal u18A

Ben Loxton (Northwood School), Ethan James (Westville Boys’ High), Nicolas Ackerman (Westville Boys’ High), Misbah Nair (Westville Boys’ High), Seth Simpson (Westville Boys’ High), Bhavesh Naicker (DHS), Bonga Maphanga (DHS), Christopher Abrahams (DHS), Georg Wolhuter (Clifton College), Joshua Mungherera (DHS), Joshua van Biljon (DHS), Kyle White (Northwood School), Luke Allen (Northwood School), Sithsaba Siyoyo (DHS), Tyrique Cloete (DHS), Zac Williamson (Clifton College).

KZN Coastal u18B

Bo Mokoena (Westville Boys’ High), Cyrus Hendricks (Reddam House Umhlanga), Nicholas Murugan (Northwood School), Ethan Schilz (Northwood School), Taylon Goodwin (Northwood School), Jadin Bramwell (DHS), Joel Steyn (Kearsney College), Jonty Wiggett (Kearsney College), Keegan de Jager (Kearsney College), Krian Jugoo (Glenwood High School), Lungani Ngcobo (DHS), Oyinthando Ngejane (DHS), Qhama Dyakopu (Glenwood High School), Tim Saulez (Clifton College), Tye Milne (Ashton International College), Tyhil Naidoo (Westville Boys’ High).

Eastern Province u18A

Kaino Broadhurst (Grey High School), Ameer Muller (Grey High School), Matthew Allibone (Grey High School), Liam Poole (Grey High School), Logan Goddard-Ford (Grey High School), Dale Jennings (Grey High School), Athi Voigt (Grey High School), Luke Tait (Grey High School), Keegan Le Roux (Grey High School), Jordyn Billie (Grey High School), Ethan Moothoo (Woodridge College), Tristan Botha (Alexander Road High School), Greg Rodwell (St Andrew’s College), Seth Groener (Westering High School), Samuel Schekter (St Andrew’s College), Anthwone April (Pearson High School).

St Andrew’s College and DSG Makhanda maintained their dominance over Kingswood College when they picked up victories in the annual K-Day derby on the weekend.

St Andrew’s won 2-1, while DSG Makhanda, who’ve put together an impressive season, powered their way to a big 6-0 victory.

St Andrew’s and DSG went into their games favoured to win, and they delivered on those expectations.

The highly anticipated K-Day action began on Thursday night when St Andrew’s squared off against Kingswood’s at the famous City Lords AstroTurf.

As expected, the stands were filled to the rafters, with both sets of schools turning out in their numbers in anticipation of a humdinger.

The visitors started like a house on fire and opened the scoring with just two minutes played through Sid Fishlock.

The goal was all about Fishlock. He applied pressure on Kingswood at the back, won the ball, rounded the goalkeeper, and sneaked the ball into the goalbox to put St Andrew’s ahead.

It was a cagey affair, and both sides created goal-scoring chances, but their execution let them down.

In the second chukka, Kingswood drew level when Luc Starkey fired in a drag flick thunderbolt, much to the satisfaction of the home supporters.

St Andrew’s, however, found a way to win by digging deep. With five minutes to play, they won a penalty corner and turned their fortunes over to their dangerman, Greg Rodwell. He fired a drag flick past goalkeeper Jack Tait to score what turned out to be the winning goal.

While the boys took to the turf on Thursday night, the girls had to wait until Saturday to play their clash at City Lords.

DSG, undoubtedly one of the top teams in the country this season, were playing away from home, but they dealt with the pressure with aplomb.

They produced a clinical performance, bossed proceedings and further stamped their authority as the best girls’ team in the Eastern Cape.

They played some fantastic free-flowing hockey, moving the ball exceptionally well, and linking up to score some cracking goals.

Captain Abigail Holderness was at the forefront of the DGS onslaught, netting a brace, while her sister, Lucy, also got in on the scoring action.

Jocelyn Appel, who has been a frequent goal scorer for the Makhanda school, also scored while Alexandra Ovendale and Lauren Menagé completed the drubbing.

It’s back to the drawing board for Kingswood, who have now lost two matches on the trot after going down 1-2 against Pearson earlier this month.

