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STADIO Higher Education has joined SA Rugby as the headline sponsor of the 2024 u18 STADIO Craven Week, which takes place from 24-29 June at Hoërskool Monument in Krugersdorp.

As part of the agreement, STADIO will make three bursaries available to the u18 Craven Week Players of the Tournament (best back, best forward, and best player of the tournament), which will enable these players access to further their studies at a tertiary level.

Furthermore, STADIO is also an associate partner of the u16 and u18 Girls Week and the u16 Grant Khomo Week.

The sponsorship underlines STADIO’s focus to support young athletes and ensure their tertiary education receives priority to unlock careers beyond rugby.

STADIO chief executive officer Chris Vorster said: “It’s very important to us that sportsmen and women prioritise their education alongside their sporting endeavours and we are proud to facilitate this process.”

“At STADIO, we believe in the future of our nation and our message has resonated profoundly since our launch three years ago.

Vorster said that STADIO placed its students at the heart of its ethos. “We take a profound interest in what our students need,” he said. “We offer higher education specially designed to meet industry requirements and to accommodate our students’ diverse lifestyles.

“We have made a difference by offering wide-ranging and affordable access to private higher education, and equipping our students to become the most empowered version of themselves.

“We pride ourselves in providing excellent support and service. We ensure that our students are important and valued while keeping things simple and focussing on what’s important.”

The partnership includes a parallel agreement with the SA Schools Rugby Association (SASRA) for STADIO to assist with education requirements of learners once they matriculate.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with SA Rugby and the SA Schools Rugby Association,” said Vorster.

Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “The alignment between STADIO’s goals and the purpose of the Youth Weeks makes for a perfect marriage and their support is highly appreciated.

“Their commitment to the tournament elevates the event for all stakeholders and we look forward to developing the relationship over coming years.”

• STADIO Higher Education, which encompasses ten academic schools, resides within STADIO Holdings, which owns two more prestigious registered higher education institutions, namely AFDA and Milpark Education.
• STADIO is also the official education partner of the Vodacom Bulls, Hollywood Bets Sharks, and DHL Western Province.

An in-form, ferocious, and motivated Grey High School side will visit Makhanda this week, intent on keeping their unbeaten record in the Eastern Cape intact when they face St Andrew’s College on Friday afternoon.

The action on the Webster Astroturf begins at 17:30.

Grey High, this season, has been a force to be reckoned with, not only in the Eastern Cape but around the country.

There was optimism surrounding the school’s hockey programme early in the season when old boy Andrew Beynon moved from Collegiate Girls’ High to take over as the Director of Hockey and coach of the 1st XI.

Since the move, Beynon has led the Grey first team to some dazzlingly impressive results, which have established the Gqeberha school as being among SA’s best on the turf in 2024.

The side was unbeaten in the pre-season at the Tony Godding Festival in East London. Then, at the highly competitive Nomads Festival, which was hosted by Maritzburg College, they repeated that feat.

They transferred that energy into their first match of the season, in which they comfortably dismantled Dale College 9-0 in Qonce, as skipper Kian Cambier, Xander Elkington, and Luke Tait all scored braces.

Beynon’s side, the week after, travelled to Cape Town to meet Wynberg Boys’ High and South African College High School (SACS) on the same weekend.

They drew 2-2 with Wynberg, and the following morning tasted defeat for the first time against SACS, going down 2-5.

That defeat was followed by a 2-3 loss at home against Paul Roos Gimnasium, in an inter-schools’ match. Grey led 2-0 before letting their advantage slip late in the contest.

Since then, Grey has lost only once, on a penalty shootout against SACS in the semi-final of the Hibbert Shield. They finished the tournament as the bronze medallists, however.

They’ve cruised to three comfortable wins, beating Queen’ College 6-0, Woodridge College 6-1, and Pearson High, in their most recent outing, 7-1.

The showdown with St Andrew’s will be their last for the term before those players selected for the provincial team head out to Bloemfontein for the SASHOC National Week next month.

To win away from home, they will look to some of their standout players to come to the fore for one last time this term.

