Author: hnienaber

The annual water polo interprovincial tournament starts in East London today.

All the results from the third day will be updated as we receive them throughout the day.

Results | Day 3

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u16 

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Can anyone stop the Central Gauteng Lions dominance at the annual Cricket South Africa u16 Girls’ Week which is hosted in Johannesburg from today?

The hosts were crowned the champions of last year’s week, which was hosted in Pietermaritzburg. The Lions defeated Easterns by five runs on the final day of the week to conclude the tournament undefeated.

The first three days of the week’s matches will be contested over 50 overs while the final two days will be Twenty/20 matches.

The Fixtures | Day 1 

Central Gauteng Lions vs North West (Dlamini Oval, St Stithians College)
Western Province vs Easterns (Jameson I, St Stithians College)
Free State vs Titans (Jameson II, St Stithians College)
Dolphins vs Eastern Province (Ridgeway, St Stithians College)
Boland vs Mpumalanga (Steyn City II)
Limpopo Impalas vs Garden Route Badgers (Steyn City Oval)
Northern Cape vs Eastern Cape Inyathi (Alan Lawson Oval)
Tuskers vs Kei (HeronBridge Oval)

The annual water polo interprovincial tournament starts in East London today.

All the results from the opening day will be updated as we receive them throughout the day.

Results | Day 1 

u19

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u15 

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u14 

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u13 

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The annual water polo interprovincial tournament starts in East London today.

All the results from the opening day will be updated as we receive them throughout the day.

Results | Day 1 

u19

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The Springboks and their coaches, especially, have been responsible for some of rugby’s most interesting and effective innovations.

Current Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, brought the Bomb Squad to the world of rugby, as well as the Nuke Squad, or rather a 7-1 split on the bench.

A longer-lasting and permanent innovation is our focus here. It was introduced by Oubaas Markötter in 1930 after the University of Stellenbosch‘s second team suffered a devastating defeat against Ikeys.

One player in particular, according to Dr. Danie Craven, took most of the flak for the defeat, and that was centre André McDonald, who hailed from Ceres. McDonald was a member of the Hoërskool Ceres’ First XV which won the Villiers Cup in 1925.

After that loss, Markötter spent hours wandering up and down his house muttering: “He is not a wing, not a centre, not a flyhalf, not a scrumhalf. What is he?”

It was at the next practice that Markötter ordered McDonald to get himself a scrum cap and invented the No. 8 position as we know it today. Previously, the No. 8 had functioned as a third lock, with teams utilising various scrum formations.

New Zealand, for instance, made use of a 2-3-2 formation while most other countries implemented a 3-2-3 formation before Markötter and South Africa introduced the 3-4-1 scrum to the world.

That move, from the midfield to eighthman, saw McDonald being selected for the Springboks’ tour of Great Britain in 1931/32.

His roommate, Craven, scored the winning try in the final test match of the tour against Scotland, thanks to a dummy run by McDonald to the blind side from a scrum. The Springboks won 6-3 in front of a crowd of 74 000 at Murrayfield.

Now, 93 years later, Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr has produced their second Springbok and, once again, he is an eighthman, Cameron Hanekom.

Okay, technically according to our criteria, Hanekom won’t count as a Springbok from Charlie Hofmeyr as he didn’t matriculate from the school, and he also didn’t play for the school’s first team.

Hanekom will be added as a Springbok from Paarl Boys’ High because that’s where he matriculated. He played for the Boishaai 1st XV off the bench in 2019, while his final season at school was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

His only match in his matric year was against Monument, of Krugersdorp, during the annual Porterville Bulfees.

Hanekom was part of a formidable loose trio during his u15 (2017) and u16 (2018) years at Charlie Hofmeyr. In combination with Wynand Pieters and Sarel Herbst, he wreaked havoc on opposition defences.

Charlies‘ u15 side lost only to Hugenote, of Wellington, with their flyhalf Corné du Plessis (129) being the top points’ scorer, while Douglas le Bretton, with eight tries, was the top try scorer.

Du Plessis and Le Bretton, who scored 52 percent of their side’s points, left Charlie Hofmeyr at the end of the 2017 season to join Hoërskool Noord-Kaap, in Kimberley. Most teams would’ve struggled after losing their leading points’ and try scorers. Not Charlie Hofmeyr, with Hanekom leading the charge.

Hanekom captained the u16 side and scored 10 tries in nine matches, with Pieters and Herbst scoring nine and eight tries respectively. The team from Ceres did, however, lose two matches, going down against Hugenote (20-30) and Hermanus (0-14). Hanekom missed both games due to injury.

It is also fitting Hanekom will make his international debut against Wales as he also qualifies to represent them through his grandmother on his mother’s side.

