Vusi Moyo passes the ball for the Junior Springboks vs Fiji at Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town on 26 May 2026. Photo: SA Rugby.
Vusi Moyo, who captained the Junior Springboks on Tuesday, hailed his side’s growing maturity and cohesion after their second big victory of the U20 International Series, over Fiji at Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town.
The SA u20s led 56-11 at halftime and went on to beat Fiji 82–25, producing a dominant attacking display and running in 12 tries.
However, Moyo and Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote admitted there are still areas to refine as they build towards the Junior World Championship, which kicks off in a month’s time in Georgia.
“We spoke a lot this week about having a strong Test-match mentality and improving our maturity in how we manage the game, and I think that definitely showed today,” said Moyo. “The guys are excited for what’s ahead and to show how good this team can be.”
Moyo, who led from the front and played a full 80 minutes for the second week running, said the focus remains on building cohesion, fitness, and consistency across the squad.
The Junior Bok playmaker slotted 11 of his 12 conversions and again contributed 22 points to the team’s total, just like he did last week against Chile.
Reflecting on his leadership journey, Moyo highlighted the influence of senior players and the strong culture within the group: “I’ve learned a lot from the leaders around me, such as Riley (Norton) and Esethu (Mnebelele), and I’m just trying to implement what I’ve gained.”
Moyo, who is in his second season with the Junior Boks, is also excited about the current crop of players in the SA u20 squad: “We’ve got a special group. The bond in this team is something I really value, and I am enjoying myself.”
Despite the commanding scoreline, Moyo acknowledged a slight lapse of concentration late in the match, which allowed Fiji to capitalise with a few tries.
“That’s something we’ll definitely look at,” he said. “It’s an area we can go back and work on. But Fiji deserves credit as they tested us, and that’s important for our growth.”
Foote echoed Moyo’s sentiments, praising the squad’s depth, character, and steady improvement: “We’ve got a lot of depth in this group. Players are really putting their hands up across the board.”
The Junior Bok coach also noted that while the team controlled large portions of the exciting contest, there is still work to be done in maintaining focus for the full 80 minutes.
With Georgia next on the schedule on Saturday at Paul Roos Gymnasium‘s Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch, Foote confirmed that rotation will continue as they balance performance with squad development: “We will make changes. It’s been important for us to expose players and build depth.
“Georgia will be physical and passionate, and it’s another great step for us as we build towards the Junior World Champs.”
Luan Giliomee runs with the ball for the Junior Springboks vs Fiji u20 at Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town on 26 May 2026. Photo: SA Rugby.
The Junior Springboks recorded their second big score of the U20 International Series when they beat Fiji 82-25 (half-time 56-11) at Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon, with Luan Giliomee celebrating his return to the team with a hat-trick of tries, while Vusi Moyo again landed 11 conversions.
Last week, the SA u20s beat Chile 97-0 and, apart from a few soft moments, especially in the second half, they were yet again full value as they step up their preparations for the Junior World Championship, which kicks off in a month.
The Junior Boks, who scored 12 tries on Tuesday, conceded a couple of breakdowns, a try and two penalty goals, but dominated the first half, mixing up their play between physicality up front and slick attack at the back, while also dominating the scrums and lineouts.
Such was their dominance that the SA u20s scored eight converted tries before the break, with Luan Giliomee crossing in the second and 41st minutes, while Gert Kemp was driven over twice from lineouts, with the Fijians providing hardly any resistance.
Quintin Potgieter also scored from a lineout drive before Christian Vorster and Luke Cannon added their names to the first-half score sheet to make it 28-5 after 21 minutes.
JD Hattingh‘s 37th-minute maul try was almost a carbon copy of Kemp’s two efforts in the eight minutes before, and to add insult to injury, Moyo, the SA u20 captain on the day, was perfect from the tee.
Giliomee completed his hat-trick early in the second half, and Moyo missed his first (and only) kick of the game, but it was clear the Fijians were given a proper half-time talk as they came out firing. The visitors tested the Junior Boks’ defence and even won two consecutive scrum penalties, but their finishing in the red zone let them down.
