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Wynberg Boys’ High faces an imposing challenge when they host Paarl Gimnasium on Saturday at 12:30 on Hawthornden Field.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Last year, Wynberg was overrun in Paarl, going down 22-68.

After a 41-17 triumph over Grey High last weekend, they’ll be aiming to deliver a performance of similar substance in the friendly confines of home this weekend.

Gimmies most recently won 66-14 against Bishops. A win this weekend would extend their winning run to 10 successive matches.

Centres Ethan Barker and Derick Cloete have been at the forefront of their challenge, regularly crossing the whitewash in recent matches, with their flanks, Corné Niemand and Dirk Hugo, also scoring threats.

All four of those players have high work rates and get themselves involved in the action as much as possible. Their industry makes them difficult to stymie.

Wynberg scrumhalf Rauf Ahmed scored twice against Grey, which reflects the danger he poses from the base of the ruck. Hooker Ridhau Johnson, at the back of the rolling maul, is another try-scoring threat.

In April, in a 9-20 defeat to Paarl Boys’ High, the hosts showed they know how to get down and dirty in the trenches. Gim will know that Wynberg is an underdog not to be underestimated.

Last season, Hoërskool Parel Vallei narrowly lost 12-14 to SACS at the Wynberg Rugby Festival. This season, the Somerset West school is unbeaten, with nine wins from nine matches.

They face, arguably, the toughest fixture on their schedule when they take on SACS at 12:30 on Memorial-A Field this Saturday.

SACS will be eager to hand the upstart Bulldogs their first loss of 2026, especially since the home side heads into the clash off the back of a couple of tough losses:  22-26 to Boland Landbou and 17-19 to Rondebosch Boys’ High.

Captain and hooker Zac Dall is a key player for the Newlands outfit. He’s battle-hardened, a veteran of many tight contests, and he’ll be keen to rain on PV’s parade.

It has been a fantastic season for the Bulldogs thus far. The closest a team has come to them has been 12 points in a 19-7 win over Swartland. They’re likely to find the challenge to be far stiffer on Saturday, though.

PV fullback Shudley Rhoda is an incredible attacking threat, while left wing Rafael von Loeper has consistently dotted down. Both will relish the opportunity to display their skills in a high-stakes showdown against a high-profile opponent.

Since losing their first five games of the season, Hoërskool Bellville has gone on a four-match winning run. They could make it five from five when they host Hoërskool Melkbosstrand at 12:20 on Saturday.

Bellville topped 30 points for the first time this season in a 45-29 victory over Hoërskool Punt last weekend. They appear to have hit their stride, and they’ll aim to add to the momentum they’ve already built up.

Centres Caylem du Plessis and Xandru Büter both scored tries last week, and are a tough pair in the midfield. The visitors will need to maintain their defensive discipline to keep the duo off the scoresheet.

Melkies have not been as fortunate in recent times as Bellville. They last won in April, when they beat DF Akademie 26-10. They’ve lost their last three, with their offence faltering and producing only 15 points combined in those three matches.

Utility back Craig Solomons has, nonetheless, kicked well all season long, and he is also often involved in the creation of tries. It’s time for him to find his try-scoring form again.

Loose forward Beuren Geduld does much of the dirty work for Melkies, often protecting the ball at the breakdown and making hard carries through the heart of the opposition defence.

Bellville will be favoured at home, but matches are played on the field and not on paper. Nothing is guaranteed.

TEAMS

Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Zachary de Kock, 13 Ithandile Nkohla, 12 Luke Gertze, 11 Chad Campbell, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Rauf Ahmed, 8 Esa van der Schyff, 7 Naeem Mohammed, 6 Alvin Machinja, 5 Jack de Beer, 4 James Orwin, 3 Solam Gegana, 2 Ridah Johnson, 1 Boitumelo Mabohlo.

Paarl Gimnasium: 15 Thomas Saunders, 14 Corné de Beer, 13 Derick Cloete, 12 Ethan Barker (captain), 11 De Waal Vivier, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Alexander Kotze, 8 Hendré van Zyl, 7 Dirk Hugo, 6 Corné Niemand, 5 Jean Dreyer, 4 Bernhardt Schulze, 3 Sebastian Bekker, 2 Charles Whitehead, 1 Jayden Steyl.

