Blog

There was delight for Maritzburg College on a cold and miserable day in Durban as they beat their rivals, Glenwood High School, 18-7 on Dixon’s Field on Saturday, in the first Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools fixture of 2024.

Despite the challenging conditions, which usually lead to teams resorting to the boot, both sides were happy to give the ball some air.

The early momentum belonged to the visitors, who drew first blood, thanks to the power of their forward pack.

From a lineout in the Glenwood 22m area, College set a rolling maul in motion, which was stopped only centimetres from the try line. Two quick phases later, scrumhalf Rayke Maartens sniped his way over to score.

The conversion by flyhalf James Slevin was successful and College led 7-0 after 11 minutes of play.

The Red, Black and White had Glenwood on the back foot with their driving maul, and it was the foundation for their second try of the afternoon. After a kick by the home side had gone directly into touch, they turned to it once more.

Rumbling forward, they drew in Glenwood’s defenders before running through a number of phases, battering away at the stubborn defence of the hosts. Then, flyhalf Slevin found Langelihle Makhathini with a wide pass, and the speedster finished clinically in the corner.

The Green Machine began to find their mojo shortly after conceding. Their lineout worked well to provide 8^th-man Jordan Hargreaves with front foot ball.

When Glenwood’s backs found space out wide after inside centre Sisiphiwo Dwayi got around his opposite number, their right-wing Leo Weber was in space. He had the wheels to outpace the College cover defence and dived over in the corner to get the hosts on the board.

Weber converted his own try to pull his team within another five-pointer of Maritzburg College.

The remainder of the first half was an arm wrestle but the scoreboard was unchanged. College led 12-7 at the break.

Ill-discipline undermined both sides in the second half, with Glenwood, especially, hurting themselves.

It was, however, Maritzburg College who were the first to receive a yellow card after a dangerous tackle by their captain, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka. Glenwood was unable to capitalise on their one-man advantage.

During the second stanza, College enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and asked many questions of the Glenwood defence. Those questions paid dividends when Slevin punished them from the kicking tee for a breakdown infringement. With 52 minutes played, College had extended their lead to eight points.

Glenwood was under the pump and, after a team warning for repeated penalties by the referee, it was the tighthead prop Uzukhanye Xaba who was penalised and shown a yellow card.

College opted for the three points once more and Slevin stepped up and converted to put his team 18-7 to the good with 15 minutes to play.

The back-and-forth continued, with both outfits having multiple opportunities to score. However, a combination of slippery conditions, poor decision making, and resolute defending meant that there was no change on the scoreboard.

When the final whistle sounded, College had taken the win on Dixon’s, a feat they failed to achieve in 2023 after winning comfortably at home.

The teams will meet again later in the season on Goldstone’s, in Pietermaritzburg.

Points’ scorers

Glenwood 7 (7) – Tries: Leo Weber. Conversion: Leo Weber. Maritzburg College 18 (12) – Tries: Rayke Maartens, Langelihle Makhathini. Conversion: James Slevin. Penalties: James Slevin (2)

Scores

u19

Glenwood II 17 Maritzburg College II 17, Glenwood III 10 Maritzburg College 22, Glenwood IV 0 Maritzburg College 14, Glenwood V 0 Maritzburg College V 34, Glenwood V 0 Maritzburg College V 34, Glenwood VI 0 Maritzburg College VI 39, Glenwood VII 14 Maritzburg College VII 38

u16

Glenwood A 0 Maritzburg College A 14, Glenwood B 5 Maritzburg College 15, Glenwood C 3 Maritzburg College 34, Glenwood D 7 Maritzburg College D 50, Glenwood E 7 Maritzburg College 43

u15

Glenwood A 28 Maritzburg College A 34, Glenwood B 14 Maritzburg College 17, Glenwood C 5 Maritzburg College C 8, Glenwood D 0 Maritzburg College 45, Glenwood E 0 Maritzburg College E 15

u14

Glenwood A 8 Maritzburg College A 12, Glenwood B 21 Maritzburg College B 7, Glenwood C 0 Maritzburg College C 15, Glenwood D 0 Maritzburg College D 12, Glenwood E 0 Maritzburg College E 50, Glenwood F 5 Maritzburg College F 41

Other matches

Maritzburg College VIII 15 Linpark I 20, Maritzburg College IX 20-15 KZN Development, Maritzburg College X 17 Linpark II 5, Maritzburg College u16F 0 KZN Development 47, Maritzburg College u15F 12 Linpark u15A 54.

After showing promise in the pre-season against the likes of St Charles College and Boland Landbou, Milnerton High School turned that potential into points, upsetting Rondebosch Boys’ High 34-33, after trailing 3-33 on the Tinkie Heyns Field on Saturday.