DSG, meanwhile, continues to stack wins. They’ll face Hoërskool Framesby next week full of confidence.

St Andrew’s hockey results vs Kingswood College

1st XI won 2–1
u16A won 2–1
u14A won 5–0

DSG Makhanda hockey results vs Kingswood College

1^st XI won 6-0
u16A won 7-0
u14A won 5-1

When Paarl Gimnasium took on South African College High School (SACS) in the final of the Hibbert Shield, in May, in Gqeberha, they were on the receiving end of a 6-3 hiding.

That loss came on the back of some strong results from coach Jacques “Stevo” Grobler‘s team, who swept past their opponents until they met SACS.

They drove back to the Western Cape with their silver medals draped proudly around their necks.

A week later, they were called into action against Paul Roos Gimnasium. Paarl Gim struggled in that clash and suffered another big loss before going down against Parel Vallei the following week.

They restored some belief with a 5-0 win over HTS Drostdy, but their inconsistency was punished again when they went down 1-2 to Bishops.

That defeat led to some serious introspection from coach Grobler and his captain, Juan Swanepoel, because matters weren’t about to get any easier with SACS looming.

The clash against SACS, at the Brewery AstroTurf in Cape Town, was a gut check. Gim needed to put up or face a serious hammering from a team that has hit double figures a good number of times in 2025.

Gim was up for the challenge. They had their games faces on, ready to take on the team widely regarded as the best in the country.

There was an intense start to the clash, but the visitors were rewarded early for their bravery when stalwart John Coetzee netted from a short corner in the opening five minutes.

It took the home side until the second chukka to reply, and it came from Cameron Corderio, who netted the equaliser with five minutes to go before halftime.

Then, early in the third quarter, SACS hit the front, courtesy of an outrageous solo effort by Litha Kraai. After receiving a pass just outside his half, he beat a defender and accelerated into Gim’s circle untouched before firing off a rocket into the back of the net.

Heading into the final chukka, the hosts led 2-1, but Paarl Gim wasn’t done, and they clawed their way back into the contest.

They evened the scores through a successful penalty stroke conversion from their captain, Juan Swanepoel. Then, they had to withstand a nervous last minute, after SACS was awarded a penalty corner.

“Going to SACS is never easy. If you look at the past years where we’ve gone there, it’s always been a different outcome,” Swanepoel told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game.

“That said, I’m very proud of the boys. The effort they put in was exceptional. I couldn’t be prouder, especially after what we’ve been through in the last two weeks. It’s a massive step up.”

Ahead of the clash, there was no doubt that Paarl Gim was the underdog. They had played some good hockey in their recent outings, but their past results weren’t convincing. Swanepoel revealed the team had some direct, honest discussions ahead of the clash.

“We had some hard conversations as a team during the week,” he said. “Coach Stevo and I agreed that we needed to go there and get a result. We couldn’t afford to be scared or not up for the challenge. We couldn’t let SACS run us over, and we made it clear to the guys in the team that everyone had a role.

“It turned out perfectly. Even when things didn’t go our way, we stayed positive. We were up for it for 60 minutes.”

With their morale receiving a massive boost of confidence, Paarl Gim will head into their last game of the term, against Fairmont High School, next weekend, eager to sign off with a victory.

“I think we’ve set the standard now. If we take this and learn from it, we will be good moving forward,” Swanepoel reckoned.

Next term, a big derby clash against Paarl Boys’ High lies ahead.

“We can believe we are one of the best teams in the country,” Swanepoel concluded.

Other matches

In another match played in Cape Town, Paul Roos Gimnasium handed Wynberg Boys’ High a 3-1 loss.

Reuben Gouws, Caleb Cilliers, and skipper Christo Swanepoel scored for the Stellenbosch school.

Meanwhile, goals from Laubscher van Loggerenberg and AJ Fourie earned Paarl Boys’ High a hard-fought 2-2 home draw with Bishops.

RESULTS

SACS 2-2 Paarl Gimnasium
Paul Roos 3-1 Wynberg Boys’ High
Paarl Boys’ High 2-2 Bishops

The hockey community from Langa, in Cape Town, will be glued to their television screens, the SuperSport Schools App, and DStv channel 216 for the various SASHOC National Weeks, which are approaching rapidly.

