Author: asawula

Bishops will take on South African College High School (SACS), while Kearsney College battles St David’s Marist Inanda in the two semifinals of the KES Water Polo Tournament in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The four sides booked their respective spots in the last four after picking up some handy results on day two at the KES Aquatic Centre.

After an entertaining opening day, Bishops maintained their unbeaten run and finished the pool stages with a nervy 9-8 win over St David’s. That win meant they would face Hilton College in the last eight.

With a semi-final place on the line, the defending champions were clinical. They suffocated Hilton and outplayed the KwaZulu-Natal outfit in almost every facet of the game.

Matt Fenn was on fire, netting four times, while Noah Viuff contributed a brace. James Malan, Ryan Dales, Tim Young, and Dominic Zulch all chipped in with goals to help their side to a comfortable 9-3 victory.

With the win, Bishops booked a semi-final showdown against their Cape Town rivals, SACS. SACS was made to work hard, but was almost as emphatic in an 8-3 win over St Stithians.

SACS, much like Bishops, enjoyed a superb run during the group stage of competition and topped their pool. With three wins, they earned the maximum of nine points.

In the quarters, they came up against an unpredictable Saints outfit, but they dug deep and secured the victory.

Adam Maggott and Aidan Turrell led the way, and both scored twice, while Nick Wilson, Connor Mortlock, skipper Ben Bigara, and Luca Orgill also got their names on the scoresheet.

The second semifinal between St David’s and Kearsney promises to thrill.

St David’s was outstanding in their quarterfinal clash against Rondebosch and gave the spectators a proper show. They were ruthless in front of goal, rock-solid defensively, and kept some of ‘Bosch‘s dangerous players at bay.

Matthew Peacock led the charge with four goals, while Danilo Giuricich, Luke Laporte, Adam Houghton, Cooper Haworth, and David Latilla-Campbell also added to the score.

Goalkeeper Dyan Wiggill brought the crowd to its feet with an outrageous goal on the buzzer at the end of the second chukka when he spotted the ‘Bosch goalie off his line.

Kearsney College was the last side to book a place in the final four after they beat their neighbours, Westville Boys’ High, 12-8.

Coach Nic Rodda‘s men were pushed hard, but they pulled clear in the second half to take the win. Dru Mills was in a league of his own, netting five times, while Thomas Aylward contributed a brace, and Thomas Francke, Oliver Ludwig, Levi Thom, and Reece York scored, too.

The final day’s action kicks off bright and early with a meeting between Clifton College and St Andrew’s College in the Plate semifinal at 07:00.

The Cup semi-finals will start at 08:00 when Bishops takes on SACS.

Day 2 Fixtures

Saturday, 28 February
Clifton College 10-0 Jeppe High School For Boys
Rondebosch Boys’ High 6-5 St John’s College
King Edward VII 6-5 Selborne College
St Andrew’s College 2-8 Paul Roos Gimnasium
St David’s Marist Inanda 8-9 Bishops
Pretoria Boys High 5-9 Hilton College
SACS 11-7 Westville Boys’ High
Kearsney College (2) 9-9 (3) St Stithians College

Playoffs
Clifton College 7-3 Pretoria Boys High
St John’s 6-5 Jeppe
St Andrew’s College (3) 4-4 (1) KES
Paul Roos 4-1 Selborne College
KES 7-2 Pretoria Boys High
Jeppe (2) 2-2 (1) Selborne
Hilton 4-3 St Stithians
Rondebosch 12-4 Westville

Quarterfinals
Bishops 9-3 Hilton
St David’s Marist Inanda 11-5 Rondebosch
SACS 8-3 St Stithians
Kearsney College 12-8 Westville Boys’ High 

Day 3 Fixtures

Sunday, 1 March
07:00 – Clifton vs St Andrew’s College
07:30 – St John’s vs Paul Roos
08:00 – Bishops vs SACS
08:30 – St David’s vs Kearsney College
09:40 – Pretoria Boys High vs Selborne
10:10 – KES vs Jeppe
11:40 – St Stithians vs Westville
12:10 – Hilton vs Rondebosch

Entertaining water polo, resulting in bucket loads of goals, and a handful of surprise results were on the menu on Friday, the opening day of the KES Water Polo Tournament in Johannesburg.