“He is a born leader and has an incredible rugby brain. I didn’t have someone that year to help me coach the team. So to have him with his vision for the game as captain helped a lot. He was also an amazing team player,” said Mike Geldenhuys, Hanekom’s coach at u15 and u16 levels.

Doc Craven is on record saying that André McDonald would’ve captained the Springboks if McDonald had not retired so early in his career. A hostel at Charlie Hofmeyr, House McDonald, is named after him.

McDonald later served many congregations as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church in Edenburg (1940), Citrusdal (1945), Zastron (1946), Kroonstad-Suid (1950), Smithfield (1953), and Brandfort-Oos (1960). He passed away in 1991 in Brandfort.

Interestingly, another Springbok No. 8, Dugald Macdonald, farms just outside Ceres. He played one test against the British Lions in 1974.

Other Springboks who were born in Ceres but finished their schooling elsewhere are the brothers John, Dick, and Lammetjie Luyt (SACS/Paul Roos Gimnasium), John Villet (Hoërskool Bellville), Ray Mordt (Churchill High), Jaco Reinach (Grey College), Breyton Paulse (Skurweberg Secondary), De Wet Barry (Paarl Gimnasium), Wilco Louw (HTS Drostdy) and Frans Erasmus (Laingsburg).

Daar sal volgende jaar twee nuwe gesigte in die NWU Sportreeks in aksie wees.

Die Hoërskool Piet Retief asook Ben Vorster van Tzaneen is die nuwe gesigte wat sal poog om kers saam met van die groot honde in die Noordvaal-streek vas te hou.

Die verdedigende kampioen van die reeks, Waterkloof, sal sy aanslag in Tzaneen teen die Vossies afskop. Die Klofies wat vanjaar ook tot die eindstryd van die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Beker-afdeling deurgedring het, behoort volgende jaar ook ‘n gedugte span in die veld te stoot.

Piet Retief sal ook sy buiging in die reeks op sy tuisveld in die Jack Botes-stadion teen Menlopark maak. Die Parkies het verlede jaar in die eindstryd van dié reeks teen Waterkloof die knie gebuig.

Volgende jaar sal die 12 spanne in die reeks in vier groepe van drie spanne elk ingedeel wees. Die halfeindstryde van die kompetisie sal reeds op 21 Maart beslis word. Die twee halfeindstryde sal onderskeidelik deur Kempton Park en HTS Middelburg aangebied word.

Die eindstryd sal eers op 12 April op die velde van Dr. EG Jansen in Boksburg beslis word.

Die Poele is: 

Poel A: HTS Middelburg, EG Jansen, Hoërskool Nelspruit.
Poel B: Menlopark, Eldoraigne, Piet Retief.
Poel C: Waterkloof, Ben Vorster, Oos-Moot.
Poel D: Kempton Park, Hoërskool Middelburg, Transvalia.

Die bepalings is (tuisspanne eerste vermeld): 

1 Maart 2025 

HTS Middelburg vs EG Jansen

4 Maart 2025 

Menlopark vs Eldoraigne

8 Maart 2025 

Piet Retief vs Menlopark
Ben Vorster vs Waterkloof
Hoërskool Nelspruit vs HTS Middelburg
Hoërskool Middelburg vs Kempton Park

11 Maart 2025 

Waterkloof vs Oos-Moot
Kempton Park vs Transvalia

15 Maart 2025 

Eldoraigne vs Piet Retief
Oos-Moot vs Ben Vorster
EG Jansen vs Hoërskool Nelspruit
Transvalia vs Hoërskool Middelburg

Die Hoërskool Monument van Krugersdorp het ‘n oud-Monumentaar, Reinhard Gerber, as sy nuwe hoof van rugby aangestel.

Gerber het die Wit Bulle in 1999 gespeel met toekomstige internasionale spelers soos Quintin Geldenhuys (Italië) en Jorrie Muller (Suid-Afrika) as sy spanmaats. Geldenhuys is tans die hoof van rugby by Hoërskool Trio in Kroonstad.

Buiten Gerber is die voormalige Springbok-voorryman Jannie du Plessis as die hoof van afrigting aangestel. Gerber en Du Plessis sal saam die sweep by die skool se eerstespan klap.

Du Plessis het die Springbokke in 70 toetse as stut verteenwoordig. Hy was onder andere ‘n lid van die Springbok-span wat in 2007 die Wêreldbeker verower het.

Gerber was tot onlangs nog betrokke as afrigter by die Duitse klub Frankfort 1880. Hy het voorheen ook skolerugby by Ben Vorster in Tzaneen asook Glenwood in Durban afgerig. Hy het ook as speler vir die Luiperds, Goue Leeus en Grens uitgedraf.

Monument se paneel wat die onderhoude en aanstellings hanteer het, het onder andere uit oud-Bokke van Monnas – Jaco Taute en Willem Alberts bestaan, asook die voorsitter van die beheerliggaam, Ryno Hartman, en nog ‘n oud-Monumentaar dokter Jano de Beer.

