This week, the country is in for two mouth-watering Gauteng Development League (GDL) clashes.
Kaizer Chiefs hosts Wits Junior at Kaizer Chiefs Village on Saturday, before Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United lock horns at Eskom Megawatt Park in a much-anticipated Tshwane Derby.
The 2025 GDL season has been unlike any year preceding it. The underdogs have taken it to the big clubs and are in the mix at the upper end of the standings. And it is not just one or two teams that have been making their mark. The gap between the big names and the smaller clubs is closing.
For a second time this season, Randburg AFC tops the u19 table. They’ve led the way, but Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA), Joburg City, and Rockefvs, in particular, have also captured the spotlight and tamed some of the beasts of the GDL.
With this in mind, Kaizer Chiefs’ coach David Mathebula will have warned his boys against any complacency when they take on 14th-placed Wits Junior.
Last week, Mathebula’s team fell to a 2-3 loss to Panorama FC, a result that stunned not only Chiefs but also GDL observers.
The Amakhosihave also lost to RESA, Randburg AFC, and Kathorus Hyper Academy, which is why they find themselves in eighth place on the log.
Big teams, though, know how to rise to the occasion and, given that the league has reached its halfway mark, Mathebula will be intent on turning around the club’s fortunes on Saturday.
On Sunday, a fierce rivalry will resume when Tshwane powers, Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United, go at it.
The fixture brings together coaches Surprise Moriri (Sundowns) and Tumelo Ndaba (SuperSport United), both of whom are recognised for their tactically astute leadership. Time and again, their reading of the opposition has brought their charges success.
Fixtures Kaizer Chiefs vs Wits Junior Mamelodi Sundowns vs SuperSport United
Paul Roos visits Wynberg Boys; High on Saturday. A fascinating clash is on the cards. Photo: Paul Roos Gimnasium on Faceboook.
On Saturday, Wynberg Boys’ High, fresh off a thrilling 38-33 win over Rondebosch Boys’ High, welcomes Paul Roos Gimnasium for an enticing showdown on Hawthornden Field.
Last year, in a memorable unbeaten season, the Maroon Machine scored a convincing 50-25 win over Wynberg in Stellenbosch.
Ou Polla’s boys will aim to continue their winning ways after an impressive 34-5 victory over Stellenberg last time out.
Stelliesbeat Wynberg earlier in the season, but the home side is playing far better rugby than they were two months ago.
The Paul Roos lineup includes two players who have been selected for the Western Province Craven Week side. The first is their captain and hooker Altus Rabe, who leads from the front.
PRG is a big, physical side and Rabe will be at the forefront of their efforts to dominate the set scrums and lineouts. He also serves as a fourth loose-forward, makes dominant tackles and carries powerfully.
Eighthman Gert Kemp will also be a long train to stop with his excellent work rate and strong support lines. On attack he’s a load, running excellent support lines, while on defence he delivers brick wall tackles.
Wynberg has five players who will be headed to the Craven Week – an impressive return.
Lock and captain Jaythen Orange is a standout. He’s a leader of men, who is influential in the set pieces, a mean tackler, and an absolute work horse. He gets around the field and frequently pops up in support, leading to him scoring the kinds of tries from open play that few second-rowers produce with regularity.
Flyhalf Achmat Behardien is a clever playmaker with excellent passing accuracy and range. He also knows his way around a kicking tee. With his imagination and incisive reading of the game, if Wynberg gets good ball, he’ll pose difficult questions of Paul Roos.
Wynberg likes to play the game at speed. They don’t like to wait around and are dangerous from set pieces. The quick tap is always on, and a scrum from anywhere on the field is an opportunity for a backline move.
Scrumhalf Morné Noble has a keen eye for a gap, too, so the visitors will have a laundry list of threats to look out for. They will need to stay alert until the final whistle blows.
Their backs will have to do their homework so as not to get drawn in by the deceptive running lines of the elusive Wynberg centres, Yaqeen Ahmed and Kunene Gadu.
And yet, somehow, the Maroon Machine is an even tougher attack to figure out. Last week, they scored four very different tries against Stellenberg.
One was from an offload in the tackle between two loose forwards. One was a snipe at the breakdown from a lock. One was from an intercept with only 12 men on the field.
Then, of course, there was a magnificent chip and collect between scrumhalf Liam de Silva and Winger Keenan Stoffels. That’s the kind of individual brilliance for which one cannot properly prepare. Sometimes, one has to simply acknowledge that brilliance.