The prestigious tournament runs until Sunday, and all the action is LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Ahead of the event, there was a lot of talk about title contenders, favourites, and underdogs. St David’s Marist Inanda, the back-to-back Vides’ champions, fitted the contenders’ category, and they kicked off proceedings with a Pool A clash against Jeppe High School for Boys.

It was far from a walk in the park for coach Dean Whyte’s boys, and they were made to work hard for their 9-5 win.

Cooper Haworth netted a hat-trick for St David’s before David Latilla-Campbell chipped in with a brace. Dylan Gander was also on the scoresheet alongside Danilo Giuricich, Connor McJannet, and Matthew Peacock.

Aiden Khoury was a shining light for Jeppe, with his hat-trick helping the Kensington side cut the deficit.

In their second matches of the day, St David’s beat Clifton College 9-5, while Jeppe suffered a 4-15 loss to Bishops.

Bishops, one of the favourites, was impressive. They trounced Clifton, the only team to beat them thus far in 2026, rolling to a 10-4 victory.

Matt Fenn netted four times in that clash, while Tim Young struck twice. Harry Ford, Jack Grout, Christo le Roux, and James Malan netted, too.

Rondebosch Boys’ High dominated Pool B, claiming two big wins. Coach Jared Wingate-Pearse‘s boys started their campaign by thumping Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) 17-1 before outplaying Hilton College 11-6 later in the day.

Against Hilton, playing on his birthday, Noah Reiback bagged his umpteenth hat-trick for the ‘Bosch first team, while his counterparts, Nathan Corlett and Kieran Bennewith, chipped in with two goals each.

St John’s College ended the opening day with a win and a loss. They went down 5-6 to Hilton College in their opener, but ran out 10-6 winners over Pretoria Boys High in their second outing.

Chris Chapman and Muhammad Bodiat fired in three goals each in the St John’s win, while Oliver Oberholzer stood out for PBHS.

There were some interesting results in Pool C. Based on day one’s results, it appears the group is going to be more tightly contested than many predicted.SACS was stretched and had to dig deep, but they won both of their games, scraping past Selborne 9-8 before beating KES 11-8.

Ben Bigara was in top form against KES, scoring a whopping five goals, while Finn Lecuona netted twice.

Benjamin Vine and Christopher Davidson led the KES challenge, but their efforts weren’t enough to topple SACS.

Selborne ended the day in second place after beating Westville Boys’ High in a penalty shootout.

The game ended tied at 4-4, but the boys from East London took the win 3-1 from five metres out. Earlier in the day, Westville held on for a 6-5 win over KES.

Kearsney, St Stithians College and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) lead Pool D after bagging crucial wins.

Saints won against St Andrew’s College, 7-6, in their opener before they were beaten by PRG 3-2 on penalties after the match ended tied at 5-5.

Kearsney was far from their best, but they did enough to stay unbeaten, defeating PRG 10-9 and St Andrew’s 11-5 to go top of the standings.

Thomas Aylward was on fire against St Andrew’s, scoring four goals. He was joined on the scoresheet by Thomas Francke, James Whatmore, Oliver Ludwig, Max Mills, Cristiano Sandri, and Dru Mills, who netted a brace.

Day two’s action kicks off bright and early with a Pool A meeting between Clifton and Jeppe at 07:00.

Day 1 Results

Pool A

St David’s Marist Inanda 9-5 Jeppe High School for Boys
Bishops 10-4 Clifton College
Jeppe High School for Boys 4-15 Bishops
St David’s Marist Inanda 9-5 Clifton College

Pool B

Rondebosch 17-1 Pretoria Boys High School
St John’s College 5-6 Hilton College
St John’s College 10-6 Pretoria Boys High School
Rondebosch 11-6 Hilton

Pool C

King Edward VII School 5-6 Westville Boys’ High
SACS 9-8 Selborne College
SACS 11-8 KES
Westville Boys’ High (1) 4-4 (3) Selborne College

Pool D

St Stithians College 7-6 St Andrew’s College
Kearsney College 10-9 Paul Roos Gimnasium
Kearsney College 11-5 St Andrew’s College
St Stithians College (2) 5-5 (3) Paul Roos Gimnasium

