Author: asawula

The Queen’s College, Grey High School, and St Andrew’s College 1st XIs, walked away with comprehensive victories on Friday night in the Eastern Cape.

Queen’s, after making the trip from Komani to Qonce, scored a 4-2 victory over their arch-rivals Dale College, who were celebrating their 164th reunion.

Grey High, who were celebrating their 169th reunion, outplayed Wynberg Boys’ High to clinch a 3-1 win, while St Andrew’s College took down Pearson High School, also winning 3-1, in Gqeberha.

Dale welcomed Queen’s to the King AstroTurf and the sides delivered four goals in the opening half, which ended 2-2. After the break, the visitors lifted their game and struck twice more to secure victory.

On the scoresheet for Queen’s College were their skipper Aiden van Jaarsveld, Brett Hoffmann, and Liso Mtalaliso, who contributed a brace for the winners.

The hosts’ goals came from their captain Sibongile Nzima, who nailed two penalty corners from the top of the D.

“The game was tough, as can be expected when coming up against Dale on their reunion. But it was a great contest and made for a really good game of hockey,” Queen’s skipper, Aiden van Jaarsveld, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I feel we were dominant in all aspects, especially attack. We moved the ball well, allowing us to create opportunities and get outcomes.

“It feels good to gain some momentum and puts us in a good space for the upcoming fixture. Hopefully, we can keep it going throughout the season.”

While Queen’s celebrated their first win against Dale in a year, Grey High had the mammoth task of facing Wynberg Boys’ High at the Rectory AstroTurf.

Grey was coming off a disappointing Hibbert Shield tournament, where they finished ninth, while Wynberg defeated Pearson High 3-0 in a warm-up match the night before.

The visitors started brightly, and their captain Zach Gibbon opened the scoring early in the first chukka.

That goal was quickly matched at the other end of the turf where Grey received a short corner after a penetrating run inside the circle by Athi Voigt found a foot. James Chree stepped up and struck with a drag flick to even the contest.

The home side then took the lead on the stroke of halftime when Jordyn Billie converted after a goalmouth scramble, following a PC, to make it 2-1.

Grey extended their advantage in the third chukka through skipper Luke Tait, who scored after executing an outrageous Tomahawk backhand shot to make it 3-1.

The Wynberg boys were unable to work their way back into the game, and Grey held on for the win.

St Andrew’s College, back from a tour of The Netherlands, defeated Pearson High 3-1.

After conceding first, the boys from Makhanda bounced back in style, and a hat-trick of goals from Greg Rodwell took them to the win

Hudson Park clinched an impressive 2-1 win over Hoërskool Framesby, with Linako Vutha and Lunathi Solwandle scoring for the East London outfit.

Stirling High played to a 1-1 draw with Merrifield College, while Woodridge College stunned York High 3-2 in George.

RESULTS

Hudson Park 2-1 Hoërskool Framesby
Queen’s College 4-2 Dale College
St Andrew’s College 3-1 Pearson High
Stirling High 1-1 Merrifield College
Grey High School 3-1 Wynberg Boys’ High
Woodridge College 3-2 York High

The Wynberg Girls’ High first hockey side will be aiming to inject some momentum into their season when they travel to face Stellenberg High School in Cape Town on Saturday morning.

The much-anticipated league clash comes on the back of a lengthy break for Stellenberg, while Wynberg hosted the National All Girls’ Festival last weekend.

Playing at home, in front of their supporters, coach Lazario Brown‘s troops overcame a slow start to finish strongly.

They faced Eunice High School, Paarl Girls’ High, and Clarendon High School for Girls in Pool C and ended third there. At the end of the playoffs, though, they had ascended to ninth place following a 2-0 victory over La Rochelle Girls’ High School on the final day.