They include Ben Ristow and Marco Giaconi, who will be key in organising matters at the back.

Captain Kian Cambier, Caden Skinnette, and Blake Muller will be pivotal in the midfield.

Meanwhile, in front of goal, Luke Tait has been scoring for fun lately and will be aiming for more of the same.

Other players to keep an eye on include Logan Goddard Ford, Caleb Humphreys, and Xander Elkington.

St Andrew’s, meanwhile, has enjoyed a strong season, and they, like Grey, were unbeaten at the Tony Godding Festival. They subsequently lost only once at the Bishops 175 Festival. They’ll be a good challenge for the visitors.

In their most recent action, they defeated Hudson Park 3-0 and overran Cambridge High School 7-1.

Players to keep a close eye on include Thando Wopula, and provincial representatives, David Semrau and Samuel Scheckter.

Other matches

In other fixtures, Hudson Park High, after a two-week break, will return to action in Komani against Queen’s College.

Hudson’s last outing was the aforementioned 0-3 loss to St Andrew’s, and they will be well-rested and keen to cause an upset at the Chris Harker AstroTurf.

In East London, Cambridge High School faces a daunting task against the high-flying Selborne College, who are led by Tre’ Gilbert. Meanwhile, Westering High School welcomes Kingswood College to Gqeberha.

Fixtures

Friday, 24 May 

17:00 – Queen’s College vs Hudson Park
17:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Grey High
18:00 – Cambridge High vs Selborne College
TBC – Westering High School vs Kingswood College

In an era where technology has enabled coaches to employ a more analytical approach, leading them to try out different tactics and adding nuances to the game, the basics cannot be forgotten. But the access to information has proved to be, especially at the professional level, integral to the success of teams.

Others draw their inspiration from the top clubs and coaches, so it is natural that academy and school coaches strive to take a leaf out of the leading teams’ and coaches’ playbooks.

Sometimes, the successes this leads to can also undermine the progress of young players, who get caught up in the results, but left behind in terms of their development.

Football at the academy and school level is, after all, about equipping young players with the basics of the game, with technique featuring as a crucial aspect of their development.

Lunga Nobela, the head coach of the Mamelodi Sundowns‘ u13 boys’ squad, knows which approach he favours. He is adamant that the success of the Sundowns’ academy is due to its focus on technique over tactics.

“What we focus on the most is the technique. The moment players are good technically, then we believe that they can play anywhere,” Nobela told SuperSport Schools during the third episode of the Football on 216 show.

“We don’t think about tactics a lot, because any coach has his own tactics, but the moment you work on your technique, fine-tune it, and get everything right in your technique, then it’s easy for you to feature any tactic. We believe the technique is able to influence the tactic.

“If you look closely, you will see that Sundowns plays a possession-based game and for you to be able to keep the ball you have to be good technically. Right from the goalkeeper to the forwards, you have to be good technically to fit our style of play,” he explained.

Nobela’s side recently was on the wrong end of a humbling 2-3 defeat at the hands of the mighty Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs.

That was, however, the only loss suffered by Sundowns’ during the 13^th round of fixtures of the Gauteng Development League when the clubs’ u13s, u15s, u17s and u19s locked horns at Clapham High School on the weekend.

Despite the loss, Nobela remains positive, citing the improvement that he witnessed in his group of players during an intense clash.

“It was one of the biggest games that we’ve played in. It was very intense. I was saying to my colleagues that we can play these kinds of games week-in and week-out because that’s how the boys are going to develop,” he said.

“Whenever the games are intense, it also challenges us to sit down and analyse the next opponents, because you know you will find the same intensity from your next opponents. To be honest, the boys did very well.

“Yes, we created opportunities, and we did not convert. In football, it’s like that. If you don’t take the opportunities you create, then chances are you will lose the game. That’s what we saw. Chiefs created chances and used their chances. But performance-wise it was a good game.

“That game also gives us homework. We now have to go back, sit down and think about the next game to see how we are going to improve from here.

“Each and every game, the boys are improving and that’s what we want to see from them. It’s not only about getting results but also about getting improvements from the boys.”