Teams
Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium, Hawthornden Field, Cape Town, 12:30
Wynberg: 15 Daniel Ould, 14 Chad Campbell, 13 Kunene Gadu, 12 Yaqeen Ahmed, 11 Albert Lourens, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Morné Noble, 8 Alvin Machinja, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 James Orwin, 4 Jaythen Orange, 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Noah Gila, 1 Luke Miller.
Paul Roos: 15 Luke van Schoor, 14 Divan Lamprecht, 13 Tiaan Basson, 12 Ian Smith, 11 Keenan Stoffels, 10 Travis Pheiffer, 9 Jan-Jan Nel, 8 Gert Kemp, 7 Luke Kent, 6 Dylan van Wyck, 5 Truspe Schoeman, 4 Manus van Leeuwen, 3 Gerrit van Vuuren, 2 Altus Rabe (Captain), 1 Zak Hickman.
Die Nories reis na Rustenburg om ‘n uiters onvoorspelbare Hoërskool Rustenburg die stryd aan te sê. Die Rusties het verlede naweek gewys hóé moeilik dit is om hulle op hul tuisveld te tem deur so hittete die verdedigende kampioen van die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Beker-afdeling, Hoërskool Garsfontein, te laat les opsê.
Die Blues, op hul beurt, het reeds in ‘n moeilike wegwedstryd teen Hoërskool Nelspruit met 27-14 geseëvier.
Hierdie naweek se uitdaging is egter ietwat moeiliker vanweë die afwesigheid van Nories se Cravenweek-slot, Kean Lourens, en vaskopstut, Steph Botha. Botha, steeds o.17, is ook in die Leeus se provinsiale strukture opgeneem en sal die Welpies by die Akademieweek in Middelburg verteenwoordig. Albei ervaar las van skouerbeserings, met Lourens s’n die ernstigste, wat ook sy Cravenweek-verteenwoordiging in gedrang stel.
Botha word deur Johan Helberg vervang, terwyl die Blues se breiers steeds koukus oor Lourens se plaasvervanger. Daar bestaan ‘n sterk moontlikheid dat die veelsydige JB Blount Lourens se skoene sal volstaan.
Die Rusties het self ‘n paar veranderinge aan hul span gemaak, met die vleuels, Waide Davey en Bradley Snyers, wat truie ruil. Davey speel regtervleuel met Snyers aan die linkerkant van die veld. Voorlangs loop steelkantflank, Thian Labuschagne, die Norie-stryd mis en word vervang deur Marais Röcher. Die res van hul fisieke pak bly dieselfde, wat ‘n titaniese voorspelerstryd beloof.
Hoërskool Monument verwelkom sy spelskepper op losskakel, Anthony Viljoen, terug in die beginspan vir die stryd met Hoërskool Nelspruit op die Ras van Rooyen. Viljoen was vir bykans twee maande buite aksie weens ‘n armbesering. Die span van Krugersdorp het verlede week sy eerste sege van die reeks behaal, teen Hoërskool Transvalia (24-22), danksy ‘n strafdoel deur Viljoen, vanaf die plaasvervangerbank.
Kantman, Siyabonga Ncube, keer ook terugkeer, maar vir eers ook van die bank af. Haker, Tristan Rodrigues, is egter nou op die krukkelys, wat noodsaak dat Reghard Ernst van flank na haker skuif. Ernst het vroeër vanjaar reeds in die middel van die voorry gesak, en word deur Jordan Swanepoel op steelkantflank vervang.
Die Rhinos verwelkom die giftige Tinyiko Silubane terug op linkervleuel, na sy skorsing van ‘n week. Dit is die enigste verandering aan die span van Nelspruit, wat ‘n oorwinning broodnodig het indien hulle in die wedloop wil bly, terwyl die Wit Bulle óók hul kanse met ‘n sege kan lewendig hou.
Garsfontein, tans eerste op dié afdeling se puntelys na sy oorwinning in Rustenburg verlede Saterdag, verwelkom die indrukwekkende nuweling, Hoërskool Transvalia, op Berepark. Hoewel die Garsies steeds met beserings aan vier sleutelspelers sit, het hulle ‘n beduidende hupstoot ontvang met die terugkeer van vaskopstut, Luan van den Berg. Van den Berg was vir die laaste twee kragmetings buite aksie en verleen heelwat oemf aan die enjinkamer.