That’s because their local club, the Langa Hockey Club, has produced a whopping 12 provincial players, who will represent Western Province in the u13, u14, u16 and u18 tournaments.

The junior tournaments will take place in Johannesburg, while the u16 and u18 events will be hosted by Hilton College, St Anne’s DSG, and Maritzburg College, in KwaZulu-Natal.

The inclusion of a dozen players in provincial sides is a massive achievement for the club, and it shows that they’re that they’re headed in the right direction, said chairman Nyaniso Mhayi.

“As a club, we are very proud of our juniors and the development team behind this achievement,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We believe the opportunities we give these juniors are a good stepping stone for their future within the sports and educational side.

“I don’t think we would’ve achieved this feat without programmes like modified South African Hockey Association (SAHA) and Western Province Hockey Union (WPHU) development. They support our programmes and make sure our juniors attend coaching clinics and have the necessary equipment.”

In the past five years, the club’s performances at the junior level have taken a massive leap. They’ve also become more competitive in the Western Province League 1 and have punched above their weight when facing hockey giants from around the Western Cape.

In 2024, the club enjoyed a strong showing at the Bishops 175 Hockey Festival and it has continued to make further positive strides since then. Mhayi credits the coaches and players for their commitment.

“It’s the love for the sport and personal development from our coaching staff and just the willingness to not give up on a child regardless of their background,” he said, explaining why the club has been so successful.

“Our coaches work very hard and with limited resources, but they make things work, and all that resilience filters through to the juniors; hence, you see a large number of our players in the Western Province hockey set-up.

“We push these guys to be good players but also remember to focus on their schoolwork. They can get opportunities through the sport, and that could change their lives completely, but schoolwork is equally important.”

Milani Bekaphi and Loyiso Mnani will turn out for the Western Province u18B side, while Litha Kraai will represent the A-side.

On the girls’ side, Inam Gungubele has been named in the u18B squad, and Imange Xongo in the regional team.

The club’s goal is to produce as many players as possible in the Western Province set-up and to increase the number of representatives in the A-teams.

“The aim is always to make the top team but, as we know, there’s a large pool of very good players in this province, so it’s not easy for our juniors, but we are proud of anyone who makes it through,” Mhayi said.

“The next generation of players coming up are very good, so hopefully a majority of them could make all these A-teams, but we have a big gap to cover from the other big schools.

“That’s just the reality and not an excuse. We will just keep working hard to produce better players and human beings who can contribute positively to our community,” he concluded.

Langa Hockey Club Western Province Representatives

U18 Boys

Litha Kraai
Milani Bekaphi
Loyiso Mnani

U18 Girls

Inam Gungubele
Imange Xongo

U16 Boys

Limani Makeleni
Simamkele Base

U16 Girls

Onele Nodada B

U14 Boys

Ayabonga Magqaza
Linathi Masimini

U14 Girls

Anelisa Tsholo

U13 Boys

Siya van Wyk A

The small town of Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, will come to a standstill this weekend when Kingswood College hosts St Andrew’s College and The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) in the annual K-Day derby.

In fact, it’s a five-day sporting extravaganza that sees the three schools compete against each other in hockey, squash, netball, rugby, chess, golf, music, and the arts.

The campuses will be buzzing with activity, and among the most highly anticipated events will be the first team hockey fixtures. 

The boys’ clash between St Andrew’s and Kingswood takes place on Thursday, 12 June, at 17:15. The girls’ sides meet on Saturday at 13:15.

Ahead of those clashes, we take a look at the teams’ current form, past results, and what they’ll need to do to get one over on their fierce rivals.

St Andrew’s vs Kingswood

St Andrew’s enters the derby as the favourites to win it, and some would suggest they should win comfortably.

The side, led by coaches Dean Ferreira and Reece Buchan, has enjoyed a stellar season, despite some disappointing results in May.

Their last outing resulted in a 7-0 whipping of Cambridge High in East London. Luke Mason scored a brace in that clash, while the other goals were netted by Daniel Meihuizen, Sid Fishlock, Greg Rodwell, Angus Glen and the skipper, Connor McNamara.