Watch all the action again on SuperSport Schools – Register now – Link to the game

The hosts got off to a solid start, seemingly putting the match to bed after 40 minutes, thanks to a brace of tries by their big hooker, Justin Amos, and further five-point contributions by Alutha Wesi, Harry Soboil and Shakeel Abrahams.

By that stage, Milnerton’s only points had come from the boot of flyhalf, Chadwin Sellidon, but that was about to change as the visitors launched an incredible fightback.

Spurred on by their captain, Frank Hitimana, who rounded off their first try after some excellent work by Briint Davids, with only 15 minutes left to play, the Milnerton side picked up the pace considerably and left ‘Bosch stunned.

Minutes later, the hosts were huddled under their posts again, after Morgan Lodewyk went over for Milnerton’s second.

Sellidon’s kicking off the tee had a massive part to play in a tight match, and he contributed even more with a try of his own. Winger Keagan Wood struck twice to get the visitors to within a point, with a minute left on the clock, and Sellidon added the extras to give his side the lead for the first time in the game.

The drama wasn’t yet over, however. From the ensuing kickoff, Milnerton gave away a penalty within reach of their uprights, but the hosts decided to go for a lineout instead of taking an attempt at goal, which gave the visitors a chance to steal back the ball and secure a remarkable victory.

The margins were almost as fine in the match between SACS and Stellenberg, with the team from the southern suburbs digging deep to secure a 24-22 victory.

SACS were missing some of their stars due to injury, including captain Seth Bradford and vice-captain Ben van Coller, but stand-in skipper Nic Reynolds did brilliantly to rally his troops.

Their troubles were compounded when flanker Siphe Mbungendlu suffered a serious injury, but the remaining SACS players pulled together and had just enough in the tank to see off the Jade Brigade.

Tries by Luka Tonitz, Dehan Neethling, and Dale du Toit got Stellenberg to within two points of their first win of the season, but Rayaan Solomon‘s accuracy off the tee for SACS proved to be the difference on the day which, given their kicking struggles earlier this season, was a huge positive for the visiting team.

Wynberg Boys’ High kept their perfect record for the season intact, comfortably beating Hoërskool Durbanville 36-19.

Hooker Xabiso Mkiva and winger Kunene Gadu each scored two tries for Wynberg as they outplayed the Durbies.

Next weekend, however, they will face their toughest challenge yet when they take on Paarl Boys’ High at the Buco Brug Street Stadium.

Scorers

Milnerton 34 (3) – Tries: Keagan Wood (2), Frank Hitimana, Morgan Lodewyk, Chadwin Sellidon. Conversions: Sellidon (3). Penalty: Sellidon. Rondebosch Boys’ High 33 (19) – Tries: Justin Amos (2), Alutha Wesi, Harry Soboil, Shakeel Abrahams. Conversions: David Simon (3), Shakeel Abrahams.

SACS 24 – Tries: Connor King, Jack Benade, Daniel Grant. Conversions: Rayaan Solomons (3). Penalty: Solomons. Stellenberg 22 – Tries: Luka Tonitz, Dehan Neethling, Dale du Toit. Conversions: Eben Rademan (2). Penalty: Rademan.

Wynberg Boys’ High 36 (12) – Tries: Xabiso Mkiva (2), Kunene Gadu (2), Torren February, Levi Brown. Conversions: Yaqeen Ahmed (3). Hoërskool Durbanville 19 (7) – Tries: Dale Martin (2), AD Freemantle. Conversions: Claydon Karelse (2).

Other results

u19 – Rondebosch Boys’ High II 34, Milnerton II 0; Wynberg Boys’ High II 15, Hoërskool Durbanville II 12; Stellenberg II 28, SACS II 5; Hoërskool Durbanville III 17, Wynberg Boys’ High III 8; Stellenberg 24, SACS 20.

u16 – Rondebosch Boys’ High 48, Milnerton 16; Wynberg Boys’ High 21, Hoërskool Durbanville 7; Stellenberg 56, SACS 7; Wynberg Boys’ High B 11, Hoërskool Durbanville B 7; Stellenberg B 17, SACS B 7.

u15 – Rondebosch Boys’ High 56, Milnerton 0; Wynberg Boys’ High 20, Hoërskool Durbanville 14; Stellenberg 20. SACS 15; Wynberg Boys’ High B 20, Hoërskool Durbanville B 10; Stellenberg B 33, SACS B 0.

u14 – Rondebosch Boys’ High 32, Milnerton 3; Hoërskool Durbanville 15, Wynberg Boys’ High 14; Stellenberg 22, SACS 7; Wynberg Boys’ High B 20, Hoërskool Durbanville B 10; SACS B 13, Stellenberg B 5.

Both of Friday night’s KZN games produced plenty of goals and praise for their players from the respective victorious coaches.