Valia behou dieselfde beginspan vir sy besoek aan die Jakarandastad. Die span van Vanderbijlpark se direkte en fisiese benadering sal ongetwyfeld die verdedigende kampioen toets, maar terselftertyd besef hy dat ‘n besoek aan Berepark allermins maklik is.
Die spanne:
Hoërskool Rustenburg t. Noordheuwel om 12:30 in Rustenburg:
Noordheuwel (moontlik): 15 Jeandré Uithaler, 14 Aidan Bester, 13 Tristan Helmund, 12 Kieran Reid, 11 Jayden Steyn, 10 Pablo Moeketsane, 9 Gillie Diedericks, 8 Armand van Eck, 7 Juandré de Villiers, 6 Andrew Lambert, 5 Roehan Hoogendyk, 4 JB Blount, 3 Johan Helberg, 2 Clinton Agu, 1 Skuttie Bezuidenhout.
Monument t. Hoërskool Nelspruit om 12:30 in Krugersdorp:
Monument: 15 Loghan Langeveldt, 14 Jason Joubert, 13 Ruan Genis, 12 Juandré Ehlers, 11 Ewan van der Walt, 10 Anthony Viljoen, 9 Evan Bernhardi, 8 Ryno van der Westhuizen, 7 Jordan Swanepoel, 6 Caleb Sparks, 5 Dean Hartman, 4 Vincent Roberts, 3 Daniel Smith, 2 Reghard Ernst, 1 Kamogelo Katisa.
Nelspruit: 15 Jean Erasmus, 14 Kamo Monkwe, 13 Ruben Greeff, 12 Rian Botha, 11 Tinyiko Silubane, 10 John Duncan, 9 Liam Pringle, 8 Vaughn van Zyl, 7 Vian Louw, 6 Dhandré van Wyk, 5 André Smit, 4 Jason Cogill, 3 Gert Cloete, 2 D’Angelo Roberts, 1 Christiaan Viljoen.
Garsontein t. Transvalia om 13:30 in Pretoria:
Garsfontein: 15 Junade Pasensie, 14 Junaide Stuart, 13 Levi Jordaan, 12 Keagan Knighton, 11 Drewyn Baron, 10 Joshua Gouws, 9 Derrick Kuhn, 8 Lourenz de Jager, 7 Stefan van der Vyver, 6 JP Pieterse, 5 Derik Potgieter, 4 JJ Fourie, 3 Luan van den Berg, 2 Justin Blom, 1 Morné Coetzer.
Transvalia: 15 Lorenzo Flynn, 14 Dihan Crause, 13 Danté Oosthuizen, 12 Declan Hattingh, 11 Tumi Moloi, 10 Jay-Dee Maree, 9 Johan Smit, 8 Wynand Stolz, 7 Daniel Kazambo, 6 Juan Bischoff, 5 Christiaan Liebenberg, 4 Kyle Maartens, 3 Damian van Heerden, 2 Wihandré Kruger, 1 Vusi Morathi.
Hoërskool Rustenburg is gekroon as vanjaar se Noordwes-kampioen in die DSTV Schools Challenge.
Dit was ‘n dag van naelbytstryde, met elke span wat alles in die stryd gewerp het, maar ongelukkig kon net een Ubuntu- en een Botho-span as wenners wegstap.
In die Botho-groep het Hoërskool Rustenburg ál hul wedstryde gemaklik gewen om ‘n plek te verseker in die kwarteindronde, waar hulle met 40-13 teen Bergsig geseëvier het.
In die halfeindstryd teen Potchefstroom Gimnasium het Rustenburg met 29- 19 koning gekraai, voordat hulle in die eindstryd met ‘n telling van 34-15 met Hoërskool Klerksdorp afgereken het.
In die Ubuntu-groep was Kgapamadi die algehele wenner. Hulle pad na die kwarteindronde was egter nie maklik nie, met ‘n nederlaag van 6-36 wat hulle teen Potchefstroom Gimnasium op die lyf geloop het. Hulle het nietemin aanhou veg om die kwarteindronde te haal, waar hulle vir Kanana met 34-8 oorweldig het.
Die halfeindstryd het strawwer mededinging opgelewer, met Kgapamadi wat vir Iketleetso met 26-20 kon troef. In die eindstryd het hulle vir Ramoshere met 27-17 verslaan.