Before that win, St Andrew’s suffered narrow losses against Grey High and Selborne College – both ended 0-1 in favour of their opponents.

Coach Ferreira’s players are focusing on what’s in front of them, however, and they’re excited to be a part of the big clash. 

“K-Day is always a great occasion and something the players look forward to every year, so there’s some extra excitement around the fixture,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We are approaching it like any other game, and I would describe the team atmosphere as positive and exciting.

“Of course, there is a sense of tradition and pride around K-Day, but it’s just another opportunity for the team to play the sport they love together.”

Securing a win away from home won’t be easy for St Andrew’s, who take on a Kingswood outfit that’s put together a pretty decent run in 2025.

Led by coach José Smith, the boys in red and black have been consistent, losing only six of their 24 matches.

In the Eastern Province region, they’ve beaten Pearson High, Westering High, and Victoria Park High, but they were well beaten by Grey High, going down 0-4.

Despite his side being favoured to win, coach Ferreira said they won’t underestimate their rivals.

“Kingswood have proven that they are a capable team this season, and we expect them to bring plenty of intensity and energy.

“Our goal will be to stay composed throughout the match, make good decisions with and without the ball, and avoid the frantic, emotional hockey that is typical of derbies.”

St Andrew’s recorded a 2-0 win on K-Day last year, and they’ll be eager to keep their winning record against Kingswood intact.

DSG Makhanda vs Kingswood

There is no doubt that the Kingswood first-team girls’ side faces their toughest match of the season when they take on DSG.

That’s because their opponents are in scorching-hot form. They’ve played some outstanding hockey, resulting in a flowing, free-scoring game, which has seen them stack win after win against opponents within and outside of the province. 

Late last month, DSG laid claim to being the best team in the Eastern Cape after outplaying Collegiate Girls’ High 4-1 in Gqeberha.

Following that clash, they put on a masterclass and recorded a stunning result against Cambridge High School, powering their way to a jaw-dropping 22-0 victory.

On K-Day, they’ll face a Kingswood College team that has struggled to find form and consistency in 2025. To date, they’ve played 23 matches, suffered 12 losses, and won nine matches. The last time they took on DSG, in a pre-season friendly, DSG cruised to a 7-0 win. 

Kingswood has gone down in their past two outings, but by a single goal only on both occasions, losing 0-1 to Union High and 1-2 to Pearson High. 

Coach Jason Maclachlan will have faith that his girls can pull off a massive upset on derby day. If they did, it would be a seismic shock, indeed.

Other Eastern Cape fixtures

While K-Day will hold the spotlight in the province, there are other derbies taking place.

In East London, Hudson Park hosts Stirling High while Selborne College takes on Cambridge High.

Woodridge College will test their mettle against Gqeberha’s Westering High School.

Just two weeks remain before the SASHOC National Week springs into action in Pietermaritzburg on Monday, 30 June.

The national tournament for the boys’ u18 A-Section take places on the iconic Pape’s AstroTurf, at Maritzburg College, where Western Province u18A and Boland, last year’s finalists, will be among the favourites.

When they met in the title game in Bloemfontein in 2024, it was Province who reigned supreme, beating their noisy neighbours 3-2 in a tightly contested clash.

Due to the fact that they contested the final, the rivals have been drawn in separate pools, but another meeting in the final would not be a surprise if it happened. 

Before that, though, this weekend, some of the leading teams in the Western Province and Boland regions will lock horns in local derbies.

Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) and Paarl Gimnasium will make the trip from Stellenbosch and Paarl, respectively, to face Wynberg Boys’ High and South African College High School (SACS) on Friday night.

We take a look at the teams’ current form, past results, and how they have fared ahead of those big games.

SACS vs Paarl Gimnasium

The Brewery AstroTurf, the home of SACS hockey, will welcome Paarl Gimnasium on Friday night for the second meeting of the teams in 2025.

They met in the Hibbert Shield final in Gqeberha, in May, and it was SACS who dominated their opponents, recording a 6-3 win.

Led by coach Sam Holmes, SACS has not looked back since that win and have continued to run rampant against their Western Cape counterparts. 