Up next, Sundowns travels to the Greek Sporting Club to take on Joburg City on Saturday, 25 May.

Full Results

 

 

 

The South African u15 national boys’ and girls’ teams arrived in Zanzibar on Monday morning, ahead of their participation in the CAF African Schools Championships for a third year in succession.

The Schools Championships will be held from 21-24 May, and the South African sides, after winning the COSAFA title in Zimbabwe in December 2023, have their sights set on lifting the trophies.

Head coach of the girls’ national team, Ntombifuthi Khumalo, expressed her excitement at representing the country for a third consecutive time.

“I believe we have a world class group of players who can dominate youth football on the continent,” she said. “We have had a great week of training and I believe that we will showcase the quality of football we have in South Africa.

“This group is very special, and they keep getting better every day, so we are looking forward to competing in the 2024 CAF African Schools Championships.

“We believe that we can win the tournament and also build a squad that will represent us in the next group of the u17 women’s national team.”

u15 Girls’ Squad

Asanda Ziqubu, Andiswa Zuma, Thando Mokgabudi, Siphumelele Zibula, Alwande Mbatha, Lethuthando Mthembu, Akhona Simamane, Nomfundo Nzuza, Londiwe Zikalala, Katlego Malebane, Rethabile Molefe, Khwezi Khoza, Okuhle Sithole, Mpumelelo Mazibuko

u15 Boys’ Squad

Sabrie Losper, Aidan February, Hayden Booysen, Bomibethu Mangcaka, Callen Robinson, Joshua Langeveldt, Inganathi Simama, Akhanani Hlahatsi, Ishaam Tilling, Jordan Hope, Rhys Ferguson, Someleze Msweli, Connor Fransman, Reece Filande, Cayden Cole Martins, Tristen O’Malley, Jordan Smith

PRETORIA – Hoërskool Zwartkop se wendroogte van agt jaar in hul jaarlikse FNB Classic Clashes-kragmeting met Hoërskool Eldoraigne is iets van die verlede.

Die Zwarries dra vir die volgende jaar die kroon van Centurion, nadat hulle vir hul tradisionele aartsvyand met 22-16 verslaan het.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Die Zwarries het, in ‘n klipharde kragmeting, genoeg in die eerste 35 minute gedoen om teen rustyd met 19-11 voor te loop, en kon na die omdraaislag daarin slaag om voor te bly tot die einde toe.

Die tweede helfte het slegs ‘n strafdoel en ‘n drie opgelewer, met albei spanne wat rotsvas verdedig het. Dit ly geen twyfel dat daar na dese ‘n paar seer lywe in Centurion is nie.

Die Zwarries het voorlangs die stryd gewen. Agsteman, Brian Smith, en slot, Logan Knott, het die groot skare vermaak met hulle fisieke benadering en reuse duikslae. Die duo was ook aan die spits van die Zwarries se aanval, met ‘n drie elk, en het aggressiewe ondersteuning in die middeveld ontvang van buitesenter, Kyle Blignaut.

Die besoekers het nietemin hand en tand geveg om in die wedloop te bly, met oopkantflank, Cameron Killian, wat met sy terugkeer na die span uitmuntend was by die afbreekpunte. Slot, SW Liebenberg, wat vanjaar reeds bykans in elke posisie in die skrum diens verrig het, het, saam met Killian, ‘n barshou vir die Drake gespeel.

Skrumskakel, Darren Bruwer, het uiteindelik ook sy vorm herwin en waarskynlik sy beste vertoning van die seisoen gelewer. Bruwer se taktiese skopwerk het die tuisspan deurgaans laat omdraai, terwyl hy ook die Zwarrie-verdedigers gedurig aan die raai gehou het om die skrums en losskrums.

Puntemakers: 

Zwartkop 22 (19) – Drieë: Brian Smith, Logan Knott, Kyle Blignaut. Doelskoppe: Luhardt Booyens (2). Strafdoel: Booyens. Eldoraigne 16 (11) – Drieë: Rikus Rheeder, Marnus Prinsloo.