Siphe Mbungendlu, flanker from SACS. PHOTO: Andrew Pieterse
On Saturday, SACS, the oldest high school in the country, hosts Paarl Gimnasium, the team regarded by most as the number one rugby side in South Africa this season.
Kick-off is at 12:30 on Memorial-A Field.
Last year, the sides met on Freedom Day, 27 April, in Paarl, with Gim scoring a 35-10 victory.
The visitors will be aiming to score another comfortable win away from home.
SACS will look to their powerful Western Province XV flank, Siphe Mbungendlu, to set the example and to rise to the occasion of facing their toughest opponents of the season.
Gimmies will look to their captain and Western Province centre, Markus Muller, to provide the spark. He has become a household name among schoolboy rugby fans this season with his speed, vision and passing. He’s racked up tries at an alarmingly rapid rate and has also proved adept at setting up his teammates for five-pointers.
Set pieces and the breakdowns will be crucial for SACS. The Paarl Gim forwards have dominated with their rolling mauls and have also won their fair share of penalties from the set scrums.
Markus Muller dived over for a hat-trick of tries in his side’s 102-0 victory over King Edward VII School in Stellenbosch. Photo: Frans Lombard/Actionpix.
However, they’ve truly outstanding at the breakdowns. In their recent 29-9 victory over Oakdale, they starved the farmers of attacking opportunities by strongly contesting the loose and turning over possession.
The SACS backline will need to watch out for the blitzing rush defence of the Gimnasium backs. Perhaps their midfielders should look to initiate contact or play the ball in behind the visitors’ backline. If the SACS back stray too far from their forward pack, they will be ferociously challenged at the breakdown.
Maintaining possession through multiple phases will be one of the keys for SACS.
Paarl Gim must maintain discipline up front and focus on pressuring the back three, so as not to leak penalty-kick points, or give up territory to the big boot of inside centre, Nathan Potgieter.
Gim has been superb on attack all season long. They play with supreme confidence, run sharp lines, with the backs and forwards linking up seamlessly, and they’re blessed with players able to shred the best defences with moments of individual brilliance.
More of the same and they should be able to add another win to their gleaming record.
TEAMS
SACS vs Paarl Gimnasium, Memorial-A Field, Cape Town, 12:30
Vanjaar se DSTV Schools Netball Challenge vind dié naweek in Gauteng plaas en beloof om een van die mededingendste skoletoernooie van die seisoen af te gee.
Met spanne van regoor Gauteng, van gevestigde netbalkragte soos Menlopark, Helpmekaar, Affies en Volkskool tot opkomende spanne soos Garsfontein, Transvalia en Rand Park, is die tafel gedek vir ‘n uitmuntende tentoonstelling van talent, vaardigheid en vasberadenheid.
Topwedstryde om dop te hou
Die aksie skop Saterdagoggend om 8.00 vm af met die A-afdeling (o.19 A), wat kragmetings soos Marais Viljoen teen Rand Park en Montana teen Shoshunguve insluit. Hierdie wedstryde bied ‘n vroeë blik op watter spanne hul stempel kan afdruk. Menlopark en Monument pak mekaar aan in die o.19 B-groep, terwyl Garsfontein en Diepdale sake uitspook in o.19 C.
Helpmekaar se o.19 D-span sal daarop uit wees om hul reputasie gestand te doen wanneer hulle teen Phahama en later Edenvale te staan kom, terwyl Transvalia hul veldtog in die o.19 F-groep loods teen Tswelopele, met Noordheuwel wat daarna volg. Volkskool en Oos-Moot, albei bekende name in Gauteng-netbal, sê mekaar die stryd aan in die o.19 H-groep, met Volkskool wat ook teen Redhill te staan kom later.
Halfeind- en eindronde
Die uitspeelrondes neem die middag in aanvang, met oorkruiswedstryde tussen die toppresteerders in elke groep (A1 teen B2 en C1 teen D2). Die spanne sal derhalwe uithaal om ‘n plek in die halfeindronde te verseker. Die kompetisie verskerp Sondag met die eindstryd wat geskeduleer is vir 10.15 vm, waar die uiteindelike kampioenspanne in die onderskeie ouderdomsgroepe gekroon sal word.
Die DSTV Challenge is meer as bloot ‘n toernooi en bied ’n platform waarop Gauteng se beste jong netbalspelers hulle talent voor afrigters en ondersteuners kan uitstal. Nie alleen word spanne se tegniese vaardighede getoets nie, maar ook hul uithouvermoë, spanwerk en strategiese insig.