Fifteen minutes after the break, the Junior Boks scored their second try of the half when Bongani Dlamini crashed over after some fluent attacking play, as the Fijian revival seemed to be over.
Luann Olivier then went over, again from a rolling maul, with Moyo’s 10th conversion bringing up 75 points for the SA u20s, who had now clearly taken back control of the match.
It was short-lived, though, as Fiji bounced back, working their way upfield before referee Dylen November awarded the visitors a penalty try for a maul infringement from Altus Rabe, who was duly sent to the sin-bin.
Parity in player numbers was restored a bit later when a Fijian player was red-carded for a dangerous tackle and, from the resulting penalty, Jaythen Orange scored a well-deserved try, the Junior Boks’ 12th five-pointer with 10 minutes to go.
Apete Rokosuka scored Fiji’s third try when he went over in the right-hand corner, but that was the last score of the match, in which the visitors can hold their heads high for their second-half effort.
In the first match of the day, Georgia beat a resurgent Chile 59-26.
On Saturday, the final round of matches will be played at Paul Roos Gymnasium‘s Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch. At 14;30, the SA u20s take on Georgia, while Fiji and Chile will bring the U20 International Series to a close. Their match kicks off at 16:30.
Scorers
Junior Springboks 82 (56) – Tries: Luan Giliomee (3), Quintin Potgieter, Christian Vorster, Luke Cannon, Gert Kemp (2), JD Hattingh, Bongani Dlamini, Luann Olivier, Jaythen Orange. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (11).
St Andrew’s College scored four tries against Grey High but fell to a 20-point defeat on Saturday in Makhanda. Photo: St Andrew’s College on Facebook.
Grey High produced a commanding performance up front to comfortably quell the challenge of St Andrew’s College, winning their clash 42-22 on Lower Field in Makhanda on Saturday.
The visitors laid down a marker early on, with flank Sibonelo Stuurman crossing for his first try after only a couple of minutes.
From there, they never relinquished their grip on the proceedings, despite the best efforts of St Andrew’s, well led by their skipper, Sivatho Mjali.
Not even two yellow cards at one stage derailed Grey’s march to victory, although St Andrew’s scored one of their four tries in that period to make sure the game was interestingly poised at 14-7 to Grey at halftime.
Hardworking prop Mark Ewing was the scorer of that try and, later in the second half, he repeated that determined effort, barging over for a second time.
That took the score to 21-12 – hooker Micah Wessels had crossed for Grey – but every time the home team put points on the board, Grey answered with a scoring riposte of their own.
This time it was big lock Jean Nel who crashed over as Grey showed patience with their constant driving from mauls close to the St Andrew’s try line. It was supremely relentless, and St Andrew’s found it difficult to counter.
The Andreans were always in the hunt, though, and tries by Avu Bangazi and Josh van Zyl kept their supporters interested. Grey High, though, was able to hit back regularly, and pressure from the maul saw Stuurman and Blake Parker add further tries to take the visitors out to a comfortable margin of victory.
Back at flyhalf after overcoming an injury, Nathan Trytsman assisted the Grey cause by slotting six conversions, while St Andrew’s star Will Stevens lacked his usual accuracy, kicking only one of four conversions and also missing a penalty.
In two remarkable finishes, Marlow Agricultural scored a try on the hooter to draw 25-25 with Nico Malan in Cradock, and Daniel Pienaar slotted a conversion kick with less than a minute remaining to share the honours with Despatch, 18-18.
Marlow dominated the early stages of their match against Nico Malan, running in tries by Marcus September and Logan van Vuuren within the first nine minutes to shoot out to a 14-0 lead.
After that, the match was in the balance as Nico Malan fought back. In fact, it was Marlow who needed to come from behind to claim a share of the spoils.
In response to conceding those early tries, Nico Malan hit back with a potent burst through the Marlow defence by flank Callie de Lange and a penalty from Leighton Lawrence, who left the Humansdorp school trailing 8-14 at the break.
In the second half, there was never much in it, but the visitors looked to have seized the initiative when lock Ruben van Dijk and wing Reagan Stone bounded over for late tries in the 64th and 67th minutes, turning a 15-20 deficit into a handy 25-20 lead.