Ander spanne:

o.16: Zwartkop 71, Eldoraigne 0.

o.15: Zwartkop 16, Eldoraigne 13.

o.14: Zwartkop 24, Eldoraigne 3.

Die Sandveld-liga het die afgelope naweek weer ‘n rugbyskouspel opgelewer, met ‘n paar klipharde kragmetings en ook volop drieë.

Hoërskool Henneman het beïndruk met ‘n naelskraapse sege van 20-17 oor Hoërskool Bultfontein.

Die tuisspan se vurige flank, Tjaart Gravett, het altwee hul drieë gedruk, wat deur losskakel, Travis van Wyk, verdoel is. Heelagter, Siya Khaba, het ook twee strafdoele oorgeklits, wat op die ou end die verskil tussen wen of verloor beteken het.

Wessel Maree het ook met slegs drie punte teen Hoërskool Riebeeckstad geseëvier. Die besoekers van Odendaalsrus het ses drieë gedruk vir hul oorwinning van 30-27, teenoor die tuisspan se drie, maar Miguel Maasdorp se geoefende skopskoen het sy span deurgaans binne trefafstand gehou.

Riebeeckstad se binnesenter, Kannanelo Moshoaliba, het weer uitgeblink en ‘n tweekuns behaal, maar Wessel Maree se vleuel, Thato Lebitso, se twee, sowel as drieë deur Kagiso Plaatjie, Nhlanhla Busakle, Kabelo Oliphant en Kananello Mabelle, was genoeg om oorwinning vir die besoekers te verseker.

Wilgerivier en Hoërskool Hoopstad het hul spiere gebult, en die drieë ingeryg, teen onderskeidelik HTS Welkom en Hoërskool Bothaville.

Die Wilgies het vir die span van Welkom met 63-0 oorrompel. Heelagter, Marnus Swart, het behoorlik amok gesaai op die teenaanval en vier keer agter die doellyn gaan draai, terwyl die Hopies se ster-buitesenter, Hennie Barnard, nóg twee drieë tot sy naam gevoeg in sy span se spogsege van 33-0 oor Bothaville.

Puntemakers:

Henneman 20 – Drieë: Tjaart Gravett (2). Doelskop: Travis van Wyk (2). Strafdoele: Siya Khaba (2). Bultfontein 17.

Wessel Maree 30 – Drieë: Thato Lebitso (2), Kagiso Plaatjie, Nhlanhla Busakle, Kabelo Oliphant, Kananello Mabelle.  Riebeeckstad 27 – Drieë: Kannanelo Moshoaliba (2), Amos Moleleki. Doelskoppe: Miguel Maasdorp (3). Strafdoele: Maasdorp (2).

Wilgerivier 63 – Drieë: Marnus Swart (4), Eduardu Muller, Gertin Terblanche, Pedri Graaff, Jannie Havenga, Drihan Engelbrecht, Bokang Motaung, Wian Muller. Doelskoppe: Graaff (2), Muller, Thlompo Motsapi. HTS Welkom 0.

Hoopstad 33 – Drieë: Hennie Barnard (2), Christo van Rooyen, FP Graham, Busi Mfebe. Doelskoppe: Mfebe (4). Bothaville 0.

SECUNDA –  Hoërskool Die Anker het Saterdag bitter naby daaraan gekom om te vergoed vir ‘n pynlike nederlaag van 17-18 in Secunda twee jaar gelede. Hoërskool Secunda het egter genoegsaam wal gegooi om nóg ‘n naelskraapse oorwinning te verseker.

Die twee spanne het mekaar met mening die stryd aangesê in hul Skild-wedstryd in vanjaar se SDC Noordvaal Cup. Dit was, soos verwag, ‘n uiters fisieke kragmeting, met die tuisspan wat uiteindelik met 25-21 kon seëvier.

Teen rustyd was die telling nog gelykop met 7-7 en was dit duidelik dat die toeskouers maar kon regskuif vir ‘n senutergende tweede helfte. Die klipharde dryfspel en groot duikslae voorlangs was derhalwe selfs meer verwoed ná die omdraaislag.