Day 2 Fixtures

Saturday, 28 February

07:00 – Clifton College vs Jeppe High School For Boys
07:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs St John’s College
08:40 – King Edward VII vs Selborne College
09:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
10:20 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Bishops
11:10 – Pretoria Boys High  vs Hilton College
12:00 – SACS vs Westville Boys’ High
12:50 – Kearsney College vs St Stithians College

Playoffs

13:40 – Pool 1 Third vs Pool 2 Fourth
14:10 – Pool 2 Third vs Pool 1 Fourth
14:40 – Pool 3 Third vs Pool 4 Fourth
15:10 – Pool 4 Third vs Pool 3 Fourth
15:40 – Pool 1 First vs Pool 2 Second
16:30 – Pool 2 First vs Pool 1 Second
17:20 – Pool 3 First vs Pool 4 Second
18:10 – Pool 4 First vs Pool 3 Second
19:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27
19:30 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28
20:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31
20:30 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32

Sunday, 1 March

07:00 – Winner Plate QF 1 vs Winner Plate QF 3
07:30 – Winner Plate QF 2 vs Winner Plate QF 4
08:00 – Cup QF 1 winner – Cup QF 3 winner
08:50 – Cup QF 2 winner – Cup QF 4 winner
09:40 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34
10:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34
10:40 – Loser Plate Semi 1 – Loser Plate Semi 2
11:10 – Winner Plate Semi 1 – Winner Plate Semi 2
11:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36
12:10 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36
12:40 – Loser Cup Semi 1 vs Loser Cup Semi 2
13:30 – Final

Sixteen of the best water polo-playing boys’ schools in South Africa will go head-to-head this weekend for the KES Water Polo Tournament title in Johannesburg.

The prestigious annual tournament, hosted by King Edward VII (KES) in Houghton, runs from 27 February to 1 March, and all the action will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

In 2025, new champions were crowned after Bishops edged out Hilton College in a penalty shootout to win the trophy for the first time in the school’s history.

The boys from Cape Town will return to the tournament oozing with confidence after recently claiming their third SACS Nite Series title in a row.

Led by Jabulani Sibiya, they also won the SAC Shield in Makhanda earlier this year, and they are undeniably one of the title favourites.

Bishops are in Pool A and will face Clifton College and the Gauteng duo of St David’s Marist Inanda and Jeppe High School for Boys.

Clifton is the only side that’s managed to topple Bishops in a tournament this year. The Durban school produced an outstanding performance to claim an 11-7 win during the SAC Shield, so they’ll back themselves at KES.

St David’s won’t be pushovers either. Coach Dean Whyte‘s side has played some entertaining water polo of late, and they retained the Vides Water Polo Tournament title in East London a fortnight ago.

They did, however, go down to St John’s College 8-9 in the final of the KES Night League.

Pool B is arguably the group of death and should deliver cracking matchups from the outset. It features Rondebosch Boys’ High, St John’s College, Hilton College, and Pretoria Boys High.

‘Bosch and St John’s will be the two favoured to progress, but a resilient Hilton side will try to pull off a surprise.

The hosts, KES, will battle South African College High School (SACS), Selborne College, and Westville Boys’ High in Pool C.

After falling in the semi-finals of the SAC Shield in January, SACS has been steadily improving. They enjoyed a good run in their Nite Series, and they will be eager to ride that momentum to bigger and better things at KES.

Pool D also features a juicy line-up, with St Stithians College, Kearsney College, St Andrew’s College, and Paul Roos going toe-to-toe.

There will be very little room for error in the group, with all the teams posing threats. Kearsney hasn’t played the tournaments that some of the other sides have played, but they have been working very hard to prepare for the event. They will back themselves to go far after finishing in fifth place last year.

Coach Nic Rodda‘s men have been in winning form this year, and they recently claimed the Kearsney Night League title after beating Hilton 11-6 in the final.

Paul Roos, meanwhile, will be aiming to emulate their performances at the Vides Water Polo Tournament.

There, coach Vaughn Marlow’s troops reached the final and just missed out on the trophy after going down to St David’s by a single goal in the title game.