Despite windy and wet conditions, Maritzburg College and Durban High School (DHS) played to their strengths and scored five and three goals respectively to start the second term hockey season off on a high note.

College coach Kyle Emerson was positive in his post-match comments about his injury-stricken squad, who maintained possession well and played with good structure to run out 5-0 winners.

Glenwood started the floodlit game on the 3 Schools Astro with plenty of energy and determination. It was only in the 13^th minute of the second chukka that College scored their opening goal from the quick reverse stick of a hardworking and dangerous Brett Hosking.

Glenwood had a handful of circle entries, with their best chance of beating SA u17 goalkeeper, Nicholas Holmes (v-c), coming in the final seconds of the fourth chukka.

Hosking netted his second from an effective right-hand side attack, while Julian Konigkramer (v-c; KZN Inland u18B last year) slotted College’s second and third goals with a neat backhand shot and a low drag flick beating Caleb Hendrikse.

Ethan Maynard wrapped up the visitors’ scoring, with College’s fifth goal coming after a swift counterattack down the “hot line.”

Coach Kezlett was humble in his post-match comments about his potent DHS team, which beat a strong and competitive Westville Boys’ High School first team in a high-class game of hockey.

Rapid inter-passing, pinpoint connections, clever “handball” movement around the opponent’s circle, and variations of their respective speeds of attacks, characterised a clash of two top teams at The Colisseum.

Excellent one-on-one eliminations from both teams, as well as clever coaching tactics, allowed Lumi Matwela (SA u17A last year) to open the scoring with a superb reverse stick shot.

Westville equalised with a deft deflection from Thabo Dlamini in front of goal, after a crash ball in from the right-hand side.

Lethabo Bogacwi (SA u18A last year) scored DHS’s stunning second goal via a right-hand side attack, with a diving shot that will be remembered by the DHS Blackmore House boarders supporting their terrific team.

Nathi Jona rounded off a good night out for DHS with another diving deflection from a deliberately delivered “slider right” off the first castle at a short corner.

Final score: DHS 3-1 Westville.

New changeroom, new team energy and keeping it simple was the mantra for the day as Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) beat their local rivals, St Alban’s College, by 21 points on Saturday on Brooks Field, running out 38-17 winners.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Pretoria Boys’ High didn’t muck around, with the first points scored within the first two minutes of the match through an excellent run from flyhalf Tumisho Motswi, who received the ball deep in his half and darted through the defences of the opposition to score a fantastic try.

Boys High functioned well as a unit, with their outside centre Motheo Dimpe and 8th-man Katlego Shebu benefitting from that teamwork and scoring two tries apiece.

On the cusp of halftime, Hoops’ winger Neo Gama, who represented the Bulls at the Academy Week in 2023, cut through the PBHS defensive line, showing off his blistering pace through the middle of the field, as he evaded tackle attempts from left and right, before flying in for a try.

St Alban’s gave it a good go and put together some strong set-pieces, with talented flanker Patrick Weir impressing with his high work-rate.

He also went over for a try, but it came a little too late for St Alban’s, with the home side adding a further 17 points in the second half to take the contest further out of the visitor’s reach.

Throughout the match Candies looked strong on offence, with their powerful mauls driving the opposition back deep into their own half and resulting in two of Boys High’s six tries.

PBHS will be pleased with the result as they head into two big matches in succession, with an away trip down to Maritzburg College next weekend being followed with a match against King Edward VII on 20 April.

St Alban’s jet-off to Europe for a rugby tour during their mid-term holidays.

Points’ Scorers

Pretoria Boys’ High School 38 (21) – Tries: Motheo Dimpe (2), Katlego Shebu (2), Tumisho Motswi,  Jeffrey Singo. Conversions: Tebogo Nchabaleng (4). St Alban’s 17 (10) – Tries: Patrick Weir, Neo Gama. Conversions: Josh Verster (2). Penalty: Josh Verster.

Hoërskool Brackenfell het hul indrukwekkende spelpeil die afgelope naweek voortgesit toe hulle die partytjie met 25-17 bederf het vir Hoërskool Bellville in die hoofwedstryd van die Margaret Pansegrouw Sportdag.

Die Brakkies se pak het hard gewerk om voorlangs die oorhand teen die gasheerspan te verkry, met vaskopstut, Graigan Matroos, wat oorgebars het vir twee drieë.

Die groot agsteman, Wade Fortuin, het ook ‘n drie agter sy naam geplaas, terwyl hul spelbreker op  losskakel, Junior Louw, weer die opposisie gestraf het met sy geoefende skopskoen.

Louw het vroeër vanjaar, by Brackenfell se sportdag, al sy span se punte aangeteken met vyf strafdoele in hul naelbytsege van 15-14 oor Hoërskool Hopefield.

Dominic Adams kon twee pragdrieë vir die tuisspan aanteken, maar dit was nie genoeg om die Brakkies te stuit nie.