Die tuisspan se oopkantflank, Zander van der Merwe, het moue opgerol en die lewe geweldig moeilik gemaak vir die besoekers by die afbreekpunte. Van der Merwe was soos ‘n wafferse Jack Russel agter ‘n tennisbal aan en het keer op keer omgekeerde balbesit bewerkstellig.

Die besoekers se steelkantflank, Xander Fraser, en slot, Gerhard Oosthuizen, het die pap ook dik aangemaak en verál hul stempel afgedruk in die vastelos,

Agterlangs het die snellers mekaar deurgaans met venynige aanvalslyne uitgedaag en die tweestryd tussen in die middelveld was verál iets om te aanskou. Secunda se, buitesenter, Ryan Erasmus het dikwels deur die kleinste moontlike spasie gesny om oor die voordeellyn te kom, terwyl Die Anker se, binnesenter, Brandon Crous vir Secunda se middeveld besig gehou het met sy kragtige barslopies.

Die tuisspan se verdediging het egter sterk gestaan teen die einde om die aanslag van die Brakpanse span suksesvol af te weer.

Hoërskool Wesvalia het, in Heidelberg, so hittete die eerste keer bloedneus gekry in vanjaar se reeks. Die span van Klerksdorp het in die doodsnikke daarin geslaag om vir Heidelberg Volkskool met 34-28 te troef.

Die Wessies se steelkantflank, Francois Dumond, het weer gewys hoekom die provinsiale keurders op hom besluit het om die Luiperds se nr. 7-trui te dra by vanjaar se Cravenweek, en het ‘n briljante tweekuns behaal.

Die Volkies, het ondergewoonte nooit tou op gegooi nie en keer op keer aanvalle geloods wat die besoekers gedwing het om te keer vir ‘n vale. Hul ervare losskakel, Kayle Venter, was uitstaande en het, nes Dumond, twee keer agter die doellyn gaan kuier en ook met ‘n doelskop en twee strafdoele geslaag om 18 van sy span se 28 punte by te dra.

In Tzaneen was Hoërskool Hugenote van Springs té sterk vir Hoërskool Ben Vorster om hul segetog in die reeks voort te sit met ‘n sprankelende sege van 38-7. Buitesenter, Vian van Dyk, het die Buffels se middeveld deurentyd onder druk geplaas en ook by twee geleenthede deurgebreek vir drieë.

Hoërskool Lichtenburg kon, na ‘n verbete terugvegpoging, herrys uit die as met ‘n oorwinning van 40-33 oor Hoërskool Jeugland. Die Liggies het teen rustyd ‘n agterstand van 12-26 in die gesig gestaar.

Vaskopstut, JJ Jonker, was ‘n reus in die voorspelerstryd met sy hoë werkverrigting en energieke dryfspel, en is ook met ‘n tweekuns beloon.

Puntemakers: 

Hoërskool Secunda 25 (7) – Drieë: Zander van der Merwe, Brink la Grange, Bismarck Jansen. Doelskoppe: Damian de Beer (2). Strafdoele: De Beer (2). Die Anker 21 (7) – Drieë: Xander Fraser, Danie Smit, Brandon Crous. Doelskoppe: Xavier Erasmus (4).

Wesvalia 34 (13) – Drieë: Francois Dumond (2), Junior Kuhn, Xander Smit. Doelskoppe: Rickardt van Heerden (4). Strafdoele: Van Heerden (4). Heidelberg Volkskool 28 (11) – Drieë: Kayle Venter (2), Juan de Villiers, Stefan Botha. Doelskop: Kayle Venter. Strafdoele: Venter (2).

Hugenote (Springs) 38 (14) – Drieë: Vian van Dyk (4), Xavier Ungerer, Arné Marais, Hendrik Eybers. Doelskoppe: Corné Pretorius (4). Ben Vorster 7 (0) – Drie: Stiaan du Randt. Doelskop: Pontsho Selowa.

Hoërskool Lichtenburg 40 (12) – Drieë: JJ Jonker (2), Albert Joubert, Rea Motsusi, Abrie Coetzee, Dundré Dempers. Doelskoppe: Albert Joubert (5). Jeugland 33 (26).