St Andrew’s and St Stithians will bring their respective A-games, which makes Pool D a highly competitive group.

The action kicks off bright and early on Friday with a Gauteng derby between St David’s Marist Inanda and Jeppe High School for Boys at 07:00.

POOLS

Pool A: Bishops, St David’s Marist Inanda, Clifton College, Jeppe High School for Boys
Pool B: Rondebosch, St John’s College, Hilton College, Pretoria Boys High
Pool C: SACS, KES, Selborne, Westville Boys High
Pool D: St Stithian College, Kearsney College, St Andrew’s College, Paul Roos

FIXTURES

Friday, 27 February

07:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Jeppe High School for Boys
07:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs Pretoria Boys High School
08:40 – King Edward VII School vs Westville Boys’ High School
09:30 – St Stithians College vs St Andrew’s College
10:20 – Bishops Diocesan College vs Clifton College
11:10 – St John’s College vs Hilton College
12:00 – South African College High School vs Selborne College
12:50 – Kearsney College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium
13:40 – Jeppe High School For Boys vs Bishops Diocesan College
14:30 – St John’s College vs Pretoria Boys High School
15:20 – South African College High School vs King Edward VII School
16:10 – Kearsney College vs St Andrew’s College
17:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Clifton College
17:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs Hilton College
18:40 – Westville Boys’ High School vs Selborne College
19:30 – St Stithians College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium

Saturday, 28 February

07:00 – Clifton College vs Jeppe High School For Boys
07:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs St John’s College
08:40 – King Edward VII School vs Selborne College
09:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium
10:20 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Bishops Diocesan College
11:10 – Pretoria Boys High School vs Hilton College
12:00 – South African College High School vs Westville Boys’ High School
12:50 – Kearsney College vs St Stithians College

Playoffs

13:40 – Pool 1 Third vs Pool 2 Fourth
14:10 – Pool 2 Third vs Pool 1 Fourth
14:40 – Pool 3 Third vs Pool 4 Fourth
15:10 – Pool 4 Third vs Pool 3 Fourth
15:40 – Pool 1 First vs Pool 2 Second
16:30 – Pool 2 First vs Pool 1 Second
17:20 – Pool 3 First vs Pool 4 Second
18:10 – Pool 4 First vs Pool 3 Second
19:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27
19:30 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28
20:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31
20:30 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32

Sunday, 1 March

07:00 – Winner Plate QF 1 vs Winner Plate QF 3
07:30 – Winner Plate QF 2 vs Winner Plate QF 4
08:00 – Cup QF 1 winner – Cup QF 3 winner
08:50 – Cup QF 2 winner – Cup QF 4 winner
09:40 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34
10:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34
10:40 – Loser Plate Semi 1 – Loser Plate Semi 2
11:10 – Winner Plate Semi 1 – Winner Plate Semi 2
11:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36
12:10 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36
12:40 – Loser Cup Semi 1 vs Loser Cup Semi 2
13:30 – Final

Building on last year’s very successful season will be the primary goal for the Collegiate Girls’ High 1st hockey side when they kick off their 2026 campaign in March.

The side from Gqeberha, led by coach Michael Abrahams, enjoyed a superb season last year and proved they were one of the best teams in the country.

They dominated in the Eastern Cape, suffering only one defeat against a strong DSG Makhanda side, which also ranked among the nation’s best.

Collegiate also added silverware to their cabinet by winning the All Girls’ Festival, which they achieved with a victory over Rhenish Girls’ High, another of 2025’s top teams, in Cape Town.

It was a campaign rich in success, but achieving similar success in 2026 is the challenge that awaits this year’s team.

“It’s important that we have continuity going into the 2026 season and [we need to] find our rhythm again,” coach Abrahams told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Last year was a good year for us. There were many highlights, but winning the All Girls tournament was definitely a special moment for everyone.”

The side bade farewell to six key players at the end of last season, including captain Gemma Bower.

Coach Abrahams, however, still has the bulk of his team intact, and he will look to players like Ayanda Klaas, Jana Prinsloo, Kate Brennan, and the dangerous Kerrin Gillies to steer the side to more victories.