Marlow, though, refused to throw in the towel. From a penalty close to the Nico Malan line, they set up a driving maul and eventually Sinqobile Siyengo powered his way over for the score-equalling try.
Then it was left to the conversion to win it for Marlow, but to the home team’s anguish, the effort slid wide of the posts, and the contest ended in a stalemate.
The Daniel Pienaar Tigerswere forced to come from behind against Despatch to force a draw.
Down 11-18, with time running out, they closed the gap to two points with their second try of the match. Corbelle Claasen then stepped up to the tee and slotted the conversion, making it 18-18, with the final whistle sounding shortly afterwards.
In other games, Kingswood had too much firepower for Port Rex, charging to a 66-7 win, while Brandwag set up a 31-10 victory over Westering by dominating the first half to lead 26-0 at the break.
Westering redeemed themselves in the second period with two tries, but the gap was too large to close.
Scorers
Grey High 42 (14) – Tries: Sibonelo Stuurman (2), Zola Yeye, Micah Wessels, Jean Nel, Blake Parker. Conversions: Nathan Trytsman (6). St Andrew’s College 22 (7) – Tries: Mark Ewing (2), Avu Bangazi, Josh van Zyl. Conversion: Will Stevens
Marlow Agricultural 25 (14) – Tries: Logan van Vuuren, Marcus September, Sinqobile Siyengo. Penalties: Cole Hurter (2). Conversion: Hurter. Nico Malan 25 (8) – Tries: Callie de Lange, Luciano Botha, Ruben van Dijk, Reagan Stone. Penalty: Leighton Lawrence. Conversion: Lawrence.
Daniel Pienaar 18 – Tries: Cariston Mapoe, Zinzile Mtotywa. Penalties: Corbelle Claasen (2). Conversion: Claasen. Despatch: not available
Brandwag 31 (26) – Tries: Franku Fouche, Hannes Klopper, Darren Gardener, Rezanio Petrus, Waymen Sinden. Conversions: Petrus (3). Westering 10 (0) – not available.
Queen’s College finished strongly to douse a lively Hudson Park High challenge at the Rec Ground. Photo: Queen’s College on Facebook.
Queen’s College overcame some moments of anxiety with 19 minutes remaining before going on to score a solid 40-22 victory in a well-contested encounter against Hudson ParkHigh at the Rec Ground in Komani on Saturday.
The home team led 20-14 at the break, but then had to watch as Hudson took control of the early part of the second half.
By the 51st minute, the visitors led 22-20, after adding eight points without reply.
The Queenians, however, regrouped admirably. A few minutes later, they scored from a rolling maul before hooker Nande Tiwani produced one of the highlights of the match when he found himself in space and sprinted some 30 metres for another try.
That lifted the home side into a 34-22 lead, providing them with some much-needed daylight. Queen’s flyhalf Bongo Nyakaza then made sure of victory by kicking two more penalties.
Nyakaza made a telling contribution with his boot, slotting four conversions and four penalties for a personal tally of 20 points.
Other tries for Queen’s came from Zino Lali, Ncutu Kepe and Zimi Deleki.
Following an early try by scrumhalf Zizibele Mtongwana, Hudson crossed again in the 11th minute, with their big centre Athan Gravett making a superb break to put Mtongwana in again under the posts.
In the second half, wing Cwenga Bityo beat the cover defence for another good try, while he also added 10 points with the boot.
At Ooskus Gymnasium, Stirling High came from behind, scoring a late try to edge out the home side 19-18, while, in other matches, Selborne and Dale scored big wins.
For Stirling, Iyazi Mbhele crossed for a hat-trick of tries. Crucially, two of those were converted.
Selborne played a midweek fixture against Port Rex and had too much class for their opponents. Loose forward Travis Enslin enjoyed a field day, running in four tries in a 60-10 victory. Selborne led 34-0 at the break
Similarly, Dale set up their 59-7 win over Cambridge High at the Graveyard in Qonce by jumping out to a 33-0 lead at halftime.