They might have hoped for more because they were playing at home, but there was reason for celebration, as the tournament marked a special occasion for their skipper, Jehan Abrahams. Affectionately known as “Gigi” by her teammates, she achieved the rare milestone of reaching 100 caps for her school, only weeks after her teammate, Khadijah Conrad, achieved a similar feat.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools Plus about her big achievement, Abrahams said: “I’m really excited and proud. It really is a big milestone, and I’m just super grateful for the opportunity and support from everyone who has been part of it.”

Abrahams, since making her debut in 2021, has gone on to represent Western Province at various SASHOC National Weeks and co-captained the SA u17 girls on their trip to the Dato Mirnawan Cup, in Malaysia, in 2024.

She recalled some of the emotions she experienced when she made her debut for Wynberg Girls’ High, saying: “It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m not too sure which school I debuted against, but I was so nervous and excited.

“Since then, every season has taught me something new. Playing in Wynberg colours has been special, and I have made lots of good memories. I’ve played in tough games. and played with great teammates along the way.”

Abrahams is also a highly skilled indoor hockey player and earlier this year won gold with the Western Province Women’s Indoor team at the senior Inter-Provincial Tournament.

The experience she is accumulating outside the Wynberg gates is also being poured back into her school side, she revealed.

“I have learnt a lot from those experiences, and I just want to help the team as much as I can and share what I’ve picked up over the years, so that they can do their best as well.”

Abrahams also paid homage to her family and to the coaching staff, who have supported her in reaching the 100-cap milestone.

“My family and coaches have played a huge role in my journey. They have always been there for me through all the ups and downs, which I’m truly grateful for.

“They always push me to my limits and believe in me. I’m thankful for everything they’ve done,” she concluded.

Abrahams will wear the number-six jumper when she leads her side against Stellenberg on Saturday, with the pushback taking place at 10:00.

CLICK HERE FOR A PREVIEW OF OTHER WESTERN CAPE GIRLS’ MATCHES THIS WEEKEND.

The town of Upington, in the Northern Cape, will be abuzz this weekend when Hoërskool Upington takes on their biggest rivals, Hoërskool Duineveld, in the annual ‘Klein Interjol’ clash on Saturday morning.

The highly anticipated match will see the boys’ and girls’ teams from the local schools take to the turf with their sights set on quietening their noisy neighbours.

It’s LIVE on SuperSport Schools! Pushback for the boys’ clash is at 11:30, while the girls’ match starts at 12:45.

It’s been a topsy-turvy start to the 2025 season for the Uppies‘ boys’ 1st XI, which is led by coaches SD Botes and Sergio Jones.

After a couple of pre-season outings, in April, the boys in white and orange participated in the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament, in Cape Town.

It was their first time at the tournament, and Uppies came up against some tough opposition, but they held their own and finished in 29th place out of a whopping 48 teams.

“We had a very slow start to the season,” Botes told SuperSport Schools Plus. “This year, for the first time in eight years, we have a fairly young side, with only three grade 12s.

“We are not happy with the results thus far,” he admitted, “but we see every loss as a learning opportunity, and it pushes us to better ourselves every game.”

Playing in the Belgotex Easter Hockey tournament was a milestone for Hoërskool Upington’s hockey programme, which has been making massive strides within the Northern Cape region.

Although some results during the tournament didn’t go their way, the coaches believe that facing top teams will leave the boys in good stead for the remainder of the season.

“It changed our minds a bit to see we can think bigger than the Northern Cape and Free State Province, where we normally compete,” Botes shared.

“At this stage, we try to give our younger players as much exposure as possible, and each game we can see improvement from the team, as a unit. To be able to be the best, you have to compete against the best.”

The Uppies team will be required to be at their best when they face Duineveld on Saturday morning.

The Interjol is a huge occasion, and Botes explained its significance: “Interjol is massive for the players, staff and coaches from both schools.

“We, however, try to stay focused on the fact that this is also the start of the league, so we have a bigger picture in mind. This match can be likened to the derby between Paul Roos and Paarl Gimnasium. It’s fairly big and gathers big crowds.”