They’ve played some of their best hockey in the local league, beating Bishops 4-1, overrunning Rondebosch Boys’ High 9-1, and DF Malan 10-0.

Their toughest task was a meeting with Paul Roos Gimnasium, and they passed that test by handing the Stellenbosch outfit a 3-1 defeat on the Maties AstroTurf.

SACS’s last outing resulted in a 4-0 win over Reddam House Constantia, so they enter the clash in red-hot form.

Paarl Gim, meanwhile, has suffered a bit of a slump since reaching that Hibbert Shield final a month ago.

Coach Jacques Grobler’s boys came out on the wrong end in a hefty 2-6 loss against PRG exactly a week after Hibbert. They were then stunned by Parel Vallei High, going down 2-3.

Paarl Gim, then, rolled to a convincing 5-0 win over HTS Drostdy, but last week they fell to a 1-2 loss against Bishops. The competition in the Western Cape is tough! 

And it will be a tough ask to go to SACS and pull off a win, but coach Grobler and his troops believe it can be done. If they get it right, though, it would be the biggest upset of the season.

Wynberg vs Paul Roos

The last meeting between these two sides didn’t end well for coach Ben Wiley and his Wynberg side, who were dealt a one-sided 1-7 loss.

That defeat occurred in Stellenbosch, which is a difficult place to visit, so Wynberg will be banking on their home-ground advantage to make a big difference on Friday when they host PRG at the Astro of Dreams.

It hasn’t been the best of seasons for Wynberg. They’re a young team, full of potential, with a sprinkling of experienced campaigners, led by their skipper, Zach Gibbon.

They’ve produced a mixed bag of results in their last three outings. Last week, they suffered a 1-3 loss to Rondebosch Boys’ High away from home. The week prior, they drew 3-3 with Stellenberg High, and they defeated Bishops in May.

In Paul Roos, they’ll come up against a side that’s lost only twice this season, and both of those defeats came against SACS, the first of them after a penalty shootout in the Hibbert Shield semifinals.

Besides those two losses, coach Michael Baker‘s team has dominated and last weekend they put five past Stellenberg.

They’ve also scored handy wins over Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys’ High. The last time they visited Cape Town, though, they mustered a nervy 3-2 win over Bishops.

It promises to be an enticing clash and far more closely contested than their first meeting.

While two Boland teams head to Cape Town, a Cape Town team, Bishops, journeys into the winelands to take on Paarl Boys’ High.

FIXTURES

19:00 – SACS vs Paarl Gimnasium
19:00 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
19:25 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Bishops

Western Province, Southern Gauteng A, Boland, and KZN Inland are among the teams expected to make their mark at the SASHOC National Week but don’t rule out Eastern Province (EP).

The Eastern Cape boys will arrive at the tournament, which will be hosted by Maritzburg College from 30 June to 5 July, with absolutely nothing to lose but a point to prove.

They haven’t enjoyed much success in recent year. In fact, EP has failed to finish in the top five for four years running.

In 2024, they had a talent-laden team, but they blew hot and cold during the pool stages, which led to their progress to the last four being taken out of their hands. It’s something they’ve become accustomed to in recent times.

Unfortunately for Eastern Province, other results within their group didn’t go their way, and they missed out. By the end of the tournament, they had finished a disappointing ninth.

In 2023, they placed a lowly 11th. The year before that, they ended sixth, and in 2019, they were ninth. Measured against their historical results, those results have been sub-standard.

For 2025, the province has turned to coach Andrew Beynon to try to turn around EP’s fortunes. He takes over from Lyall Meyer.

Beynon needs no introduction to the EP hockey faithful. In 2024, he led the u16A girls to gold in Bloemfontein, so he’s a man who knows how to win provincial tournaments.

It will, however, be a challenging task for Beynon, his backroom staff, and the 16-player squad.

Ten of those players are from Grey High School, where Beynon coaches the 1st XI. They are Luke Tait, Kaino Broadhurst, Ameer Muller, Matthew Allibone, Liam Poole, Logan Goddard-Ford, Dale Jennings, Athi Voight, Keegan Le Roux, and Jordyn Billie.