Mia Perold, affectionately known as DJ Mia, knows when to increase or slow down the tempo. Photo: Supplied.
Mia Perold understands that low morale impedes good performances. So, the Hoërskool Waterkloof captain takes it upon herself to lift her teammates’ spirits on and off the field.
Those efforts have earned her a moniker that matches her energy, DJ Mia.
“Mia is really a vibe, fun to be around, and creates buy-in from the players,” Jonathan Lottering, the Waterkloof biokineticist, shared.
“The girls naturally connect with her because she brings energy, positivity, and togetherness to the team environment.”
Perold is, however, more than just a morale booster. The Waterkloof skipper, who has close to 100 first-team caps to her name, is also a matchwinner and calming influence at the back in pressure situations.
“As simple as it sounds, I just slow everything down and control my own pace,” Perold told SuperSport Schools News.
“One of my previous coaches was the first person to introduce me to the slogan ‘Pressure is a privilege’, and it really stuck with me. Every time my heart starts beating out of my chest, I remind myself that I can do only two things: my best, and enjoy it.”
The teenager’s hockey journey began after her sister gifted her an old Grays stick and asked her to play with her in the backyard. Perold resisted at first because she struggled with handling the stick. However, she fell in love with the sport once she got the hang of it.
She observed and imitated her older sister, who was her first role model. With better skill acquisition came the drive to establish herself as a player who was independent from her sister. That is when she “discovered” Chad Futcher.
“I distinctly remember in my first few years of indoor hockey training, he taught us to drag flick and left such an impact on my younger self that I wanted to not only play but also be just like him,” Perold revealed.
She built her game around the basics she learned in her early years and added more pieces as she progressed through the age groups. But it wasn’t just Perold’s technical ability that drove Omari Pienaar-Geyer, the Waterkloof coach, to give Perold a first-team debut in 2025. The player’s willingness to take responsibility when it mattered the most also played a significant role.
“Her growth has been remarkable. She has developed from a promising player into a captain who balances tactical sharpness, emotional resilience, and leadership,” Pienaar-Geyer explained.
Perold keeps her eyes on the ball at all times. Photo: Supplied.
Perold leads from the front, the Klofies‘ coach said. There was no better example of that than at the 2025 SASHOC u18 Girls IPT.
Perold was one of the shining lights in Northerns u18B’s battle for survival in the A Section. She was a force in the backline, executing the team’s plan and taking control of the defence.
“For me personally, my best performance outside of school was the 2025 IPT, alongside two other Waterkloof girls. We fought tooth and nail to stay in the A section. I played some of my best hockey at that tournament,” Perold shared.
When asked about her finest performances for Waterkloof, both coach and student pointed to theBelgotex SportGirls Challenge Cup, which Waterkloof won at the beginning of May against a high-quality field.
All of Perold’s best qualities were on display in the final against Collegiate Girls’ High. She was a strong defensive presence, playing with patience and confidence, and making sound decisions.
She was, undoubtedly, one of the primary reasons why Waterkloof clinched the title.
“Holding the Girls Challenge Cup trophy after an intense final against Collegiate, and being the captain of my team, was such an honour,” she reflected.
Despite all the praise heaped upon her after her side had claimed the prestigious title, Perold acknowledged that hockey was a team sport, insisting that she was able to do what she did in those matches only because of her teammates.
“I have a lot of gratitude for my teammates who also play a big role in the overall mindset of the team and in keeping everyone motivated,” Perold explained.
Her biggest wish is to keep contributing to the team with her skills on the field and with her infectious character off it. DJ Mia will continue to uplift the team spirit and help her teammates maintain high energy levels.
Hockey, after all, is bigger than the result. “Hockey isn’t just always about the sport. I’ve made some of the best memories with teammates who became my best friends in life,” she said.
A highly competitive race is unfolding at the top of the Gauteng Development League (GDL), with Rockefvs leading the way. They’re on 26 points, two ahead of second-placed Siwelele, but the Pretoria club has a game in hand.
Rockefvs has been the season’s surprise package, thus far. As the pressure has amped up, they’ve stood strong. However, it’s only going to get more intense as the fixtures pile up.