SACS (likely): 15 Nahum Koen, 14 Luke McKenzie, 13 Luca Orgill, 12 James Sale, 11 Josh Gorgens, 10 Jake Dave, 9 Daniel Draai, 8 Stephan Kruger, 7 Jack Burgess, 6 Kwakhanya Gobe, 5 Cameron Hirst, 4 RJ Cunningham, 3 Qiraan Hermans, 2 Zac Dall (captain), 1 Luca Liebenberg.

Hoërskool Parel Vallei: 15 Shudley Rhoda, 14 Aydin February, 13 Owen Cockroft (captain), 12 Brad Brown, 11 Rafael von Loeper, 10 Stephan Niemann, 9 Michael Kent, 8 Taariq Railon, 7 Ethan Ramos, 6 Marcé Els, 5 Keaton Baird, 4 Herman Kriel, 3 Cayden Rautenbach, 2 Luke Terblanche, 1 Bjan Theron.

Hoërskool Bellville: 15 Alvino Loggenberg, 14 Marlon Claasen, 13 Caylem du Plessis, 12 Xandru Büter, 11 Liam Kuyk, 10 Marno Botes, 9 Juvan Rousseau, 8 Cade Mong, 7 Henré Kleynhans, 6 Zandro Stramrood, 5 Corné Smit, 4 Steven Steyl, 3 Alex Cronje, 2 Ryno Higgs, 1 Werner Slabbert.

Hoërskool Melkbosstrand: 15 Calvin Farelo, 14 Enrique Kastoor, 13 Craig Solomons, 12 Arno Visser, 11 Reese Jooste, 10 Alzano Vigeland, 9 Cole Japhta, 8 Ethan Loncq, 7 Beuren Geduld, 6 Leslie Smyth, 5 Kevin Wessels, 4 O’Ryan Crouse, 3 Jorden Lewis, 2 Darius Prinsloo, 1 Joshua Cloete.

The 2025 runner-up, Carter High, is on track for another final in the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Inland A-League.

The Pietermaritzburg school tops the table with 16 points after a commanding 4-0 victory over Alexandra High on Wednesday.

Despite playing on their home ground, Alexandra High struggled with the high-pressing counterattacks and heavy pressure applied by the visitors. Those bore fruit for Carter, who cruised to victory.

Bayanda Msomi and Amkelwa Khuzwayo netted twice each, making it six goals apiece for the duo this season.

The defeat leaves Alexandra at the bottom of the table, with two points after six games. They’re winless thus far, with two draws and four losses on their record.

Ixopo had an opportunity to solidify their second-place on the log, but they were held to a goalless draw by Haythorne Secondary, also at Alex. Still, Ixopo remains in contention for a place in the final.

Edendale will challenge them. They, too, have 13 points and trail Carter by three points. Last season, in their first season in the Inland A-League after winning promotion in 2024, they finished in third place.

On Wednesday, their title aspirations faced a stern examination on Barns Field, where they met the defending champion, Maritzburg College. Goals from Manelisi Shezi and Alwande Bekwa earned Edendale a 2-0 victory.

After dominating KZN football over the past three years, College is undergoing a restructuring phase. It’s been a challenging season and, after six league matches, they’ve won two, drawn two, and lost two. Last week, they fell to a defeat against Carter High.

Earlier this year, they went winless in Kimberley at the annual Absa Wildeklawer Soccer Tournament, which underlines the struggles the side has endured after their successes in previous seasons. No doubt, they’ll work their way back into contention.

ML Sultan – with goals from Celokuhle Gasa, Thabiso Madlala, and Kuhlesbonge Zulu – scored a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Linpark.

RESULTS 

Wednesday, 20 May

Edendale 2-0 Maritzburg College
Haythorne 0-0 Ixopo
Carter High 4-0 Alexandra High
ML Sultan 3-2 Linpark

Forthcoming Fixtures

Thursday, 21 May: Coastal B-League

Queensburgh High

Field 1
15:10 – Grosvenor vs Amanzimtoti
16:10 – Redwood vs Empangeni

Field 2
15:10 – Sastri vs Brettonwood
16:10 – Queensburgh High vs New Forest

St Anne’s Diocesan College will open its gates to welcome 12 of the country’s most exciting hockey teams for the third instalment of the St Anne’s Cup, which runs from 22 to 24 May.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The showpiece, which took flight in 2024, crowned different winners in its two previous iterations.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof was the inaugural champion and will be on the hunt for a second title. They’ve been in the thick of the title hunt in other tournaments this season, but should they win, it would be their first piece of silverware in 2026.