Jenna Coetzee will cause problems for Collegiate’s opposition with her hard running and high work rate, while Eden Oliver offers versatility to the lineup.

All the players mentioned above were involved in their final match of the season last year when they thumped Clarendon Girls’ High 5-0 in East London.

Collegiate’s 2026 campaign opens at the Greg Beling Festival in East London, which runs from 13 to 15 March.

“We are looking to start the season well and be consistent throughout. Our performances will dictate how we do this season.

“There’s so much talent around the country, which is exciting, and we would like to try and compete with every school we come up against.

“We intend on playing fast-paced, high-tempo hockey with great ball movement,” Abrahams concluded

It’s fair to say that Paarl Boys’ High ended the 2025 season as one of the most improved teams in the Western Cape.

In previous seasons, Boishaai was there or thereabouts, but they rarely troubled the top sides.

They were viewed as also-rans by some, but that has quickly changed. The school’s programme has been strengthened, and the Boys’ High hockey teams have made significant strides.

The 1st team enjoyed an excellent campaign in 2025. “Last year was an extremely special year,” head coach Rowan McLachlan told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I am really grateful to every player who bought into what we were trying to achieve. Going to the Coastal Cup set the tone for the season, and we returned home unbeaten in three matches.

“That gave the boys the belief they needed, especially since we were such a young side with five u16s in the team. And then winning inter-schools in the manner that we did was just the cherry on the cake.”

That dramatic inter-schools’ win over their arch-rivals, Paarl Gimnasium, was indeed the perfect way to cap off a rewarding season for Boishaai.

Before that clash, they had finished third at the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, and they showed promising signs against Western Cape heavyweights SACS and Bishops.

Continuing the upward trajectory will be the goal for 2026.

“We will most definitely be looking to build on what we achieved last season, not only from a programme perspective but also from a culture perspective,” McLachlan explained.

“The boys really set high standards for themselves in training, and that shows in how they carry themselves on the field.

“From a coaching perspective, we will continue to push innovative ideas, so that the boys can always try and better themselves.”

Coach McLachlan takes charge of an exciting team. “We, once again, have a good balance between senior players and newcomers,” he said.

“The newcomers know what is expected of them and have risen to the challenge thus far, creating a very dynamic and competitive training environment.”

Boishaai will open their 2026 campaign at the Parel Vallei Festival, which takes place on 13 and 14 March.

Coach McLachlan says they’re aiming to play entertaining hockey. “This year, we’re still in the process of solidifying our identity on the pitch. What I can say is that the direction we are moving in should provide a very exciting brand of hockey.

“I think spectators can expect to see a very well put-together side that plays with tactical clarity and players that just enjoy each other and the game.”

The St John’s College 1st water polo side etched its name into the history books on Thursday by claiming the inaugural KES Night League title in Johannesburg.

The boys from Houghton defeated St David’s Marist Inanda, 9-8 in a tense final to win their first piece of silverware in 2026.

The journey to the title-deciding clash was by no means an easy one for coach Jon-Marc De Carvalho and his troops, who faced several challenging obstacles on their way to winning the title.

They won four of their five round-robin matches, losing just once, when they went down 5-7 against St David’s.

The final, however, was a different kettle of fish. It was back-and-forth from the first whistle, and by the start of the final chukka, there was almost nothing to separate the sides.

Strong defence and converting goal-scoring opportunities in crucial moments lifted St John’s to a gritty win.

“It was a super tough final. Neither team gave anything away,” coach De Carvalho told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“In the end, St David’s controlled the third chukka, which usually means you go on to win the game, but our guys locked up the defence in the fourth and then gave it everything they had on attack and kept chipping away. That determination pushed us through.”

During their campaign, St John’s had to play several matches without key players, who were sidelined either by injuries or illness.

Despite those setbacks, De Carvalho relied on his seniors to guide the team’s newcomers. Missing some players also forced him to test his squad’s depth, he said.

“We have been marred by some injuries and sickness during the league,” he explained. “That, and wanting to rotate younger players to get experience at this level, left us with a different team makeup every game. That allowed us to try new combinations and see what the future holds for us.”