Ander spanne: 

o.16: Hoërskool Secunda 14, Die Anker 5; Heidelberg Volkies 36, Wesvalia 5; Ben Vorster 41, Hugenote (Springs) 19; Jeugland 26, Lichtenburg 3.

o.15: Die Anker 17, Hoërskool Secunda 15; Heidelberg Volkies 29, Wesvalia 17; Ben Vorster 29, Hugenote (Springs) 12; Jeugland 32, Lichtenburg 29.

o.14: Die Anker 12, Hoërskool Secunda; Wesvalia 38, Heidelberg Volkies 8; Ben Vorster 46, Hugenote (Springs) 0; Lichtenburg 24, Jeugland 5.

Rhenish Girls’ High further asserted themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in the country this season when they overwhelmed Fairmont High School 10-0 in one of the most highly anticipated of the weekend’s girls’ matches in the Western Cape.

The Stellenbosch-based side headed into the game with confidence after an impressive All Girls Festival showing in Potchefstroom earlier this month.

There, coach Chris Gerber’s troops finished in second spot, going down 2-3 in a penalty shootout against Pretoria’s Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool after the teams had finished regulation time in the final level at 0-0.

Before the All Girls Festival, Rhenish had only tasted defeat once, and it was a 0-1 loss, at the hands of Paarl Gimnasium during the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival last month.

Despite those setbacks, Rhenish has been superb this season and, at times, has looked unplayable, scoring goals with ease while remaining rock-solid at the back.

Before their Friday night clash, they took on Herschel Girls School in a mid-week encounter and won 2-0.

Against Fairmont, they came up against an unpredictable side that’s been searching for consistency in 2024.

In their two fixtures preceding the Rhenish game, coach Jarryd Curran‘s side defeated Stellenbosch 5-0 and drew 0-0 with DF Malan.

They were, however, blown away by Rhenish. Ruby Cilliers opened the scoring with a field goal early in the match and the floodgates opened up after that strike. The Stellenbosch girls were superb under the lights.

Sarah-Ellen Groenewald then netted twice, firstly with a drag flick from a PC, which was followed by a field goal. Grace Hobbs added three of her own, Leah du Plessis bagged a double, and Montana de Kock and Nicola van der Merwe added further goals as Rhenish posted an emphatic 10-0 win.

Rhenish remains unbeaten in Western Cape competition this season, and it’ll take a special effort to dent that record.

In another highly anticipated clash on Friday, Paarl Girls’ High was victorious against La Rochelle.

Girls’ High, just like Rhenish, participated in the All Girls Festival. They finished fourth in Potchefstroom, which was the second best of the Western Cape sides at the event.

Last week, they took on Somerset College, and shared a 1-1 draw, with Halle Williams finding the back of the net in that game.

They were a different side against La Rochelle. Clinical in front of goal, they netted 10 goals, while keeping a clean sheet.

Lisa Craven scored a hattrick, Halle Williams contributed a brace, and Charlotte Louw, Nina Cilliers, Cassie Fairbairn, Rouxnè Pentz, and Nika Pretorius each scored once.

On Saturday, Paarl Gimnasium defeated HMS Bloemhof 2-0 at home with Anya Swanepoel, and Tanya Pieterse grabbing the goals for Gim.

RESULTS

Worcester Gimnasium 1-2 Strand
Paarl Girls’ High 10-0 La Rochelle
Parel Vallei 1-0 Somerset College
Rustenburg Girls’ High 0-2 Springfield Convent School
Rhenish Girls’ High 10-0 Fairmont High School
Herschel Girls School 1-0 Stellenberg High
Melkbosstrand 1-2 Brackenfell
Paarl Gimnasium 2-0 HMS Bloemhof

Luan Giliomee took centre stage again in Ceres on the weekend, slotting a last-minute penalty from more than 50m out, to keep Charlie Hofmeyr‘s perfect record intact with a 30-27 win over Swartland.

Relive all of the action on SuperSport Schools 

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Charlies started the game strongly, outscoring the visitors 17-9 in the first half after tries by Izha-vin van Wyk and Daniel Bakkes.