Last year’s winner, Die Hoerskool Menlopark, was unable to make the trip to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, which increases the probability of a new champion being crowned for the third consecutive year.

Similar to previous years, the teams have been divided into four groups of three.

C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje, who are on a hot streak, arrive at St Anne’s hunting for their third title of 2026 after lifting the St Mary’s Waverley Festival and All Girls Hockey Festival trophies. They’ll be favoured to go all the way, but their first assignment will be to fight off the challenges of St Stithians College and Epworth School in Pool A.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof headlines Pool B, where they are joined by The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) and Hoërskool Noordheuwel.

The hosts, St Anne’s, will have their sights set on lifting the title on home soil, but they will have their work cut out for them in Pool C, where they face Ashton International College and Eunice High.

Pool D features two previous finalists, Durban Girls College (DGC), who lost in 2024’s final to St Mary’s DSG Kloof, and Our Lady of Fatima, who lost to Menlopark in last year’s title game. Both sides will be keen to take it one step further. They’re joined in Pool D by Helpmekaar Kollege.

The two former finalists, DGC and Our Lady of Fatima, will get the event underway at 08:00 on Friday. St Anne’s and Eunice, one of the perennial favourites, will close out the day’s play with a fixture that starts at 19:15.

FIXTURES

08:00 – DGC vs Our Lady of Fatima, 09:15 – Noordheuwel vs TWC, 10:30 – Oranje vs Epworth, 11:45 – St Anne’s vs Ashton, 11:45 – DGC vs Helpmekaar, 13:00 – St Mary’s vs Noordheuwel, 14:15 – Oranje vs St Stithians, 15:30 – Helpmekaar vs Our Lady of Fatima, 15:30 – Ashton vs Eunice, 16:45 – St Mary’s vs TWC, 18:00 – St Stithians vs Epworth, 19:15 – St Anne’s vs Eunice

Last May, Hoërskool Framesby lost 25-41 to Hoërskool Outeniqua in George. The Kwaggas will try to repeat that success in Gqerbeha on Saturday.

The hosts last played on 1 May, when they went down 26-45 to Hudson Park High in KuGompo City.

It has been a challenging season for Framesby, who have lost their last three matches. Overall, they have a record of six wins and five defeats.

Outeniqua gave Oakdale Landbou a tough game in Riversdal last weekend, but was eventually beaten 27-21.

They’ve put together a good season, playing attractive rugby while losing only two other games – 26-55 to Affies and 22-26 to Paarl Boys’ High. They’ve won six, and they also drew 24-24 with Hoërskool Waterkloof.

Framesby’s Miles Feltham has been a steady operator in the backline, controlling the attack whether at fullback or flyhalf. He could be the key to the hosts creating some attacking opportunities.

Kwaggas’ captain and loosehead prop Matthew Prins has led his side from the front this season, often serving as a powerful ball carrier. Outeniqua has shown plenty of grit up front, and Prins will be a challenge for the home front row to deal with in Saturday’s set pieces.

Nippy scrumhalf Fagon Hendricks has been at the heart of the Kwaggas’ attack, providing quick distribution from the breakdown, while contributing tries and assists when he sees an opportunity for a run from the base of the ruck.

The visitors, Outeniqua, will head into the contest as the favourite.

The Framesby 1st XV is well-rested, which might help them. Then again, it might work against them.

Despite Framesby having played 11 matches, Saturday’s showdown will be only their third home match in 2026.

They lost 34-35 to Nico Malan in their most recent home-ground outing, which means one has to go back to their season-opening 24-17 victory over St Andrew’s College on 14 March for the hosts’ last home win. They’ll be desperate to add another.

TEAMS

Hoërskool Framesby: 15 Miles Feltham, 14 Calestine Felkers, 13 Dieter Voigt, 12 Charles Blignaut, 11 Marco van Jaarsveld, 10 John van Rooyen, 9 Caristan Marney, 8 David Matyani, 7 Janco Faber, 6 Josh Potgieter, 5 MJ Bonthuys, 4 André Grundling, 3 Zandré Schnetler, 2 Hendré Viviers, Luke Didloft.