In their last meeting with Duineveld, Uppies scored an emphatic 6-1 victory on home soil.

They’ll be playing away this time around, and the coaches believe if they bring their A-game and execute well, another win could be on the cards.

“If we stick to the plan and execute it well again this time around, we can, in return, get another positive result, no matter if it’s home or away.

“This is a special group of boys who like to bring their A-game when necessary,” Botes concluded.

The Uppies side will be led by John-Dre Rooi, and he’ll be assisted by De Villiers Fourie. Players who could be pivotal to their challenge include Hendrik Van Der Westhuizen and Roux Erasmus.

TEAMS

Hoërskool Upington: Heinrich Goussard, CJ Botha, Thysson van Rheene, Roux Erasmus, Corné Kriek, De Villiers Fourie (vc), John-Dre Rooi (c), Hendrik van der Westhuizen, Jaco Strauss, Ruan Strauss, Fredrick du Plessis, Evan Janse van Rensburg, Franco Coetzee, Ihshan Mvuyekure, Johan Truter, Nicolaas Brockman.

Hoërskool Duineveld: Juan Zaayman (GK), Markus van der Merwe, Christian Kotzé, Jean-Pierre Smith, Luan Olivier, Drihan Venter, Werner Broodryk, Wilmar Gresse, Wade April, Wickus Nel, Henco Dege, Nico Hodgson, Albert Oberholster, Tristen du Toit, André du Rand (vc), Ewald van Rensburg (c).

Wynberg Boys’ High School first-team hockey coach Ben Wiley has admitted his side will be in for a tough outing when they take on Grey High School, in Gqeberha, on Friday night.

The boys from Cape Town have made the trip to the Windy City to face the Azzurri on the occasion of their 169th Reunion.

The clash kicks off at 18:20 and will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Through the early part of the season, Wynberg has quietly flown under the radar.

They made their way to Johannesburg for the Nomads Hockey Festival, which was hosted by Jeppe High School for Boys, in March.

There, coach Wiley’s young guns recorded a mixed bag of results, but they would’ve been pleased with how they ended the festival after beating King Edward VII (KES), a team that has enjoyed a solid season, 4-2 on the final day, courtesy of strikes by Ethan Daniels (2), Mustafa Kajee and Ethan Smith.

Upon their return to Cape Town, they faced Fairmont High School in a league fixture and they came away with a 3-0 win, with Noah Laubscher grabbing a brace and Kajee scoring again.

That was their last outing, back in April. Wiley said preparing for the big clash with Grey High has not been without its challenges.

“It has been a bit frustrating to have this break right at the start of the season, but it has given us time to improve on some issues we identified on our tour upcountry,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“The boys have been working hard in this off time and are ready to show their improvements. It is always a special trip to Grey High. The schools have cultivated this nearly 30-year tradition, and we are always welcomed with hard performances and fierce competition.

“This year, their team looks good. Their performances thus far have shown a well-structured and disciplined unit. We are going to need to be at our best to win this one.”

While some results haven’t gone their way in the 2025 season, Wynberg has played an entertaining brand of hockey, but their finishing has let them down at times.

Executing well and using every chance they create will be key against a Grey High side looking to get back to winning ways following the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, where, after finishing ninth, they would have felt they underperformed.

“We need to start well,” Wiley said. “If we have a strong first chukka and assert ourselves in the game, then we will be able to dictate the game. If we start slowly, we will invite the pressure from a quality team.”

The three-week break might just play into Wynberg’s hands with Grey having undertaken a strenuous schedule, including the Hibbert Shield, featuring many of the country’s best sides, over the past weekend.

Wiley insists, though, that his team is focused on implementing its strategies and isn’t paying too much attention to what’s been going on in Grey’s camp.

“We made the mistake at Nomads of going a goal behind in a couple of games, and we made our own lives difficult when playing against strong opposition,” he said.

“The team has a lot of belief, and they know if they turn up and apply themselves, then they can compete with anyone in the country,” he ended optimistically.