Swartland’s outstanding centre, Carlo van der Merwe, kept them within striking range, with his educated boot contributing 17 points to his side’s total off the kicking tee.

After the break, Kailen Kotze and Tyrese Barlow scored tries for the visitors, and Van der Merwe drove them into a 24-20 lead with 20 minutes left to play.

The home team’s electric inside centre, Philip du Plessis, regained the lead for Charlies in the 58th minute, combining with Giliomee for the umpteenth time this season to unlock the defence.

When Van der Merwe levelled the scores again, with less than five minutes to play, it looked like the visitors might secure a draw, but Giliomee stepped up to take the winning kick from within his own half.

Giliomee, in an earlier interview with SuperSport Schools Plus, had said he admired Handré Pollard‘s ability to land clutch kicks under pressure. On Saturday, he emulated the Springbok flyhalf’s excellence in the biggest moments.

Meanwhile, a spirited second-half-comeback saw Bellville THS claim a spectacular win against Parel Vallei.

The Somerset West outfit led 19-5 at halftime, having executed their set pieces well while sticking to their structures.

The Bellville boys kept hammering away at the visitors, though, and a hat-trick by their livewire outside centre, Gladewyne Magala, brought them back into the contest in the second stanza.

The halfback pairing of Conner Smith and Chad Rinquest was equally exciting, with both going over for five-pointers, and Smith struck a magnificent drop goal to give his team a 29-27 lead with about three minutes to go.

Porterville‘s big no. 8, Joshua Steenkamp, also crossed for three tries as they thumped Jan van Riebeeck 76-3.

Robertson kept their impressive run of form alive with a 49-32 victory over Hermanus.

Jaydan van Niekerk starred at flyhalf for the Robbies again, and their nippy winger, Winsor de Koker, breached the Hermanus defence twice to help drive his side to victory.

Melkbosstrand had just enough to edge past Hottentots-Holland 18-17 in another thriller on Saturday.

The stage had been set for an exciting weekend of schoolboy rugby on Friday evening, when Worcester Gimnasium and Hoërskool Strand battled to a 31-31 stalemate.

The contest might not have produced a winner, but it did produce another magnificent display of the exciting running brand of rugby both schools take pride in, and their supporters were entertained to the final moments.

Strand’s fiery flanker, Ashraf Fanie, scored twice to help them fight back from a 17-31 deficit.

SCORERS

Charlie Hofmeyr 30 (17) – Tries: Izha-vin van Wyk, Daniel Bakkes, Philip du Plessis. Conversions: Luan Giliomee (3). Penalties: Giliomee (3). Swartland 27 (9) – Tries: Kailen Kotze, Tyrese Barlow. Conversion: Carlo van der Merwe. Penalties: Van der Merwe (5)

Bellville THS 34 (5) – Tries: Gladewyne Magala (3), Chad Rinquest, Conner Smith. Conversions: Carter Ryk (3). Drop goal: Smith. Parel Vallei 27 (19) – Tries: Luchen Meyer, Andre Engelbrecht, Iviwe Majingo, Renato Tosi. Conversions: Shudley Rhoda (2). Penalty: Meyer.

Porterville 76 – Tries: Joshua Steenkamp (3), Brenden September (2), MacAllistair Boer (2), Linrique Mason, Dandre Killian, Henre Blom, Krynauw Marais, Arno Venter. Conversions: Boer (8). Jan van Riebeeck 3.

Robertson 49 – Tries: Winsor de Koker (2), Jaydan van Niekerk, Kyle Cedras, Tyron Matthys, Groban van Wyk. Doelskoppe: Van Niekerk (5). Strafdoelle: Van Niekerk (3). Hermanus 32.

Hoërskool Overberg 40 – Tries: Pieter du Toit, Johan Beukes, Favian Arendse, Bradwill Mackenzie, Franco Griessel, Jade Macpherson. Dirkie Uys 7.

Labori 31 – Tries: Christiaan Kershoff (2), Joshua Gempies (2), Miguel Britz. Doelskoppe: Xavier Bothma (2). Wellington High 0.