Met strawwe kompetisie, hope talent en ‘n volgepakte program oor twee dae, is die DSTV Schools Netball Challenge beslis nie ‘n geleentheid om mis te loop nie.
Die blaaskans wat Die Hoërskool Menlopark in die vorige ronde van die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Beker-afdeling geniet het, was presies wat nodig was op die vooraand van Saterdag se groot kragmeting met Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg.
Die Parkies se vorige kragmeting in Boksburg was teen Hoërskool Waterkloof, in die eindstryd van die NWU-Sportreeks, waar hulle die louere met 23-23 gedeel het.
Die Jansies het verlede naweek die einste Klofie-span vir die eerste keer sedert 2023, in Pretoria, met 22-20 getroef, wat die selfvertroue in die Boksburgers se kamp ‘n taamlike hupstoot sou gegee het. Dit was boonop slegs die Jansies se tweede sege in vanjaar se reeks.
Die Parkies het voor hul loslootjie gebuk gegaan onder verskeie beserings en siektes, wat hul momentum in die wiele gery en twee agtereenvolgende nederlae op tuisbodem tot gevolg gehad het, teen die verdedigende kampioen, Hoërskool Garsfontein (27-40), en nuweling, Hoërskool Transvalia (27-47). Hopelik was die blaaskans voldoende vir meeste van die afwesiges, soos vernaam loskopstut, Mattheus Prinsloo, om hul terugkeer te maak.
Hoewel daar steeds vraagtekens hang, beskik Parkies steeds oor genoegsame skietgoed, met die Blou Bulle se Cravenweek-senterpaar, Dylan Stumke en Leskin Samuels, wat vir ‘n opwindende tweestryd met die Jansies se middeveld-kombinasie van Nathan Delport en Christopher Combrink kan sorg. Die skrumskakelstryd tussen die Jansies se Joseph Diesel en Gustav Schäffner van die Parkies beloof ook vuurwerke.
Graig Lightfoot, die Jansies se woelige oopkantflank, het in sy laaste paar vertonings beïndruk en die Parkies se kantman, Nathen du Plessis, sal moet uithaal om die bedreiging wat Lightfoot inhou, in die los, te neutraliseer.
Hoërskool Waterkloof se paadjie raak nie makliker nie, met die naaswenners van 2024 wat hierdie naweek die Jukskeirivier oorsteek om die indrukwekkende Helpmekaar Kollege in Johannesburg die stryd aan te sê. Die Helpies beklee tans die die tweede plek op die Beker-puntelys met 22 ligapunte, drie agter die Garsies wat eerste is, maar is, nes die Klofies, gekwes na verlede Saterdag se naelskraapse nederlaag van 21-23 teen King Edward VII School.
Die groot nuus uit die Helpie-kamp is dat kaptein, Ty Ax, van heelagter na buitesenter skuif om die beseerde Clinton Cloete se plek in te neem. Cloete was reeds buite aksie teen KES, met Francois Tonkin wat toe op buitesenter diens gedoen het. Ax se terugkeer na senter, met die gevaarlike Ethan Lourens aan sy binnekant, behoort woema aan die Helpies se middeveld te verleen. Tonkin behou sy plek in die beginspan en wel in sy gunstelingposisie op linkervleuel.
Cravenweek-skrumskakel, Shaye Lourens, is steeds buite aksie weens harsingskudding-protokol, met Kean Butler wat vir die tweede agtereenvolgende week agter die kookwater Helpie-pak diens doen.
Afgesien van die nederlaag, het Klofies ongedeerd afgekom van die stryd met die Jansies, wat afrigter, Cobus van Dyk, toegelaat het om die beginspan dieselfde te hou met die oog op noodsaaklike kontinuïteit vir die Pretorianers se oorblywende vier wedstryde.
Die spanne:
Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen t. Die Hoërskool Menlopark om 12:25 in Boksburg:
EG Jansen: 15 Deshean Pietersen, 14 Otlatleng Zulu, 13 Christopher Combrink, 12 Nathan Delport, 11 Jordan van der Westhuizen, 10 Dian Botha, 9 Joseph Diesel, 8 Slade Mowbray, 7 Jaco Engelbrecht, 6 Craig Lightfoot, 5 Breyton Kruger, 4 Jacques van Tonder, 3 Deveraux Wideman, 2 Marco Ventura, 1 Ruan Rossouw.