Passionate hockey supporters and enthusiasts in the Western Cape will be treated to some entertaining schoolgirls’ hockey in the region this weekend.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

After a busy start to the season, where teams played in festivals and tournaments, the province’s best will now shift their attention to league and derby matches.

The first weekend back promises a tasty menu of treats, including several big matches between some of the country’s top-performing sides.

Paarl Gimnasium, after becoming the winner of the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge last weekend, heads to Stellenbosch for a Friday night showdown with HMS Bloemhof.

Gim started the season slowly under coach Danelle van Zyl, but they have come alive in recent weeks and they’re playing an attractive brand of winning hockey.

Before the Girls Challenge, they visited Bloemfontein, where they faced Eunice High School and Oranje Meisieskool.

It was a good boost for Gim, who beat Eunice 2-0 before scoring in the dying seconds to secure a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Oranje.

Coach Van Zyl’s side carried that momentum into the Girls Challenge and dominated their opponents on their way to the final. After cruising through the pool competition, they defeated Rustenburg Girls’ High 3-0 in the quarterfinals.

It was tighter in the semi-finals, where they edged out St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, 2-1.  They, then, claimed the title with a 3-2 penalty shootout win over Herschel Girls School after regulation time in the title game had ended with the sides level at 0-0.

That’s all in the past, though, and this Friday will see them come up against a hurting Bloemhof side.

Coach Jenny King‘s girls haven’t had the best of runs since finishing second at the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival last month.

They suffered a 1-2 loss against Parel Vallei and placed third at the All Girls’ Festival, after a 1-0 victory over last year’s champion, Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool, in their last outing.

They’ll be keen to reacquire the momentum they built up at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, and a win over Paarl Gim would be exactly what the doctor ordered.

While those sides do battle, another clash of top teams will see Rhenish Girls’ High School, led by coach Chris Gerber, hosting Herschel Girls School.

Rhenish has been outstanding this whole season, but they came up short of their goal of winning the title at St Mary’s Waverley and instead ended joint-third with Eunice.

It was a similar story at the All Girls’ Festival, where they fell at the final hurdle, going down 2-3 on penalties against Collegiate Girls’ High after regulation time in the final had ended at 2-2.

It’s the in-season derby games where Rhenish tends to come alive, though, but they’ll face a stiff challenge from a high-flying Herschel side.

Captained by Hannah Henderson, Herschel has taken many by surprise this season. They’re a team not to be underestimated. After taking home silver at the Girls Hockey Challenge, they’ll fancy their chances against Rhenish.

In other matches around the province, Rustenburg Girls plays Durbanville, and Paarl Girls’ High meets Somerset College.

Springfield Convent School will make the trip to Paarl to face La Rochelle, while Parel Vallei will aim to continue their fine form against St Cyprian’s School.

Wynberg Girls’ High goes up against Stellenberg High School, and Fairmont High will tackle DF Malan.

WESTERN CAPE GIRLS FIXTURES

Friday, 9 May

16:00 – Rhenish vs Herschel
16:40 – La Rochelle vs Springfield Convent School
17:20 – Hoërskool Punt vs Hoërskool Outeniqua
18:40 – Rustenburg Girls’ High vs Durbanville
18:55 – Paarl Girls’ High vs Somerset College
19:00 – Fairmont High vs DF Malan
19:15 – Bloemhof vs Paarl Gimnasium
19:30 – St Cyprian’s School vs Parel Vallei

Saturday, 10 May

10:00 – Stellenberg High School vs Wynberg Girls’ High

The highly demanding and frantic festival season in schoolgirls’ hockey has finally taken a back seat, and teams can indulge in derby games for the next two months.

Some of the Eastern Cape’s top girls’ sides will return to action this weekend, intent on staking a claim to being the province’s best.

There are several juicy matches on the cards, but the clash of the weekend is, undoubtedly, the meeting between Pearson High School and DSG Makhanda, which takes place in Gqeberha on Saturday morning at 11:45.