Another team from Pretoria, the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who have two games in hand, secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Jomo Cosmos on Sunday.
It was the second game of the weekend for Cosmos, who recorded a 1-0 victory over Panorama on Saturday.
On Sunday, in the Bafana Ba Style against EzeNkosi clash, Antoine Bumba, assisted by Daylin Tiemie, scored the first goal for Sundowns. Fusi Mokhampane then set up Thando Singo for the winning goal.
After 10 matches, the Brazilians have registered seven wins, one draw, and two losses. They’re in third place, four points behind Rockefvs, but with two games in hand. Wins those and they’ll vault into a familiar place at the top of the log. Slip up, and Joburg City and Kaizer Chiefs are waiting to make their move.
On Saturday, Itebogeng Maake, a key contributor to Rockefvs’ success this season, netted the game’s only goal in a tight 1-0 victory over Wits Juniors.
Siwelele also won, defeating Seven’s Academy 3-0 on Saturday, which also helped to improve their goal difference.
Joburg City, in fourth place, handed the Prestige Football Development Academy a 2-1 defeat, with Siyabonga Masango netting both goals for Joburg City.
Highlands Park, last season’s runner-up, continues to improve its log standing after making a slow start to the season. They’re up to ninth after a narrow 2-1 victory against Randburg, who scored late in the game. That gave them hope of rescuing a draw, and the Lions of the North had to withstand heavy pressure in the closing minutes to hang onto the win.
Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) registered a comfortable 3-0 victory over Pitso Mosimane Youth Football (PMYF).Bandile Sithole opened the scoring, with an assist from Nceba Jozela, who then turned goal scorer to make it 2-0. Enslee Oliphant, who set up Jozela for his goal, also assisted Thabang Masihla for RESA’s third.
One match failed to deliver goals, with Future of Africa and Kathorus Hyper Academy settling for a goalless draw.
RESULTS
Saturday, 23 May
Jomo Cosmos 1-0 Panorama
Joburg City 2-1 Prestige
RESA 3-0 PMYF
Future of Africa 0-0 Kathorus
Siwelele 3-0 Seven’s Academy
Rockefvs 1-0 Wits
Highlands Park 2-1 Randburg
Northwood blunted Jeppe’s attack and scored three unanswered tries in a 30-6 win over the visitors on Reece-Edwards Field on Saturday. Photo: Northwood School on Facebook.
There was extra motivation for Northwood when they ran onto Reece-Edwards Field on Saturday. The last time Jeppe had visited Durban, the Johannesburg side handed the Knights a bruising 32-point defeat. Added to that, it was the final home game for Northwood’s matric class.
The response from Jacques Deen‘s charges was emphatic. Led superbly by Jamie Wimble, the Knights produced one of their most complete performances of the season to outplay Jeppe 30-6.
Their pack owned the set scrums, and their defence rejected everything Jeppe threw at them.
Looking slightly different in dark shorts instead of their usual strip, Northwood exploded out of the blocks. From the opening scrum, they sent Jeppe backwards, immediately laying down a marker up front.
Moments later, fullback Trevor van Volenstee carved through the defence for the game’s first major line break, surging to within metres of the tryline. The Knights thought they had scored when the ball was shifted left, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised, and Jeppe escaped.
The second scrum only reinforced Northwood’s dominance, although Jeppe briefly relieved the pressure through scrumhalf Luxon Zwane, who broke from near his own line and hacked ahead into the hosts’ half. It was a rare moment of respite for the visitors in an opening quarter largely controlled by the Knights.
Jeppe earned a penalty and kicked to the corner after almost nine minutes without meaningful possession in attacking territory. Yet, when they attempted to build pressure, they were smashed backwards in another scrum and conceded a penalty. For coach Deen, a former forward himself, seeing that would have been deeply satisfying.
Northwood’s territorial superiority finally yielded points in the 13th minute when flyhalf Sondelani Sheleni slotted a penalty from just outside the Jeppe 22.
The visitors hit back through the boot of Luthando Marangxa after Northwood were penalised close to their line. Jeppe initially looked intent on driving over from a lineout maul, but after receiving another penalty, opted for the safer three points to level matters at 3-3.