Only three players out of the 10 played for Eastern Province last year, namely Tait, Broadhurst, and Poole.

Joining the Grey boys will be the St Andrew’s College duo of Samuel Scheckter and Greg Rodwell, who has previously represented the SA u17 side.

The team is completed by Ethan Moothoo (Woodridge College), Tristan Botha (Alexander Road), Seth Groener (Westering High), and Anthwone April (Pearson High).

EP’s campaign in Pool A starts with a stiff exam from Southern Gauteng A on 30 June. They meet in an early 07:30 clash on Pape’s AstroTurf.

Eastern Province u18A Team

Kaino Broadhurst	Grey High School
Ethan Moothoo	Woodridge College
Ameer Muller	Grey High School
Tristan Botha	Alexander Road High School
Greg Rodwell	St Andrew’s College
Matthew Allibone	Grey High School
Seth Groener	Westering High School
Liam Poole	Grey High School
Samuel Schekter	St Andrew’s College
Logan Goddard-Ford	Grey High School
Dale Jennings	Grey High School
Athi Voight	Grey High School
Luke Tait	Grey High School
Keegan Le Roux	Grey High School
Jordyn Billie	Grey High School
Anthwone April	Pearson High School

POOL FIXTURES

Monday, 30 June

07:30 – Eastern Province A vs Southern Gauteng A
16:00 – Eastern Province A vs KZN Inland A

Tuesday, 1 July

13:10 – Eastern Province A vs Western Province A

Wednesday, 2 July

10:20 – Eastern Province A vs KZN Coastal B

Thursday, 3 July

13:10 – Eastern Province A vs Boland B

The Boland u18A girls’ team will head to the SASHOC National Week aiming to make history by clinching just their third provincial title in 12 years.

The tournament, which kicks off on Monday, 30 June, and concludes on Saturday, 5 July, takes place at St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal.

Boland, led by experienced coach Chris Gerber, from Rhenish Girls’ High, is among the favourites to capture the title. Given the quality in their ranks, that’s not a stretch.

The last time Boland claimed the inter-provincial crown was in 2016 when they defeated Southern Gauteng in the final. Before that, they won the tournament in 2013, beating Southern Free State 3-1 in the title game in Durban.

The past five inter-provincial tournament have, however, ended in disappointment for the girls in black and yellow.

Their best finish in the past five years was second in 2023. Last year, though, they ended fifth, behind the Southern Gauteng B team.

History will, of course, mean very little at the tournament. Also, to make matters more interesting, there’s a new sheriff in town with Gerber taking over the coaching reins.

He and his selectors have named a star-studded team that looks well-equipped to take on the best from South Africa’s other provinces.

The 16-player squad includes seven players from Rhenish, with Rhenish skipper Leah du Plessis also named the captain of Boland.

Parel Vallei High has the second-highest number of representatives with four players, while Paarl Gimnasium has two, and HMS Bloemhof and Paarl Girls’ High one each.

“Selection is always very difficult, especially in a region like Boland,” Gerber told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“There are lots of really good players that missed out. In the end, we picked a well-balanced side where the players can combine and work around the style we want to play.”

The team may have come up short of winning it all in the past half-decade, but Gerber’s focus is on the present and not the past.

“It’s difficult to say what worked and what didn’t last year because I wasn’t part of the structure, so I can’t comment,” he said.

“What I can say, though, is that this is a new and exciting team, and we want to go out there and express ourselves and play well as a team.”

Boland is drawn in Pool A, which appears to be the group of death. They’ll be up against Southern Gauteng A and B, Eastern Province A, Southern Free State A, and Northern Gauteng B.

“The first game versus Free State will set the tone for the tournament, so it’s vital to start the tournament well and get some confidence and momentum in our stride. There are no easy games, so we must hit the ground running.” Gerber said.