Worcester Gimnasium 31 – Tries: Alungile Mothibe, Wilfred Slingers, Lukewin van Heerden, Waylan Pienaar, Armand Croeser. Conversions: Lohenzel Jansen (3). Strand 31 – Tries: Ashraf Fanie (2), Justin Phillips, Roeben Robinson, Lyle Julies. Conversions: Tyron Nicholas (2), Jaydan Steenkamp.

Other results

u19 – Melkbosstrand 18, Hoërskool Hottentots-Holland 17; Augsburg 32, Curro Langebaan 28; Bergvliet 17, Camps Bay High School 7.

Jeppe High School for Boys reclaimed the Aitken Cup, the symbol of hockey supremacy in Johannesburg, on Sunday evening at St Stithians, winning 2-0 against Parktown Boys’ High in the final.

It was the first time that Parktown had made the title-decider since 2010. During those years, Jeppe had dominated the event and won it six times in succession until 2023, when Saints ended their reign.

Sunday’s clash was a nerve-wracking affair for both sides.

In the early going, the teams went through a process of pushing and probing for potential avenues of offence. The first significant attack came from Jeppe, with Ethan Kapanda threatening, but Parktown kept matters tight at the back.

Another flowing Jeppe attack was halted in the sixth minute, and Parktown counterattacked strongly, with Khanyisa Kraai challenging the Zebras‘ defence.

The first chukka ended with a sharp attack from Jeppe, but a brilliant interception from Nicholas Townsend stopped the danger.

In the second chukka, coach Kyle Reddy‘s Parktown adopted a more direct approach, which also served to blunt Jeppe’s attack. The Kensington boys stayed compact and created an opportunity, but the outstanding Kraai turned over possession.

Parktown, then, won two penalty corners, one after another. On the re-award, Joshua Renders pulled off a brilliant save in the Jeppe goal.

“When two good teams go up against each other, the game will be decided on small margins,” Reddy commented. “Jeppe defended us well. Every time we changed our athletes, every time we changed our pace, they adapted to it very well. Well done to them.”

Two minutes into the third chukka, Jeppe broke the deadlock from a penalty corner. Juan Martin struck, beating the goalkeeper to his left with a fantastic flick, to put his side 1-0 ahead.

Despite being down by a goal, Parktown remained solid, with Kraai, at the back, ruling the roost.

Later in the chukka, Parktown won a penalty corner, but the execution wasn’t there, and the whistle sounded with Jeppe 1-0 to the good, with one more chukka to play.

It had been 14 years since Parktown played for the silverware and they were not about to bow out without having given it their all. They came out firing in the final chukka and received another short corner after four minutes.

Kraai’s shot was saved, but Parktown picked up the ball off of the rebound. Another shot, another exceptional stop from Renders, and Jeppe’s clean sheet remained intact.

Back and forth it went, with the defences continually finding answers to the questions asked of them. Parktown almost found a way through, but Ethan Kapanda showed off his defensive prowess to stymie them once more.

In a desperate move to create more opportunities, Parktown removed their ‘keeper and added another player in the field. Jeppe’s resistance didn’t falter.

Then, with seven seconds left, the Zebras won one last penalty corner. Juan Martin slotted again, doubling his personal haul and that of his team, to secure the title for Jeppe.

Afterwards, Jeppe coach Siya Sityana commented: “I feel very relieved because we have had a tough season.

“Last year, we lost in finals. This year, we had to avoid making that a tradition. My team had to break that, and they played very well. They got better throughout the tournament.”

Parktown coach Kyle Reddy said: “It was quite a good game. It was tactical.

“I think both teams played with their entire hearts and souls. Jeppe took advantage of the few chances they had and are well-deserved winners,” he told Supersport Schools Plus.

The victory brought Jeppe’s haul to 18 titles in the 47-year history of the Aitken Cup. Parktown’s record remains static on 11 titles, tied with King Edward VII.

Jeppe also claimed the u16 honours, winning the Top Eight competition after a shootout against KES.

KES, though, won the Boden Trophy, taking the u15 title after a 2-1 win over Jeppe.