Sheleni restored the home side’s lead six minutes later with a magnificent long-range penalty struck from just shy of halfway.
Jeppe threatened again when left wing Lethabo Mashao burst into the Northwood 22, but the Knights’ scrambling defence, one of their trademarks this season, rescued them. Scrumhalf Ludi van der Walt contested fiercely at the breakdown and won a relieving penalty.
Northwood continued to probe. Anesu Kuzonyei, dangerous under the high ball all afternoon, linked with Tristan Parkinson down the right touchline in another threatening movement. Jeppe survived only because Dalitso Milanzi‘s desperate tackle forced Kuzonyei into touch just as the attack opened up.
The home side spent much of the remainder of the half camped inside Jeppe territory, and Sheleni added a third penalty to stretch the advantage to 9-3. Jeppe threw everything at the Knights late in the half, but Northwood’s defence refused to crack.
Early in the second stanza, Marangxa reduced the deficit with an excellent long-range penalty, but those three points proved to be Jeppe’s final points of the afternoon.
There was an interesting parallel with the teams’ 2023 meeting on the same field. On that occasion, Jeppe led only 8-3 at halftime before running away to a 40-8 victory. This time, Northwood’s one-point larger halftime advantage became the platform for a dominant finish that yielded 21 unanswered points.
Another powerful scrum laid the foundation for the game’s opening try. From quality possession outside the Jeppe 22, Van Volenstee stepped into the flyhalf channel and combined cleverly with Sheleni and Jadon Smith. Smith’s direct running fixed defenders in place, allowing Van Volenstee to loop around, show the ball brilliantly, and slice through a gap before stepping inside to score.
Sheleni converted to push Northwood 16-6 ahead.
The Knights remained patient and continued to squeeze the visitors. Midway through the half, sustained pressure from a scrum attack created the second try. The ball swept left before being brought back right, where Phinda Nkosi burst through the extended defensive line and dived over in the corner.
Sheleni nailed another excellent conversion from the touchline to extend the lead to 23-6 with under 10 minutes remaining.
Jeppe spent much of the closing stages inside the Northwood 22, but anyone familiar with Deen’s side knows their goal-line defence borders on ferocious. Time and again, the Knights repelled wave after wave of attack.
Then, with the clock winding down, Northwood delivered the knockout blow.
From a scrum inside their own half, they shifted play wide left before swinging it back right into open space. Lock Nala Shabangu showed outstanding pace down the touchline before drawing the final defender and sending Nkosi away on the inside. The winger finished with an extravagant dive beneath the posts to seal the Knights’ third try.
Sheleni added the simple conversion to complete a polished 30-6 victory and finish with a personal tally of 15 points, equalling the combined contribution of Northwood’s three try scorers.
In a King Price Derby Series clash played on a lovely dry afternoon in Durbanville, Bishops evoked memories of their glory years with a thrilling 37-36 come-from-behind win against their nuggety hosts.
Durbanville delighted their fans with two superb tries early on. Diocesan College did themselves no favours, gifting Durbanville two more tries, which saw the hosts take a 22-3 lead after only 20 minutes. Right-wing Raydon Williams is cashing in with two clinical finishes.
Bishops showed their renowned willingness to give the ball width and found space on the edges, allowing them to close the gap to 22-15 at halftime. Scrumhalf Jack Fleck directed traffic and maintained tempo with his crisp service.
Both teams had good opportunities at the start of the second half, but it was Bishops who got on the scoreboard first via a penalty from Caleb Clarke. It was a chip over the top from Clarke, which allowed Bishops to take the lead for the first time in the match.
The host struck back virtually immediately from the kick-off. Their flyhalf, Hadley Erasmus, finished off a classic counter-attack try, making the score 29-25 to Durbanville with 20 minutes of the match left.
Soon after, a handling error from Bishops allowed Durbanville to hoof the ball through and extend their lead to 36-25. Bishops kept playing and asking questions of the Durbanville defence. The wide Durbanville field allowed gaps to open up, one of which was expertly exploited by replacement Eljaron Geduld.