Boland u18A Team

Katherine Sickle (Rhenish Girls’ High), Leah du Plessis (Rhenish Girls’ High), Lily Newton (Rhenish Girls’ High), Pippa Viljoen (Rhenish Girls’ High), Puck Bakker (Rhenish Girls’ High), Rose Quinlivan (Rhenish Girls’ High), Sarah-Ellen Groenewald (Rhenish Girls’ High), Andrea Fortuin (Parel Vallei), Anya Swanepoel (Paarl Gimnasium), Elré Oosthuizen (HMS Bloemhof), Emihle Wulana (Parel Vallei), Cassie Fairbairn (Paarl Girls’ High), Joné de Winnaar (Paarl Gimnasium), Jordan Boer (Parel Vallei), Skylar Bougaard (Parel Vallei).

POOL FIXTURES

Monday, 30 June

08:55 – Boland A vs Southern Free State A
16:00 – Boland A vs Eastern Province A

Tuesday, 1 July

11:45 – Boland A vs Southern Gauteng B

Wednesday, 2 July

07:30 – Boland A vs Northern Gauteng B

Thursday, 3 July

10:20 – Boland A vs Southern Gauteng A

The script couldn’t have been written any better ahead of the highly anticipated clash between Paarl Boys’ High and Bishops Diocesan College, which is scheduled for Friday, 13 June, in Paarl.

That’s because both sides secured monumental victories over the weekend and will head into their showdown with their tails up and confident.

Boishaai hosted a high-flying Parel Vallei (PV) outfit and claimed an impressive 4-2 win. Bishops, meanwhile, has had a challenging season, but they stunned Paarl Gimnasium 2-1 at the Woodlands AstroTurf, in Cape Town.

A week before their win over PV, Boishaai recorded a 3-1 win over Stellenberg High School, which came after they had pushed Paul Roos Gimnasium hard, but had gone down 0-2.

Despite the Stellenberg triumph, coach Rowan McLachlan’s side was wary of PV, who were coming off a stirring 3-2 win against Paarl Gimnasium.

Playing on their home turf, in front of their passionate supporters, Boys High asserted their dominance and were rewarded with the opening goal early in the second chukka through AJ Fourie, who pounced on a sloppy clearance.

It was a special moment as the goal came in his 50th appearance for the team.

The second chukka was evenly matched and produced no goals, but the home side doubled their tally late in the third chukka after a near-post tap-in by Mijan Herholdt.

Coach McLachlan’s troops upped the intensity in the final chukka and netted twice more through Alex Lategan and DaNiel Willemse.

Parel Vallei mustered two consolation goals just before the end of the match, through Luka Meets and Liyema Jijana, which brought some respectability to the scoreline.

Reacting to his team’s performance after the game, coach McLachlan said: “I’m very happy with how the boys performed this evening.

“I feel like we were well put together and were clinical when it counted most. PV are a well-coached team, so we knew we were going to have to be good, so I’m just a happy coach,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Boishaai had started the season promisingly but then suffered a bit of a slump, going down to Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, Grey College, and Paul Roos in May. although they were competitive in all of those contests.

McLachlan said he was concerned after those close defeats, but said he is glad to have his boys firing on all cylinders once again.

“I feel like we started our season very well and won 10 games on the trot. We then hit a rough patch, losing four matches consecutively. But after beating Stellenberg and now, Parel Vallei, I feel like we’re back on track.

“We face Bishops at home next week, and the only thing I’d like to work on is finishing stronger. We allowed two soft goals in the last two minutes, so we need to be better there in closing out the game properly,” he ended.

While there was joy for Boishaai at home, Bishops were also in a joyful mood after shocking Paarl Gimnasium 2-1.

Coach Ryan Julius’s side were the underdogs heading into the clash, but they proved how good they could be when under pressure. 

Troy Stockdale and Callum Jones scored their goals, while Juan Swanepoel netted the solitary goal for the visitors.

“I’m very pleased with the result. They are a well-oiled team,” Julius said after the match.

“The boys played really well. We kept the ball. We were patient. We played a lot of phases, and we got two goals we deserved.

“This gives our team more confidence to go forward, and it’s a young team, so we are building in the right direction.

“There are a lot of things we need to tweak and adjust tactically for Paarl Boys, but I’m proud of how my team carried themselves.”

Other matches

Paul Roos Gimnasium, after their 1-3 loss to South African College High School (SACS), got back to winning ways with a convincing 5-0 win over Stellenberg High School.