Hoërskool Outeniqua: 15 Darnell Delport, 14 Ray Jordon, 13 Jean Capes, 12 Jade Lothering, 11 Heiliano Beukes, 10 Tylor Marias, 9 Fagon Hendricks, 8 Aldo Gouws, 7 Andreas Gouws, 6 Wiaan Baard, 5 Franco Pienaar, 4 Sam Augustyn, 3 Logan Jacobs, 2 Chunks Olivier, 1 Matthew Prins (captain).

Entertaining, heart-stopping, and jaw-dropping are some of the descriptions that could be applied to the pulsating 3-3 draw between Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) and South African College High School (SACS) in Stellenbosch on Wednesday night.

The clash at the Maties AstroTurf was touted to be a humdinger. It lived up to that expectation.

For the neutrals, it was a top-class hockey exhibition. For the supporters of both teams, it was an emotional rollercoaster ride, a nail-biting thriller.

Earlier this season, the sides met in the semi-finals of the Hibbert Shield, where they shared a 1-1 draw before SACS advanced to the title game after winning a penalty shootout.

Paul Roos was desperate to change the narrative against their rivals and pick up their first win against coach Sam Holmes‘s side since 2024.

Their form heading into the match was sublime. In their most recent outings, PRG had beaten high-flying Rondebosch Boys’ High 4-2, while SACS thumped Stellenberg High 5-0.

The game’s opening chukka was frenetic, but it was PRG who made a dream start. Inside the first three minutes, they won a short corner and turned to Luke van der Merwe, who slotted it just inside the post to open the scoring, much to the delight of the PRG supporters.

SACS came alive after conceding and pushed for an equaliser, but Jeandre Cilliers stood firm in PRG’s goal.

Eventually, the Cape Town boys’ efforts paid off early in the second chukka.

Captain Litha Kraai did well to evade Jeandre van Zyl and win a PC for his side. Kraai then took it upon himself and fired in a thunderbolt drag flick to level the scores.

Both sides had short corners ruled out towards the end of the second chukka, leaving the teams level at 1-1 at halftime.

The third chukka was dramatic. Only seconds in, Van der Merwe bagged his second goal, with a smart reverse-stick shot giving coach Michael Baker’s side the lead again.

SACS wasn’t intimidated. They kept coming, and a deflection goal by Jan Dijkstra brought the teams level once more.

PRG had a golden opportunity to take the lead again after winning a stroke, but Logan Lackay’s attempt didn’t bother Ethan October in the SACS goal.

Soon, though, Seth Paterson linked up with Louis Kriel, who sneaked one in against the run of play to put Paul Roos 3-2 up heading into the final chukka.

As expected, SACS came out firing in search of an equaliser. With 10 minutes remaining, Cameron Cordeiro latched onto a loose ball inside the circle, and his shot beat Cilliers to make it 3-3.

After a moment of consultation between the umpires, the goal was given.

Both sides pushed for a late winner, but their defenders remained resolute.

PRG came close to breaking the deadlock from another PC, but Ethan October denied the home side with some crucial saves.

In the heat of battle, and with five minutes remaining, a couple of cards were dished out to both teams for ill-discipline, but the score remained unchanged.

SACS faces another tough assignment on Friday, when they take on Parel Vallei. PRG hosts the unpredictable Paarl Boys’ High.

Results

U14A

Paul Roos 2-0 SACS

U16A

Paul Roos 2-0 SACS

U19A

Paul Roos 3-3 SACS

The reigning champions, Westville Boys’ High, have picked up momentum following a slow start to the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Coastal A-League. They’re back in the title chase after a 2-0 victory over Pinetown Boys’ High on Tuesday.

With only one match remaining in the regular season and six matches already played, the Griffins have recorded four wins, one draw, and one loss.

On Tuesday, propelled by goals from Nkanyezi Mkhungu and Kayden van Wyk, they beat Pinetown Boys’ High to move above Northwood to second place in the standings.

One more victory would secure their qualification for the Coastal A-League final on 9 June.