At 36-30 with eleven minutes to go, Bishops could smell an upset. They upped the ante, spreading the ball wide and carrying the ball with intent. After going coast to coast, eventually right-wing Jono Horton popped up on the left, showing great leg drive to power over for the winning try.
There were still nine minutes left on the clock, though, during which Durbanville threw the kitchen sink at Bishops. Durbanville had a kickable penalty to win the match, which they missed, and Bishops held firm to take a memorable win.
Scorers:
Diocesan College 37 (15) – Tries: Jack Venter, Elihle Tsobo, Miyolo Ngculu, Eljaron Geduld, Jono Horton. Conversions: Caleb Clark (3). Penalties: Clarke (2). Hoërskool Durbanville 36 (22) – Tries: Raydon Williams (2), Cole Carls (2), Muller Janse van Vuuren, Hadley Erasmus. Conversions: Wihan Roux (3).
Parktown Boys’ High came out on top of a nine-try thriller against St Stithians College in a King Price Derby Series clash on Baytopp field on Saturday.
The visitors won by 30-27 in the end after the Saints turned down a shot at goal from right in front of the posts in injury time, which would have salvaged a draw for them.
Instead, they chose a scrum and went on the charge off it, only to knock the ball on and hand the win to a jubilant Parktown team.
The half-time score was 12-12, with both sides scoring two tries and converting one. Those missed kicks were to set the tone for the game, with both kickers having an off day and a load of possible points left on the table.
Saintswere first on the board through a try by winger Calvin Wagner in the fifth minute following a full backline move.
Parktown’s Ndzalo Mahubela pulled one back soon afterwards, and they then went ahead through lock Chulu Xongwane, off a rolling maul. Wagner then got his second touchdown, in a similar fashion to his first, to level the scores at the break.
Saints’ fullback Tindashe Mambure scored directly from the second half kickoff, and Matthew Anderson added the conversion to put the hosts ahead for the first time in the game, 19-12. Anderson then added a penalty to make it 22-12, and a home victory looked on the cards.
The elusive Parktown backs began to work their magic, however. Centre Christian Cele scored following a move that started in his own half, and winger Yazheka Ntshona went over following good work by scrumhalf and King of the Match, Andile Zondo. That levelled the scores at 22-22.
Parktown went ahead in the 26th minute through Hlayisani Mbambo, only for Saints to draw level again through replacement prop Larson Rujuwa. The kickers were both sending the conversion attempts wide at that stage before Parktown’s Lethabo Malahlele got one right, from a penalty in the 32nd minute to put his side 30-27 ahead.
Then came that frantic final minute and the failed quest for glory by the Saints. It brought a highly entertaining spectacle to a close.
Scorers:
Parktown Boys’ High 30 (12) – Tries: Ndzalo Makhubela, Chulu Xingwane; Christian Cele, Yakheza Ntshona, Hlayisani Mbabmo. Conversion: Lethabo Malahlele. Penalty: Lethabo Malahlele. St Stithians College 27 (12) – Tries: Calvin Wagner (2), Tinodashe Mambure, Larson Rujuwa. Conversions: Matthew Anderson (2). Penalty: Matthew Anderson.
Oranje scripted an indomitable run on their way to lifting the St Anne’s Cup. Photo: Supplied.
Oranje delivered a masterclass in teamwork on their way to a 3-0 win over Our Lady of Fatima to claim the title at the St Anne’s Cup in Hilton on Sunday afternoon.
Oranje’s goals came from Xylia Choene, Kayla du Preez, and Daniella Grobbelaar.
It was their first participation in the St Anne’s Cup, but their third trophy of the year. Under the guidance of former St Anne’s Director of Hockey, Morné Odendaal, the Bloemfontein school has been a consistent force this season, also winning the St Mary’s Waverley Festival and National All Girls’ Festival.
In addition to the title, three Oranje players were also recognised for their outstanding work on the Astro.
Marichelle Crous took home the Player of the TournamentAward, while Dané Janse van Vuuren shared the Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award with St Anne’s netminder, Lilli-Anna James. Kirstin Booysen was named the Best Defender alongside Inati Ngcobo, also from St Anne’s.