The St John’s standouts included experienced top performers Simon Mussett, Luke Shipway, and Chris Chapman. De Carvalho, however, was more impressed with how his side’s youngsters stepped up and made their presence felt.

“Our matrics always lead from the front and have taken true responsibility for the team, but our u17 players have really stepped up and backed them and shone brightly when their older counterparts were injured or sick,” he said.

“Fedor Sadovnik has been solid on the right for us and given us backup at centre back when we needed it most.

“Rupert Schonborn has been a rock at the back and had to move into a starting role tonight and a few other games, and he has made it tough for all other centre forwards. He’s also scored key goals.

“Ethan Bennett has trained really hard and has shown his versatility all over the pool.

“Muhammad Bodiat has stepped up with some fantastic goals and key assists in every game.

“It has been great to see them all grow and really take on some of the responsibility in the team.”

St John’s will next shift their attention to the KES Water Polo Tournament, which runs from 27 February to 1 March.

Their approach will be simple, said coach De Carvalho: “We have to take the KES tournament one game at a time. We are in a tough group, and then, moving into crossovers, we will be meeting some really strong teams.

“This win will give us confidence, but that counts for nothing if we don’t hit the ground running on day one of KES.”

Results

Jeppe High School for Boys 11-10 St Benedict’s College
St Stithians College 11-9 KES
St John’s College 9-8 St David’s Marist Inanda

KES Night League standings

St John’s College
St David’s Marist Inanda
St Stithians College
King Edward VII
Jeppe High School for Boys
St Benedict’s College

The inaugural King Edward VII (KES) Night League will conclude on Thursday when St John’s College battles St David’s Marist Inanda in the final at the KES Aquatic Centre.

The clash takes place at 19:20 and will be streamed LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

The tournament, which kicked off on 15 January, has produced some jaw-dropping action and bucketloads of goals. It has also revealed where the power in the province lies in 2026.

Both finalists have impressed, and they go into the final having suffered only one defeat each.

St David’s lost their opening match, going down 3-5 against St Stithians College, but coach Dean Whyte’s boys bounced back with a vengeance after that setback.

They thumped St Benedict’s College 22-6 before beating Jeppe High School for Boys 14-7, St John’s 7-5, and KES 11-8.

Barring their loss to St David’s, St John’s was on fire in their other games, outplaying Jeppe 12-3, Saints 17-9, and KES 14-9.

There will be very little to separate the sides in the title game. Both are brimming with confidence after strong showings in tournaments played last weekend.

St David’s won the Vides Water Polo Tournament in East London for a second year in succession, while St John’s finished as the runner-up at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Water Polo Tournament, losing out to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) after a penalty shootout.

While St David’s and St John’s meet for the title, KES faces St Stithians for third place.

Saints will fancy their chances of winning a third bronze medal of their 2026 campaign after finishing third at the SAC Shield and third in Pretoria last weekend.

Led by coach Michael Stewart, St Stithians came up just shy of qualifying for the final, missing out by two points. Their opponents, KES, will be the underdog, but they will draw inspiration from their supporters.

The fifth-place playoff will feature St Benedict’s College against Jeppe High School for Boys.

Fixtures

17:30 – St Benedict’s College vs Jeppe High School for Boys (5th/6th playoff)
18:25– King Edward VII vs St Stithians College (3rd/4th playoff)
19:20 – St John’s College vs St David’s Marist Inanda (Final)

It’s no secret that the Selborne College 1st hockey side had some teething problems early in 2025. It was a youthful team, comprised of inexperienced players, who were thrown straight into the deep end by head coach KJ Friend.

Selborne had enjoyed a handful of successful seasons before 2025, but it was their turn to undergo a transition or building phase.

Their campaign was beset with challenges, and it tested the players and coaches. That adversity, though, could be one of the key ingredients that make Selborne a better team in 2026.

“I’m extremely excited for the season,” coach Friend told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“A new season always brings fresh energy, and there’s a real sense of purpose in the group at the moment.

“[The] 2025 [campaign] laid a lot of important foundations for us, and this season is about building on that work. The boys have come back hungry, focused, and eager to improve, which is exactly what you want as a coach.”

Friend has been at Selborne’s helm for many years now, and he has witnessed teams going through ups and downs.