Both sides have played entertaining hockey this season, and their recent form makes for an interesting showdown at Pearson’s Top AstroTurf.

The hosts contested the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge, in Paarl over the past weekend. There, coach Anton Peltenburg‘s charges impressed and captured the bronze medal after defeating St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, 2-1 in the third-place playoff.

To get to that game, Pearson edged out their Gqeberha rivals Collegiate Girls’ High 3-2 in the quarterfinals, but then suffered a 0-2 loss to the eventual runner-up Herschel Girls School in the final four.

Despite missing out on a chance to play for gold, coach Peltenburg and his staff will be pleased with their team’s performances and will rally behind them to maintain their momentum against DSG.

Their skipper, Annemi De Villiers, will be crucial in midfield, while goalkeeper Rebecca Haswell will need to bring her A-game between the posts.

While the hosts are brimming with confidence, DSG Makhanda will enter the clash with a point to prove after recently returning from their tour of The Netherlands, which took place from 21 April to 5 May.

Coach Geowynne Gamiet’s troops showcased class and performed well against some tough and tricky opposition. In six matches, they recorded five wins, four of them convincingly, beating Eemvallei Hockey Club 3-2, MHC De Reigers 5-1, Nuenen Hockey Club 6-3, Helmond Hockey Club 6-1, and Hoekschewaard Hockey Club 5-2.

Before heading abroad, DSG, also, impressed at the St Stithians College Easter Hockey Festival where they won four of their five matches after playing to a goalless draw against Saints.

With both Pearson and DSG firing on all cylinders, Saturday morning’s clash should deliver thrilling entertainment. That was what was dished up the last time the sides met in Makhanda, with that match ending in a 3-3 draw.

In other matches taking place in Gqeberha, Hoërskool Framesby hosts Hudson Park while Collegiate Girls’ High welcomes Union High on their Reunion Weekend.

Woodridge College heads to George to face York High, and Nico Malan has a date with Port Alfred High School.

In East London, Stirling High faces double duty. On Friday, they go up against Merrifield College before taking on Hangklip High School on Saturday.

EASTERN CAPE GIRLS’ FIXTURES

Friday, 9 May

17:00 – Collegiate Girls’ High vs Union High
17:00 – Stirling High School vs Merrifield College

Saturday, 10 May

09:50 – Framesby vs Hudson Park
10:40 – York High vs Woodridge College
11:10 – Nico Malan vs Port Alfred
11:45 – Pearson High vs DSG Makhanda
12:15 – Stirling High vs Hangklip

“How many goals do they think SACS will score against Bishops?” was one of the questions posed to me by a supporter during the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, in Gqeberha, over the past weekend.

That question came on the back of a disappointing campaign for Bishops [Diocesan College] after they ended the tournament in 13th place while their opponents this Friday, SACS lifted the Hibbert Shield after beating Paarl Gimnasium 6-3 in the final.

It was an interesting question because, currently, SACS is on a different level, and Bishops is going through growing pains with a young and inexperienced squad.

In Gqeberha, the boys in blue and white, led by coach Sam Holmes, ran rampant, scoring a whopping 31 goals in six matches.

Bishops, meanwhile, struggled to get going and their inconsistent performances resulted in them missing out on a quarterfinal spot after they finished last in a very tightly contested Pool D, behind Parel Vallei High School, Durban High School (DHS), and Hoërskool Garsfontein, who went on to make the semi-finals.

The boys, coached by Ryan Julius, who was not present at the Hibbert Shield due to work commitments, will now have a crack at giving their season a huge boost when they face SACS in a Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash at the Woodlands AstroTurf, in Cape Town.

“After a bit of a setback at Hibbert Shield, we are relying on the strength of our culture and unity to pull us back,” Julius told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“It’s going to be another demanding week, similar to the Paul Roos game, where I thought we were unlucky not to get a draw. It came down to small margins and, as a coaching staff, we have to try and figure out what those small margins are.”