Gerber en Du Plessis het stof in die oë van ‘n hele paar sterk aansoekers geskop. Onder die aansoekers was daar voormalige Springbok-afrigters, asook huidige provinsiale breiers.

Monnas se paaie het verlede maand met Tjaart van der Walt geskei. Hy was sedert 2017 aanstuur van sake van Monnas se rugby. Die Wit Bulle het onder hom drie keer die Noordvaaltrofee in 2017, 2018 en 2022 gewen. Hy het die Wit Bulle ook in 2017 en 2018 tot kampioen van die Tuks-reeks geneem.

Van der Walt het in sy sewe seisoene by Monnas vyf trofees verower. Twee van die seisoene was boonop nie volle seisoene nie weens die Covid 19-pandemie. Van der Walt het hom intussen by Helpmekaar-kollege in Johannesburg aangesluit.

Van der Walt is met sy vyf titels as afrigter in die SDC Noordvaal Cup een van die mees suksesvolste afrigters in die geskiedenis van die oudste skolereeks in Suid-Afrika. Hy het ook twee titels as hoofafrigter van Garsfontein in 2015 en 2016 verower. Slegs Dr. Carel Kriek met nege titels vir Affies het al meer titels sedert 1920 as Van der Walt ingepalm.

Monnas se Wit Bulle het vanjaar sy grootste nederlaag nog op ‘n rugbyveld

Wynand Moolman sal steeds ‘n belangrike rol by Monnas vertolk om te verseker dat die voorste talent na Krugersdorp gelok word.

The annual Saints Water Polo Invitational, hosted by St. Stithians College, promises to be one of the highlights of the water polo calendar again this year.

Results | Day 1 

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Feature photo supplied by Debbi Adcock Photography

The annual Saints Water Polo Invitational, hosted by St. Stithians College, promises to be one of the highlights of the water polo calendar again this year.

The defending champions, Herschel Girls’ School from Cape Town, will start of their title defence against Crawford Lonehill of Johannesburg.

Results | Day 1

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Feature photo supplied by Debbi Adcock Photography

The Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool of Pretoria secured their third victory over Grey College in only nine days as the team from the Jacaranda City concludes the first part of the 2024/25 season with a tour of Bloemfontein.

The young left-handed seam bowler Zian Labuschagne spearheaded Affies’ attack on the Johan Volsteedt Oval by picking up five wickets at the cost of only 30 runs. Affies won the limited-overs match by 134 runs.

Affies batted first and was restricted to 253 runs in the 48th over with Daniel Murray (64) recording a half-century. Vihan Pretorius (48), Christiaan Linden (34), JP Botha (26), Ruben Groenewald (26) and Xavier de Wet (21) all also chipped in with the bat.

Grey College was bowled out for only 119 runs with Daniel Hattingh (62) the only batsman that managed to keep the Affie bowling attack at bay. Affies’ two other victories over Grey College came during the annual Westvaal North/South T20.

St Alban’s College of Pretoria is also visiting the City of Roses. They lost their first encounter on Vossies Field against St Andrew’s School by seven runs.

Saints batted first on their home turf and reached 252 runs with Reuben van Aarde (38), Leon Athanasiuo (36), Naudé Botha (34), Jonathan Hickley (21), Hendré Serfontein (20) and a certain batsman named Extras (42) making valuable contributions.

Mduduzi Mahlangu (2/32), Christian Visagie (2/43) and Liam Basch (2/46) all grabbed two wickets each.

Visagie rounded off an all-round performance by also scoring 60 runs in the chase. He received some good support from Wayne Kruger (35), Kyle Block (33) and Basch (31). FG Botha (3/50) was the pick of the Saints bowling attack.

Summarised Scorecards:

Affies 253 (Daniel Murray 64, Vihan Pretorius 48, Christiaan Linden 34, JP Botha 26, Ruben Groenewald 26, Xavier de Wet 21; Otto Krause 3/40, Daniel Hattingh 2/32); Grey-kollege 119 (Daniel Hattingh 62; Zian Labuschagne 5/30, SF Vermeulen 2/15). Affies won by 134 runs.

St Andrew’s School 252 (Extras 42, Reuben van Aarde 38, Leon Athanasiuo 36, Naudé Botha 34, Jonathan Hickley 21, Hendré Serfontein 20; Mduduzi Mahlangu 2/32, Christian Visagie 2/43, Liam Basch 2/46); St Alban’s College 245 (Christian Visagie 60, Wayne Kruger 35, Kyle Block 33, Liam Basch 31, James Godwin 29, Josh Melville 22, Liam Detert 21*; FG Botha 3/50, Nikhil Sukraj 2/48). St Andrew’s School won by seven runs.