Maritzburg College has, once again, claimed the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football (KZNHSFA) Second Term, Inland A-League title.
On Wednesday, on Barns Field, at College, the home team scored a 2-0 win over their local rival, Carter High, to lay claim to the silverware.
After a shaky start, the Red, Black, and Whitefound their feet and produced an outstanding performance.
They put Carter under heavy pressure throughout the match, leading to the 2024 winners regularly ceding possession, struggling to clear the ball, and then, when they did make it to the other end of the field, missing chances.
At halftime, it was goalless, but College wasted no time after the restart and quickly seized the lead in the second stanza.
Wandile Zondi gave the home supporters what they wanted to, scoring moments after the seconds half was underway. Then, vice-captain Mazithi Qasha, a prolific and reliable source of goals for College for the past three seasons, added a second to give the home team some breathing room.
Qasha went on to win the Golden Boot, topping the league’s goal-scoring chart with seven to his name.
The second half belonged to Maritzburg College, with co-vice-captain Malachi Momple coming close to netting a third. Inhle Myeni, Carter’s goalkeeper, denied him, however, with an impressive save, which deflected the ball into the side-netting.
With only a minute remaining, Carter High was awarded a penalty, which offered them a faint hope of rescuing a draw.
Anele Zuma took the spot kick, but College’s captain, CJ Sukraj, outstanding in shootouts, denied Zuma to firmly slam the door on Carter’s slim hopes.
Another standout player for College was centre-back BilalParak. He was a force on defence, safeguarding the backline with authority to the earn the Man of the Match award.
College’s victory on Wednesday marked the first title for coach Caniggia Garaba. He succeeded Chemon Petersen after the Maritzburg College old boy enjoyed a hugely fruitful time in charge, which included a memorable treble-winning season in 2023.
Since 2018, College has contested every final of the Inland A-League. Maritzburg College’s Director of Soccer, Nic Haswell, proudly informed SuperSport Schools Plus that Wednesday’s title win was their fifth in the KZN Inland u19 A-League.
Clifton College goalkeeper, Georg Wolhuter, who was included in the SA u16 hockey side in 2024, will backstop the KZN Coastal u18A team at the SASHOC National Week. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The KwaZulu-Natal Coastal u18A boys’ team has big ambitions for the 2025 edition of the SASHOC National Week, but they won’t get ahead of themselves. Their approach will be to focus on each game as it comes.
Last year, Coastals finished in third place. Although they didn’t lose any of their pool matches, they were held to four draws and one win. That was, however, good enough for second place in Pool B.
Their title challenge was ended by the eventual winners Western Province A, who won a tight semi-final 1-0. Then, in the third-place playoff, KZN Coastal beat Southern Gauteng A, a team with whom they had drawn 4-4 in group action, by a goal to nil.
“We will always look to win IPT, but I think it’s important to take it one step at a time,” Cameron Mackay, the Coastals’ head coach, told Supersport Schools Plus.
The inter-provincial tournament is drawing near rapidly. It takes place on Pape’s Astro, at Maritzburg College, from 29 June to 5 July. The u18 girls’ tournament will run concurrently with the boys’ event, with matches being played St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton.
The u16 IPTs will follow from 7-13 July, at Hilton College, for the boys, and St Anne’s, for the girls. .
Mackay will be assisted by Matthew Smith, with Pius Nkosi returning as the team manager. The team also has four players – Bhavesh Naicker, Sithsaba Siyoyo, Josh Mungherera, and Tyrique Cloete – who were part of last year’s contingent returning. All four are from Durban High School (DHS).
There is talent in the ranks, but Mackay wants his players to do their abilities justice, something which he feels didn’t quite happen last year.
“Most of the guys were part of the u16 group and the boys don’t do well, so they will be looking to improve on that sixth-place finish,” Mackay explained.
Georg Wolhuter will be the last line of defence for Coastals. In front of him, Ethan James, Misbah Nair, Nicolas Ackerman, Keagan de Jager, Kyle White, and Bhavesh Naicker will form the back line.
“They are a really good group of defenders with some exceptional distribution skills. We are really fortunate to have a massive overhead threat in the team,” Mackay reflected on the defensive group.
Sitshaba Siyoyo, Zac Williamson, Ben Loxton, and Chris Abrahams will deploy their skills in the midfield.