At the end of their last campaign, he admitted that 2025 was one of the most challenging seasons of his coaching career.

Despite the hurdles he and the players faced, the coach is optimistic that his boys learnt valuable lessons from that campaign.

“The biggest lesson from 2025 was around patience and consistency,” he said.

“With a young group, results don’t always come immediately, but the growth we saw over the course of the season was really encouraging.

“We learned a lot about managing pressure, competing for longer periods in matches, and understanding the standards required at this level.

“Those experiences, especially the tough ones early on, will stand us in good stead going forward.”

Selborne has retained a large number of players from last season, and they will form the base for the East London school’s 2026 campaign.

With a challenging schedule awaiting the side, their experienced players will need to step up against some stiff competition, not just in the Eastern Cape, but from around the country, Friend said.

“The seniors must play a big role in guiding the younger players, both on and off the field, and that leadership within the group will be a key factor for us this year.

“As always, the competition will be extremely strong. Schools in the Eastern Cape and across the country continue to invest heavily in their hockey programmes, and every game is a challenge.

“There are no easy fixtures, and you have to be at your best every week. That level of competition is great for the game and pushes our players to continually raise their standards.”

Selborne’s first match will be played on 5 March at the annual Border Schools’ Day.

After that, they’ll be in action at the Tony Godding Festival before heading to Pretoria for the Nomads Hockey Festival.

Coach Friend revealed a clear vision for his side: “You can expect a hard-working, disciplined Selborne side that competes with intensity and pride.

“Our focus is on playing brave, intelligent hockey, staying true to our principles, and continuing to develop players, both as athletes and as young men.

“If we do that consistently, the results will take care of themselves, and I believe this group is capable of a very positive season.”

The 2025 hockey season will go down in history as one of the best for the Parel Vallei High School girls’ first team.

Their determined, hard-working approach resulted in clear progression and some fantastic wins.

Under the guidance of coach Wayne Coetzee, the team built consistency. They revealed themselves to be a major threat, not only to their Western Cape opposition, but to teams from across the country.

While the standards set by the 2025 unit were high, PV will attempt to better them in 2026.

“We are extremely excited about the season lying ahead,” coach Coetzee told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“In the same regard, we are also nervous because expectations are high going into this season.

“We have set strong and ambitious goals that will guide us to strive for excellence and will hold us accountable as a team. One goal that is a must for all of us is to believe in ourselves.”

The school produced a handful of u16 and u18 provincial players last year, some of whom went on to represent South African Schools teams.

While Coetzee bade farewell to some of his senior players last year, there is still plenty of experience in the team, and he will rely on those experienced heads to guide the team’s newcomers.

“The senior players in the side always have a massive responsibility in setting the standard,” he explained.

“They should always hold themselves and the team accountable and show a sense of care for the newcomers.

“It’s going to be important for them to lead from the front and put their hands up on every occasion that demands maturity and excellence.”

Parel Vallei’s season starts in March at the Springfield Hockey Festival in Cape Town.

After that, they’ll head over to Johannesburg to participate in the prestigious  St Mary’s Waverley Festival for the first time in the school’s history. They automatically qualified for the festival by winning the Courage Cup last year at Kingsmead College.

After St Mary’s, coach Coetzee and his side will enjoy a short 11-day break before kicking off their derby season against DF Malan in the Western Cape.

“We want to play against the best in the country. Therefore, every game will be an opportunity for us to claim some scalps,” the coach said.

“People can expect a high-octane game that is entertaining, fearless, and calculated.”

The St David’s Marist Inanda water polo team made history on Saturday after claiming their second-straight Vides Water Polo Tournament title in East London.

The boys from Johannesburg downed Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) 9-8 in a hotly contested final.

The annual tournament, which celebrated its 50th edition this year, ran from Thursday at Selborne College‘s main pool and Clarendon‘s Aquatic Centre.

St David’s defeated St Andrew’s College in last year’s final to clinch the title for the first time. They were favoured to go all the way once again in 2026.

Drawn in Pool C, coach Dean Whyte‘s troops constructed a splendid campaign, dominating their group games before grinding their way past their opponents in the knockout stages of the tournament.