Before heading to the Hibbert Shield, Bishops suffered a hard-fought 2-3 loss against Paul Roos Gimnasium on home soil, with Harry Morgan and James Robb-Quinlan scoring for the hosts.

Free-scoring SACS presents a different challenge, and they head into the contest off a 9-1 victory on Stellenberg High School in a mid-week game.

Julius knows exactly what will be required from his charges. He explained: “The idea for this week is to play without fear. The boys need to be tactically sharp because SACS is a well-oiled team but, as a coach, I’m optimistic, and confident in my boys.

“We are going to play SACS to compete and to win. We need to make sure we are well-prepared and looking forward to the game.

“I think we are in a lovely position in terms of the underdogs’ mentality, and we are looking forward to taking the game to SACS and being tactically sharp.”

The meeting between the sides will also be a history-making moment with SuperSport Schools set to broadcast from the Woodlands AstroTurf for the first time. This means spectators will be able to watch the game live on DStv Channel 216, on the SuperSport Schools App, and the SABC Plus App. Pushback is at 19:00.

In other matches in the Western Cape, Paarl Gimnasium travels to Stellenbosch to take on Paul Roos in another eye-catching clash. Rondebosch Boys’ High faces Stellenberg High, while Grey College visits Paarl to play Boys’ High.

DF Malan goes up against Fairmont High School, while Hoërskool Punt hosts Hoërskool Outeniqua, in Mossel Bay. Hoërskool Durbanville faces Reddam House Durbanville in a league clash.

WESTERN CAPE FIXTURES

Friday, 9 May

18:00 – Hoërskool Durbanville vs Reddam House Durbanville
18:40 – Hoërskool Punt vs Hoërskool Outeniqua
19:00 – Bishops vs SACS
19:10 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Gimnasium
19:10 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Stellenberg High School
20:10 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Grey College
20:15 – DF Malan vs Fairmont High School

When Dale College scored a controversial 3-2 victory over Queen’s College at the Chris Harker AstroTurf in Komani last year, many in the Border region said it was a fluke.

That’s because Dale’s captain, Sibongisile Nzima, in the opinion of some, struck the winning goal from outside the opponent’s circle.

After minutes of deliberating, the umpires awarded the goal, much to the dissatisfaction of the Queen’s supporters surrounding the turf.

A couple of months later, Queen’s visited Qonce, hunting revenge on Dale’s annual Pink Day in support of breast cancer. It was the final match of the season for both teams.

Again, the Komani side came out on the wrong end of the result, suffering their second straight loss against the boys in red and black, a narrow 0-1 defeat.

“Beating Queen’s twice last year was an excellent feeling because people doubted us,” Dale skipper Sibongisile Nzima told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We had to prove them wrong. Last year we said, ‘Beating Queen’s the first time was so nice we had to do it twice’.

“It’s my last time playing Queen’s at home, as well as my last Reunion at Dale, so winning on Friday would certainly be memorable.”

When Nzima led Dale to those two victories against their biggest rivals in 2024, he co-captained the team with Amangile Songelwa.

Songelwa matriculated at the end of the year, and Nzima took over sole possession of the captain’s armband. It’s been a tricky season for Dale. They produced a mixed bag of results at both the Tony Godding Festival and the Founders Festival.

“We began the season with some good and bad results but, along the way, we developed some good chemistry among one other,” he reflected.

“With that being said, heading into this game against Queen’s, I am confident that the boys will show up.

“The Reunion is the biggest fixture on our calendar, with Old Dalians from around the world not only coming back to celebrate but to witness the great legacy they left behind.”

Dale was last in match action in late April when they took on Grey High School in Gqeberha and suffered a 1-5 loss.

Bouncing back in front of their passionate supporters will be the goal, and Nzima has identified areas he and his teammates need to work on in preparation for Friday’s match.

“I think we need to polish up our short corners and, if we execute every set piece we have practiced, then it will be a long day at the park for our rivals.