“When this group started the journey for the 2026 season, the goal was simple: to play a beautiful brand of hockey that people would stop and watch. A team that played with freedom, intensity, courage, and connection. Somewhere along the way, that vision turned into something special,” Morné Odendaal, the Oranje coach, said after the final.
Oranje was the most well-rounded side at the tournament. Their forwards were ruthless, and they headed into the final with 22 goals to their name, while their defence had allowed only two goals.
They needed to maintain that discipline to defeat an Our Lady of Fatima side that netted 14 times and conceded twice on their way to the title game.
Reflecting on his team’s performance in the final, Odendaal said: “Their work rate off the ball was outstanding. Players constantly moved to create options and make the ball carrier look good.”
Oranje didn’t allow Our Lady of Fatima to settle into their stride. Odendaal’s charges hit the ground running and scored just over a minute into the contest. Our Lady of Fatima was still trying to recover when Oranje struck again a minute later.
After that punch to the gut, credit to Our Lady of Fatima, coach Matthew Smith‘s charges regrouped and swung the pendulum in their favour with good passing. They almost pulled back a goal eight minutes into the match, but were denied by Dané Janse van Vuuren, who pulled off a great save.
The Durban North school was unrelenting and came close again from a penalty corner two minutes later, but Oranje’s short corner defence stood firm.
“Mentally, the group handled pressure well. They stayed composed in key moments and trusted the process and structure,” Odendaal said. “We defended as a unit, pressed well, and forced teams into low-percentage areas.”
Early in the second chukka, Our Lady of Fatima tested Oranje’s defence again, spending the first five minutes in their opponent’s half. They went unrewarded, though.
One of the hallmarks of Oranje’s game throughout the tournament was their discipline and consistency. They stuck to their guns as they absorbed the pressure from Our Lady of Fatima.
“We converted defence into attack very quickly. Counter-attacking opportunities became genuine goalscoring threats within seconds,” Odendaal said.
Those words described the manner in which Oranje turned the tables on Our Lady of Fatima in the blink of an eye and extended their lead three minutes before the break with a penalty corner conversion.
In the second half, Our Lady of Fatima’s defence was sturdy and denied Oranje goals. They also took the attack to the Bloemfontein side, but a common refrain is that defences win titles, and that proved to be the case on Sunday.
“The team kept standards high regardless of the opposition or scoreline. The intensity without the ball stood out. The willingness to track, recover, and compete in small moments gave us control in games,” Odendaal said.
Our Lady of Fatima won a penalty corner shortly before the final whistle, creating one last opportunity to get the ball past Oranje’s tight defence, but there was no give.
Odendaal returned to Oranje this season. Previously, in a magnificent first stint with the school, he coached his sides to 380 wins in 400 matches. This year, he passed 400 wins with Oranje.
Looking back on the season, he said: “What started as a dream slowly became a fairytale, as this group went on to win three cups in a row. But more important than the trophies is the way they achieved it. The girls played a brand of hockey that reflected who they are. They were brave on the ball, relentless without it, and fully committed to each other.
“They entertained, they inspired, and they represented the badge with pride. Most importantly, they played for each other.
“The connection, energy, and togetherness within the squad were special to watch.”
RESULTS
Final: Oranje 3-0 Our Lady of Fatima 3rd/4th place: St Anne’s (3) 0-0 (1) St Mary’s DSG Kloof 5th/6th place: Durban Girls’ College 2-0 St Stithians College 7th/8th place: Eunice 5-2 The Wykeham Collegiate 9th/10th place: Helpmekaar 1-1 Ashton College 11th/12th place: Epworth School 3-2 Hoërskool Noordheuwel
Semifinals
Oranje 3-1 St Mary’s DSG Kloof
Our Lady of Fatima 4-2 St Anne’s
A highly competitive race is unfolding at the top of the Gauteng Development League (GDL), with Rockefvs leading the way. They’re on 26 points, two ahead of second-placed Siwelele, but the Pretoria club has a game in hand.