Catch the KZNHSFA Inland A-League action LIVE on SuperSport Schools 

Glenwood, however, continues to set the pace. They’re unbeaten in the league, with five wins and one draw after six matches.

On Tuesday, the Green Machine scored a narrow 2-1 victory over Northwood in a battle between the teams at the top of the table. Captain Ndalo Mbatha, who has been pivotal for Khaya Mngwengwe’s team, netted a goal in the win over the Knights, with Iviwe Mkhulise contributing the second for Glenwood.

The reliable Rhys Millar netted a consolation goal for the Knights.

In other fixtures, Port Shepstone, currently in fifth place, scored a 2-0 victory over Bechet, while Hillcrest High and Durban High School (DHS) played to a goalless draw.

On Wednesday, the action takes place in the Inland A-League, with all matches being livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools App.

RESULTS

Tuesday, 19 May

Westville 2-0 Pinetown
Port Shepstone 2-0 Bechet
DHS 0-0 Hillcrest
Glenwood 2-1 Northwood

Forthcoming Fixtures

Wednesday, 20 May

Barns Field
15:00 – Carter High vs Edendale
16:00 – Maritzburg College

Alexandra High
15:00 – Alexandra High vs Linpark
16:00 – Haythorne vs Ixopo

Marichelle Crous and Estelle Marx each scored a brace to catapult C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje to a 5-1 win over Eunice High in their league match at Oranje on Tuesday evening.

“We turned defence into attack very quickly. We were able to convert counter-attacking opportunities into genuine goalscoring threats,” Morné Odendaal, the Oranje coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

The victory was Oranje’s second in four days. Odendaal’s charges recorded a 3-0 win over Affies Meisies in Pretoria last Friday, with Bobo Grobbelaar, Marlene du Plessis, and Lullu Oelschig on target in that clash.

Odendaal credited the victory over Affies to his charges’ ability to make connections, which helped them to control the momentum of the contest. They did the same against Eunice.

Oranje is unbeaten at home this season, and the win over Eunice was Oranje’s ninth consecutive victory on their Astro, affectionately known as Huis Hartseer.

Crous got the home side onto the scoreboard with two goals, six minutes apart, in the first chukka. For her first, she intercepted a pass in the Eunice half before driving into the circle, where she unleashed a brilliant strike for the opener after seven minutes.

She then positioned herself well to receive a pass on the edge of the box, before making another fruitful circle entry for the second goal with just over a minute left in the chukka.

When Marx found herself in acres of space in the Eunice circle, she didn’t waste the opportunity to add a third five-and-a-half minutes before halftime.

Determined to stay in the match, Eunice launched an attack from the pushback and exerted enough pressure to win a penalty corner. Claire Volschenk showed great awareness and pounced on a rebound to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Oranje, however, doused the visitors’ hopes of a comeback when they extended their lead to 4-1. The hosts combined for a well-worked move, taking only five passes from the Oranje baseline to Marx, who struck with just over two minutes left in the third chukka.

Xylia Choene put the game to bed when she drilled the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle on the right seven minutes before the end.

“A big reason for our win was the movement of the players off the ball,” Odendaal said. “The girls moved into good areas, created passing lanes, and gave the ball carrier quality options. This made the player on the ball look good because of the support and movement around her.”

Result

Oranje 5-1 Eunice

Lenique Vogel pulled the strings in the midfield to help Hoërskool Waterkloof put on a show for their home fans and record an emphatic 5-0 win over Hoërskool Garsfontein in their midweek fixture at Garsfontein on Tuesday evening.

Klofies‘ victory was their second midweek success in the past seven days after they drubbed Hoërskool Montana 9-0 on the previous Tuesday.

“We really stuck to what we do well,” Omari Pienaar-Geyer, the Waterkloof coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“The girls kept their composure and trusted our structures. We moved the ball with purpose, didn’t force passes, and played together as a team.”

Pienaar-Geyer and her charges will be hoping to carry that form into their forthcoming match against Affies Meisies at Affies on Friday.

Waterkloof has put together an impressive recent run against Affies in recent meetings. Last year, they won 1-0 in a league encounter. Earlier this year, at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, they squeezed out a 2-1 win.

Waterkloof, who scored in all four chukkas of the game, opened the floodgates against Garsies with a strike from Renske Smit in the first chukka. She was on the end of a move that began in the midfield with Lenique Vogel forcing a turnover close to the halfway line before she fed Elain Haycock, who found Smit in the circle.