“‘Believe’ has been our motto for the year and going into this game with the right mindset and never giving up until the last whistle will surely give the College a game to remember.”

The reunion clash between Dale and Queen’s College takes place at the King AstroTurf and pushback is at 16:00.

Other Matches

The clash in Qonce will be followed by some mouthwatering fixtures elsewhere in the Eastern Cape.

In Gqeberha, Grey High School, on their Reunion Weekend, hosts Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys’ High, while Pearson welcomes St Andrew’s College.

Hoërskool Framesby is at home against Hudson Park High School, while Woodridge College travels to George to face York High School.

In East London, Selborne College has a break this weekend after their exertions at the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, but Cambridge High hosts Merrifield College in a mid-week clash. Stirling High will be in action on both Friday and Saturday, taking on Merrifield before tackling Hangklip High School.

FIXTURES

Friday, 9 May

15:50 – Hoërskool Framesby vs Hudson Park High School
16:00 – Dale College vs Queen’s College
18:00 – Pearson High vs St Andrew’s College
18:15 – Stirling High vs Merrifield College
18:20 – Grey High School vs Wynberg Boys’ High
19:00 – York High vs Woodridge College

Saturday, 10 May

11:00 -Stirling High vs Hangklip High School

The home of Stellenbosch University and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) hockey, the Maties AstroTurf will come to a standstill when PRG welcomes rivals, Paarl Gimnasium, to the venue for a Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash at 19:10.

Expect a pulsating clash between the Boland juggernauts as they go head-to-head for the provincial bragging rights for at least another year.

It’s been an interesting season so far for PRG and Paarl Gim, who both shone at the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, in Gqeberha, over the past weekend.

In the Windy City, the rivals showcased their pedigree, played high-quality hockey, and proved why they should be considered among the best teams in the country.

PRG claimed the bronze medal after beating Hoërskool Garsfontein 2-1 in the third/fourth play-off match. They lost out to the eventual champion, SACS, in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals.

Gim, meanwhile, made it to the title game but was outmuscled by South African College High School (SACS), going down 3-6.

Although they both came up narrowly short of the title, coaches Michael Baker, of PRG, and Jacques Grobler, of Paarl Gim, were surely proud of their teams’ efforts. Now, they’re aiming to build upon the momentum they generated at the tournament.

The last time they met, in May 2024, Paul Roos scored a nervy and scrappy 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Christo Swanepoel goal.

In that clash, both sides were far from convincing and played boring one-dimensional hockey, which deprived the spectators of the show that had been hyped in the week leading up to the showdown.

Based on the hockey they’ve played this season, it’s almost certain that won’t be the case this time around. Both units are firing on all cylinders and playing some eye-pleasing hockey. They’re ready to shine under the lights.

There is no outright favourite but reaching a Hibbert Shield final could put Gim ahead of their rivals in some people’s books. Countering that viewpoint is the fact that PRG’s penalty shootout loss to SACS was their first defeat of the season.

Paarl Gim has a formidable team that started the season slowly but has come alive in recent weeks. Led by Juan Swanepoel in the number 10 jumper, they’re playing an unconventional brand of hockey. Mostly, they’re defending deep and playing with pace and creativity on the counterattack, and they’ve scored plenty of goals.

Some of their early-season success can also be credited to their ability to convert penalty corners, with Stefan Wiehahn and John Coetzee the men entrusted with drag-flicking duty at the top of the D.

Defensively, Gim has been sound, and at the Hibbert Shield, Johannes Nieuwoudt, Philip du Preez, Gideon Cronje, and Coetzee combined effectively at the back.

That strong defensive system will need to be on its game against a fiery PRG side that’s hurting after falling short of defending the title they won in 2024.

Captained by Christo Swanepoel, who reached 100 games for his school in Gqeberha, PRG was aiming for three Hibbert Shield titles in succession, but they went down in a repeat of 2024’s final.