They rattled off three comprehensive victories to finish top of their pool, defeating Paarl Boys’ High 9-3, Glenwood House 16-7, and Grey High School 10-5.

In the quarterfinals, St David’s met St Andrew’s in a repeat of the 2025 final and had to work hard for an 8-6 win over the boys from Makhanda.

That victory set up a semifinal meeting with Michaelhouse. It was a closely contested affair, but St David’s reigned supreme, winning 10-6.

While the Johannesburg school punched its ticket to the final, PRG took on Wynberg Boys’ High in the other semifinal.

In a low-scoring contest, coach Vaughn Marlow‘s got the better of their Western Cape counterparts, with a 6-3 win sealing their spot in the title game.

The final had it all – suspense, drama, and moments of magic.

St David’s made a bright start and raced into a 5-1 lead after the first chukka thanks to goals by Matthew Peacock, Cooper Haworth, David Latilla-Campbell, and a brace by Danilo Giuricich.

PRG, though, won the second chukka 2-0, with strikes by James Swart and Ben van Zyl cutting the deficit to 5-3 at the break.

The second half was end-to-end stuff as PRG fought their way back into the match. Swart completed his hat-trick before Andrew Reynold scored, and Johnty Coolen levelled matters at 6-6.

Luke Laporte replied to put St David’s one goal ahead heading into the final chukka before Darien Salovy and Giuricich extended the lead to 9-6.

PRG kept fighting, though, and Swart netted twice, but it wasn’t quite enough, and St David’s held on for the win.

“It was a really tough tournament. I’m super proud of the boys. They were amazing and worked hard,” coach Whyte told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“They have a good internal drive to produce and step it up when it matters. To win the tournament again is incredible.”

Whyte admitted his boys felt some pressure heading into the tournament as the defending champions.

“That label did put pressure on us,” he said. “A lot of people have now marked St David’s on the radar, and guys see that we are a contending water polo school.

“It was difficult shifting the mindset because in previous years we were underdogs, but now we’re up there on the mark, so maturity from the boys was key.”

Several components of the game were key to St David’s successful title defence: they were clinical in front of goal, solid defensively, and punished teams when the opportunities presented themselves.

Coach Whyte said he was also impressed with how some of his players rose to the occasion.

“What was really nice was developing another layer of attack. We chose our options wisely, and the teams mitigated our weaknesses, but we had to dig deep.

“There were some moments of brilliance and perfect executions. It feels good going through a tournament undefeated, but kudos to the other schools because they made it hard.

“Our defence was also incredible. Dylan Wiggil in goal is unbelievable. He’s the best goalkeeper in the country, in my opinion. I also think our youngsters stepped up well.

“I want to highlight my second seven because they were incredible and gave the big names time to rest so they could implement properly. Overall, it was a great team effort.”

Coach Whyte and his guns will return to action on Thursday in the KES Night League.

After that, they’ll pursue a second piece of silverware at the KES Water Polo Tournament later this month.

Day 4 Results

St Alban’s (2) 4-4 (3) Stirling High
St Andrew’s College 7-4 Selborne College
Paarl Boys’ High 8-4 Selborne Collegians
Reddam Constantia (5) 9-9 (4) Grey High
Glenwood House 13-3 Grey College
St David’s 10-6 Michaelhouse
Woodridge College 7-6 Pearson
Paul Roos 6-3 Wynberg Boys’ High
St Alban’s 14-9 Selborne Collegians
Stirling High 8-6 Paarl Boys’
Grey College (4) 4- 4 (3) Pearson High
Woodridge College 10-8 Glenwood House (Plate final)
Grey High (5) 9- 9 (4) Selborne College (7th/8th playoff)
St Andrew’s College 11-9 Reddam House (5th/6th playoff)
Wynberg 5-3 Michaelhouse (3rd/4th playoff)
St David’s Marist 9-8 Paul Roos (Final)

Final standings

St David’s Marist Inanda
Paul Roos
Wynberg Boys’ High
Michaelhouse
St Andrew’s College
Reddam House Constantia
Grey High
Selborne College
Woodridge College
Glenwood House
Grey College
Pearson High
Stirling
Paarl Boys’ High
St Alban’s College
Selborne Collegians