Vogel, who ruled the roost in the middle of the park, was also instrumental in the second goal. She and Mila Badenhorst combined smoothly to advance into Garsfontein’s final third before Badenhorst unleashed a shot from just inside the circle.

Badenhorst’s strike was the first of two goals scored in the second chukka. The other one was Alba Lambinon’s tap-in at the far post, with Vogel providing the assist.

Lize Wiltz extended the Klofies’ lead to 4-0 in the third chukka before Mila Rodenburg made it 5-0 in the final quarter by steering the ball into the back of the net from Nicole Smuts’ reverse cross into the circle.

“The most impressive thing was that the girls turned chances into goals,” Pienaar-Geyer summarised her charges’ strong performance.

Result

Waterkloof 5-0 Garsfontein

For the past four seasons, much of the talk about schoolboy hockey has centred around the fierce Western Cape rivalry between Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) and South African College High School (SACS).

The hockey powerhouses resume their rich rivalry when they lock horns in a highly anticipated clash at the Maties AstroTurf in Stellenbosch on Wednesday. Pushback is at 18:40.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Recent meetings between the schools have been richly entertaining, delivering thrills and some jaw-dropping moments.

Last year, they met three times, and it was SACS who came out victorious on all three occasions – twice in league matches and the other time after a penalty shootout in the semi-finals of the Hibbert Shield – on their way to an unbeaten season that comprised 33 wins and two draws – against Amsterdam Hockey Club and Paarl Gimnasium – in 35 outings.

In their first match against PRG, SACS recorded a 3-1 win, thanks to a brace from Reece Theunis. Later in the year, they overcame a two-goal deficit to win the return leg 5-2.

For Paul Roos, it’s been a case of close but no cigar in the past couple of seasons.

The last time that coach Michael Baker’s side scored a victory over SACS was in the 2024 Hibbert Shield final, which they won 6-5 on penalties after the match ended 3-3.

SACS were the victors again this year in the semifinals of the Hibbert Shield, winning yet another penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.

Those stats show just how tightly contested the rivalry has been in recent years, and this season likely won’t be any different.

Both teams have been in good form and will enter the clash brimming with confidence.

SACS, after winning the prestigious Hibbert Shield for a second year running, drew 3-3 with Rondebosch Boys’ High before thumping Durbanville 6-0 and Stellenberg 5-0 in recent weeks.

They’re not the SACS juggernauts of 2023 and 2025, which were littered with stars in every position. That has led coach Sam Holmes to rely on some of his young guns to get the job done.

The upside is that the southern suburbs’ school still has its talisman, Litha Kraai, who can change the tide of a game in a split second. There is no doubt whatsoever that he will be the key in their quest to defeat PRG.

The skills of Mohlodi Maseko and the experience of Matthew Lassen, Daniel de Wet, Cameron Cordeiro, Chavez Sanger, and goalkeeper Ethan October will be useful in the heat of the battle on the Maties AstroTurf.

For PRG, who’ve recently struck a rich vein of form, Wednesday’s showdown is an opportunity to change the narrative and claim a major scalp in front of their home supporters.

Last week, the boys from Stellenbosch delivered a top-notch performance to beat Rondebosch 4-2 away from home and clinch their first win against ‘Bosch in two seasons.

Their skipper, Seth Paterson, has lit up the turf this season, and he’ll be aiming to bring his absolute best out in front of his home crowd.

Players like Ruben Gouws, Logan Lackay, and Taylor Carter, who have come up just short against SACS in the past, will carry massive motivation into the contest. They’ll be assisted by Luke van der Merwe, who has been on a strong goal-scoring run.

Defence in such a hotly contested affair is always pivotal, and both coaches will stress the importance of keeping calm heads inside the D.

The basics, discipline, and taking opportunities will also be stressed in team talks.

While much will be revealed on Wednesday, one thing is certain: it will be a cracker.

Fixture

18:40 – Paul Roos vs SACS

KwaZulu-Natal Coastal has thrown down the gauntlet by picking two competitive sides for the forthcoming SASHOC u18 Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT).

The message from the KZN u18A and u18B teams is that they are not attending the country’s premier school hockey event to make up the numbers.