“We have some exciting midfielders that can take the game to the opposition and break the line – Sitshaba would be more holding, while Chris and Ben can take the game to the opposition,” the coach said.
Seth Simpson, Josh Mungherera, Luke Allen, Tyrique Cloete, and Bonga Maphanga will be charged with scoring the goals that were hard to come by in 2024, when KZN Coastal scored only 12 times in seven matches.
“Our forwards are doing a good job in creating connections as it’s a new group of players that hasn’t played together much in years gone by. I think they complement each other well,” Mackay told Supersport Schools Plus after a couple of training sessions with the side.
The coach is confident that his team will gel and be ready to challenge for the title when the tournament shifts into gear.
“We want to play a fast-paced game that means we can get the ball to our forwards as quickly as possible,” Mackay shared. “I think we will look to be more direct and less predictable than years gone by.”
KZN Coastal Team
Georg Wolhuter (Clifton), Ethan James (Westville), Misbah Nair (Westville), Nicolas Ackerman (UKZN), Keagan de Jager (Kearsney), Kyle White (Northwood), Bhavesh Naicker (DHS), Sitshaba Siyoyo (DHS), Zac Williamson (Clifton), Ben Loxton (Northwood), Chris Abrahams (DHS), Seth Simpson (Westville), Josh Mungherera (DHS), Luke Allen (Northwood), Tyrique Cloete (DHS), Bonga Maphanga (DHS).
Jasmin Kelly, who was part of last year’s side, is one of six players who represented KZN Inland at the u18 SASHOC National Week in 2024. Photo: Supplied.
The KwaZulu-Natal Inland u18A girls’ team, which finished in sixth place at last year’s SASHOC National Week, is aiming to climb a few rungs up the ladder and, possibly, even challenge for the title at this year’s inter-provincial tournament (IPT).
The IPT is being hosted at St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton, from 29 June to 5 July, and the local team will be out to give their home supporters plenty of reasons to cheer.
The u18 boys’ tournament will run concurrently with the girls’ event, with matches being played on Pape’s Astro, at Maritzburg College, in Pietermaritzburg.
St Anne’s will also be the venue for the u16 girls’ event, from 7-13 July, while Hilton College will host the u16 boys’ competition on the same dates.
“I’m incredibly proud to coach this team. Girls’ hockey in the inland areas is thriving, with schools investing more in their programmes,” Morne Odendaal, the KZN Inland u18A head coach, told Supersport Schools Plus.
The investment by schools in the sport has seen more teams not only participate in hockey but become competitive against the best teams in the country. The fact that five schools are represented in the provincial team is a healthy sign of that growth.
Inland’s team will feature players from St John’s DSG, Epworth School, St Anne’s, The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC), and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School.
“We strike a great balance among the five prominent hockey schools in our region. My goal is for our players to exude confidence and play for each other,” Odendaal said.
Odendaal, who coaches St Anne’s, will be assisted by St John’s DSG’s coach Philip Smerdon, with Pam Sikhosana serving as the team manager.
Inland doesn’t just have experience in the coaching staff, they also have six players who were part of the 2024 IPT side. Twins, Jasmin and Jade Kelly, Kgabiso Morafo, Erynne Marais, Lamia Amod, and Nyaniso Khoza, featured in 2024.
Goalkeepers Morafo and Mika Khumalo will look after the last line of defence. In front of them, the defence includes the Kelly sisters, Sponga Ngubane, Hannah Schwegmann, Chennel Dennis, and Siena Solms.
Handling the playmaking in the midfield will be the dynamic talents of Holly Hofmeyr, Erynne Marais, Emma Williams, and Lamia Amod, while Annabelle Balmer, Kathryn Schulze, Nyaniso Khoza, and Siphokazi Mpontshane will be tasked with scoring goals for Inland.
“Our approach blends possession hockey with a dynamic, fast-paced attack whenever the opportunity arises. We’re shaping a well-drilled team that will pose a formidable challenge to any opponent,” Odendaal said.
While there will be an air of expectation on the home side, Odendaal has been reminding his charges to not focus on that.
“I encourage our players to express themselves and adhere to our playing principles and guidelines,” Odendaal explained.
Hoërskool Rustenburg is gekroon as vanjaar se Noordwes-kampioen in die DSTV Schools Challenge. 
Vanjaar se DSTV Schools Netball Challenge vind dié naweek in Gauteng plaas en beloof om een van die mededingendste skoletoernooie van die seisoen af te gee.