They weren’t at their best against Garsfontein but they got the job done. Now, they’re keen to give their supporters something to cheer about at their home Astro.

The last time PRG played in Stellenbosch, they were held to a thrilling 4-4 draw by Grey High School in one of the most entertaining matches so far this season.

They’ll need to be switched on from the first whistle to the last to get one over their rivals and it will all start at the back with Logan Lackay, Jeandre van Zyl, Danesh Titus, and Tylor Carter providing the platform for the Stellenbosch boys.

Swanepoel will be entrusted to lead his side from the midfield, alongside vice-captain, Seth Paterson, Ruben Gouws, and Nicholas Knoll.

PRG has scored goals for fun of late, and their attack has been given life by Callum van Oudtshoorn, Caleb Cilliers, and Matthew Cardoza.

Since arriving at the Stellenbosch school in 2024, Baker has faced Paarl Gim twice and came out on tops on both occasions, but he’ll be wary of the threats posed by this year’s team.

Paul Roos Gimnasium’s u14 and u16 hockey sides return to turf action this week against Paarl Gimnasium rejuvenated and confident after claiming the Hibbert Plate and Cup titles in Gqeberha over the past weekend.

The action between Paul Roos Gimnasium and Paarl Gimnasium will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

While the senior teams battled it out for the Hibbert Shield at Grey High School, the junior sides competed for the Plate and Cup at Pearson High School.

PRG’s u14 side, led by coach Scott Paterson, defeated South African College High School (SACS) 5-4 on penalties after the final ended deadlocked at 1-1.

The u16s, meanwhile, dominated against Grey High School and avenged themselves after last year’s defeat against the same opponents, scoring a comprehensive 4-0 victory.

The u14s had a smooth run to the final, and won all their pool games, beating Selborne College 3-0, St Alban’s College 7-0, and Grey High 5-0.

In the last eight, they slammed Maritzburg College 8-2 and hammered Paarl Gimnasium 7-0 in the semis to progress to the title game.

“I think we started the tournament slowly, but the boys kept building every day and they hit their climax towards the final, which was great,” coach Scott Paterson told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“To finish the way they did was spectacular, especially for an u14 side.”

The PRG young guns have recorded some eye-catching results this year and are a force to be reckoned with. Coach Paterson shared the recipe for their early season success: “I don’t think we’ve reinvented the wheel in any way, we are just consistently teaching them the fundamentals.

“With u14 boys, we just want to build a good base as early as possible. Fortunately, I have a group of boys that’s receptive to teaching so they just learn quickly.

“We take on Paarl Gim now and the confidence we got from winning the Hibbert trophy will be huge for us, and we just want to build on that.”

While Paterson’s side edged out SACS for the title, the u16 team, led by Shaun McIntyre, breezed past Grey High School in their final.

In last year’s title decider, Grey outscored PRG 3-1 and the boys from Stellenbosch set their sights on reversing that result.

They were also dominant during the group stages and finished unbeaten after wins over Garsfontein, St Stithians College, and Paarl Gimnasium.

In the quarterfinals, they beat Westville Boys’ High 3-0 before edging out Durban High School (DHS) 1-0 in the semi-finals.

“I am very proud of my boys, especially the performances they put on against DHS in the semifinals and Grey in the final,” said head coach, Shaun McIntyre.

“All I asked was that they don’t leave the pitch with any regrets, and they have left everything on the pitch. As an old boy, it meant so much to see the effort they put in.”

McIntyre’s troops will now shift their attention to Paarl Gim, a team they’ve already faced and beaten this season.

“As a coach, you want your team to improve every week and put in good performances. We approach each week differently, push the boys, and prepare them for each game.

“The mentality is that we want to win and to be ranked one of the top u16 sides in the country. This weekend against Paarl Gim will be tough, even though we have played them twice already, we need to put in the work and prepare ourselves for a tough game.

“They have some good players and a good coach. So, we just need to make sure we are ready, and we are looking forward to an exciting derby on Friday,” he ended.