Hilton College hosts the tournament from Monday, 29 June, to Saturday, 4 July.

“The goal is to compete and take the tournament as deep as possible, and hopefully that allows us to challenge for the trophy,” Harold Siyaya, the KZN Coastal u18A team’s head coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

To accomplish their goal, KZN Coastal’s think tank has selected two strong 16-member sides to fly their flag high. Their torchbearers will be an u18A team that boasts experienced campaigners and is not short of leadership acumen, with four of the 16 players serving as captains of their respective schools.

Chris Abrahams, the Durban High School (DHS) captain, leads a six-player contingent from the Horseflies that includes Eben Peters, Oyinthanda Ngenjane, Elchaan Lubbe, Jesse van Wyk, and Bonga Maphanga.

Clifton’s skipper, Ryde Brisset, is joined by three of his teammates, Georg Wolhuter, Tye Milne, and Daniel Holliday, in the provincial side. Westville captain, Tyhil Naidoo, is in the lineup along with his teammates Ethan James, Misbah Nair, and Bo Mokoena.

Kearsney captain Keegan de Jager is the sole representative of the men from Botha’s Hill, while Northwood‘s prolific striker, Luc Boyall, is the only one from the Knights.

Wolhuter, who has been exceptional between the sticks for Clifton, has goalkeeping duties. Keegan de Jager, Ethan James, Tye Milne, Eben Peters, Misbah Nair, and Oyinthanda Ngejane will form the defensive line.

Elchaan Lubbe, Tyhil Naidoo, Ryde Brisset, and Chris Abrahams will hold fort in the midfield, while Jesse van Wyk, Bonga Maphanga, Bo Mokoena, Luke Boyall, and Daniel Holliday will form the frontline tasked with scoring as many goals as possible.

KZN Coastal finished in fifth place at last year’s IPTs. Many of the selected players were part of that side, and they will be looking to tap into that experience to challenge for the title.

“We know it won’t be easy, but we’ve got an experienced group. Thirteen of the 16 players are in matric, so hopefully there will be that extra motivation to finish off their school hockey careers on a high,” Siyaya said.

The KZN Coastal u18B side was one of the four B-teams that competed in the A-section at last year’s IPT. While they put forth a brave fight, they completed their campaign in 11th place. The Angelo Walstroom-coached side will be challenging for a better final position this time around.

The selection panel picked six players from Northwood, four from DHS, three from Clifton, two from Glenwood, and one from Kearsney.

Blake Herselman, Caleb Phipson, Dean Hart, Jaiden Bramwell, Keegan Reeves, and Ryan Herselman form a large contingent from high-flying Northwood.

Keegan Brauns, Lungani Ngcobo, Matt Potgieter, and Sandi Mazibuko will bring some DHS flavour to the team, while Dan Rea, Locke Makholiso, and Nabil Bejia add some Clifton flair.

Glenwood’s fans will keep their eyes peeled for the performances of Jesse Gobey and their captain, Murray Wicks, while Dylan Forbes will give Kearsney supporters a reason to cheer.

TEAMS

KZN Coastal u18A team: Georg Wolhuter (Clifton), Keegan de Jager (Kearsney), Ethan James (Westville), Tye Milne (Clifton), Eben Peters (DHS), Misbah Nair (Westville), Oyinthanda Ngejane (DHS), Elchaan Lubbe (DHS), Tyhil Naidoo (Westville), Ryde Brisset (Clifton), Chris Abrahams (DHS), Jesse van Wyk (DHS), Bonga Maphanga (DHS), Bo Mokoena (Westville), Luke Boyall (Northwood), Daniel Holliday (Clifton).

KZN Coastal u18B team: Blake Herselman (Northwood), Caleb Phipson (Northwood), Dan Rea (Clifton), Dean Hart (Northwood), Dylan Forbes (Kearsney), Jaiden Bramwell (Northwood), Jesse Gobey (Glenwood), Keegan Brauns (DHS), Keegan Reeves (Northwood), Locke Makholiso (Clifton), Lungani Ngcobo (DHS), Matt Potgieter (DHS), Murray Wicks (Glenwood), Nabil Bejia (Clifton), Ryan Herselman (Northwood), Sandi Mazibuko (DHS).