Ruan Strauss struck twice, while Christo Swanepoel, Callum van Oudtshoorn, and Ruben Gouws netted PRG’s other goals.

SACS continued on their merry winning way, beating Reddam House Constantia 4-0.

Litha Kraai found the back of the net twice, and he was joined on the scoresheet by his captain, Jo le Roux, and the dangerous Reece Theunis.

Rondebosch Boys’ High defeated their southern suburbs rivals, Wynberg, 3-1, and DF Malan claimed the big scalp of Durbanville, winning by the odd goal in five.

WESTERN CAPE BOYS’ RESULTS

Paul Roos Gimnasium 5-0 Stellenberg High
Bishops 2-1 Paarl Gimnasium
Rondebosch Boys’ High 3-1 Wynberg Boys’ High
SACS 4-0 Reddam House Constantia
Paarl Boys’ High 4-2 Parel Vallei
DF Malan 3-2 Durbanville

“Coming second best” and “almost winning it” have been the stories for the Boland u18A team at the past two SASHOC National Weeks.

In 2023, they narrowly missed out on a bronze medal after going down 0-1 against KZN Coastal A. A year later, they claimed the silver medals after falling 2-3 to Western Province in the final.

While there was a massive improvement in 2024, Boland is aiming to take it up a notch in 2025 and finally break their inter-provincial title drought.

The tournament runs from 30 June to 5 July at Maritzburg College.

The team, consisting of players from the top schools around the Boland region, will be led by head coach Dewald Raath. He’s taken over from the experienced Jacques Grobler, and will be assisted by Mick Ouwerkerk, with Davin Titus the team manager.

That trio, which has been entrusted to bring the silverware back to Boland, is trialled and tested. Last year, they guided the u16A Boland side to glory in Bloemfontein.

In an effort to replicate that triumph at u18 level, they’ve put together a strong 16-player squad, which features a whopping 10 players from Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG).

Adam Leitch, who has struggled to crack the first-team nod for PRG, has, nonetheless, cracked the nod for the Boland u18A squad. He’s joined in the lineup by his Paul Roos teammates Callum van Oudtshoorn, captain Christo Swanepoel, Danesh Titus, goalkeeper Jeandre Cilliers, Logan Lackay, Matthew Cardoza, Reuben Gouws, Seth Paterson, and Tylor Carter.

Out of that group, only Swanepoel represented Boland last year, as did John Coetzee, from Paarl Gimnasium. Coetzee and Philip Barnard are the sole Paarl Gim reps in the side.

Parel Vallei (PV), after having only one player in the mix last year, has two in 2025. Luka Meets, who has been enjoying a superb season for the Somerset West school, has been drafted along with his PV teammate Luca Jordaan.

The lineup is completed by Milani Tisana, the sole player from Paarl Boys’ High, and Bukhosi Mapete, who hails from Worcester Gimnasium.

Boland has been drawn in Pool B and will face Western Province B, Northern Gauteng A, Southern Gauteng B, KZN Coastals A, and Southern Free State A.

They open their account against Western Province B on Wednesday, 30 July, at 13:10 on Pape’s Astro.

Boland u18A Team

Adam Lietch (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Bukhosi Mapete (Worcester Gimnasium), Callum van Oudtshoorn (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Christo Swanepoel (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Danesh Titus (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Jeandre Cilliers (Paul Roos Gimnasium), John Coetzee (Paarl Gimnasium), Logan Lackay (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Luca Jordaan (Parel Vallei High School). Luka Meets (Parel Vallei High School), Matthew Cardoza (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Milani Tisana (Paarl Boys’ High), Philip Barnard (Paarl Gimnasium), Reuben Gouws (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Seth Paterson (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Tylor Carter (Paul Roos Gimnasium).

Head Coach – Dewald Raath
Assistant Coach – Mick Ouwerkerk
Manager – Davin Titus

POOL FIXTURES

Monday, 30 June

13:10 – Boland A vs Western Province B

Tuesday, 1 July

07:30 – Boland A vs Northern Gauteng A
16:00 – Boland A vs Southern Gauteng B

Wednesday, 2 July

14:35 – Boland A vs KZN Coastal A

Thursday, 3 July

07:30 – Boland A vs Southern Free State A