In die voorlaaste wedstryd van die dag het Hoërskool Porterville ‘n massiewe stelling gemaak teen Hoërskool Melkbosstrand.

Die plattelanders het agter die Melkies se doellyn geboer om met 55-0 as oorwinaars uit die stryd te tree. Howard Ocks, Marvin Lee Benjemin en Keanu Plaatjies het elkeen twee drieë gedruk, terwyl Ocks nog 10 punte bygedra het met doelskoppe.

Porterville het ‘n strawwe voorseisoen agter die rug. By hul jaarlikse Bulfees het hulle teen Hoër Jongenskool Paarl se derdes verloor, en by die Paul Roos-rugbyfees moes hulle die knie buig teen HTS Daniel Pienaar en Hoërskool Tygerberg. Hulle het egter ‘n indrukwekkende sege teen Hoërskool Durbanville se tweedes behaal by die Wynberg Rugbyfees, en nou pluk hulle die vrugte van hul harde arbeid in die voorseisoen.

Puntemakers:

Hoërskool Brackenfell 25 – Drieë: Graigan Matroos (2), Wade Fortuin. Doelskoppe: Junior Louw (2). Strafdoelle: Louw (2). Hoërskool Bellville 17 – Drieë: Dominic Adams (2), Willick de Klerk. Doelskop: Ashwin Cox.

Hoërskool Porterville 55 – Drieë: Howard Ocks (2), Marvin Lee Benjemin (2), Keanu Plaatjies (2), Llewellyn Fransman, Gideon Kroon, Dandre Killian. Doelskoppe: Ocks (5). Hoërskool Melkbosstrand 0.

Uitslae:

o. 19 – Tygerberg 17, Hermanus 15; Bellville II 34, Brackenfell 7; Jan van Riebeeck 24, Tygerberg II 3; Dirkie Uys 10, Swellendam 0; Westcliff 29, Curro Hermanus 7; Bellville III 12, Brackenfell III 7; Bonnievale 34, Weskusskool 0;

o. 16 – Bellville 34, Brackenfell 19; Bellville B 51, Brackenfell B 7; Hermanus 82, Swellendam 0; Tygerberg 23, Porterville 7; Melkbosstrand 25, Dirkie Uys 5; Tygerberg 31, Egdemead 12.

o. 15 – Bellville 41, Brackenfell 3; Bellville B 14, Brackenfell B 7; Jan van Riebeeck 21, Bellville B 17; Tygerberg B 19, Dirkie Uys 8; Tygerberg 12, Porterville 7; Swellendam 31, Edgemead 0; Bellville C 23, Westcliff 17; Melkbosstrand 22, Hermanus 0; Bonnievale 15, Tygerberg C 5.

o. 14 – Brackenfell 19, Bellville 5; Bellville 5, Brackenfell 5; Eddgemead 24, Curro Hermanus 15; Jan van Riebeeck 21, Melkbosstrand 21 Tygerberg 47, Hermanus 0.

St David’s Marist Inanda supporters were treated to a points’ scoring bonanza as the home team ran riot against St Benedict’s College in Sandton on Saturday, storming their way to a 59-0 victory.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Outside centre Theo Fonternel and super-sub Owami Maropola crossed for doubles as St David’s powered their way to eight tries in total.

Bennies were further hurt by scrumhalf Diego Ferreira, who shone with the boot, converting every one of those eight five-pointers. He also landed a penalty for a personal haul of 19 points.

It’s the third time this season that St Benedict’s has conceded 50 or more points, with St Stithians College and Graeme College also achieving the feat against them.

Many questions have been asked but Bennies have found few answers. Incremental improvements will be needed to turn to the tide.

Northcliff edged out Parktown Boys’ High School, winning at home by a whisker, 16-15.

Northcliff set the tempo and had opened up a nine-point lead by half-time, with flyhalf Matthew Hunt punishing Parktown’s errors by landing three penalties.

In the second stanza, the visitors bounced back with tries from scrumhalf Thepiso Tladi and fullback Kgotso Tumahole.

However, with 15 minutes left on the clock, the home team manufactured a crucial reply, with Frank Devenish‘s try proving to be a winner.

Parktown might have thought they had sufficient time left to overhaul Northcliff, but they failed to take the opportunities they created, and it was a clean sweep for the hosts, who also won all of the A team matches on the day.

Points scorers

St David’s Marist Inanda 59 (31) – Tries: Theo Fonternel (2), Owami Maropola (2), D’Andre Mushonga, Jack Brady, Tahin Patel, Kuzivakwashe Majuru. Conversions: Diego Ferreira (8). Penalties: Diego Ferreira. St Benedict’s College 0 

Northcliff High School 16 (9) – Tries: Frank Devenish. Conversions: Matthew Hunt. Penalties: Matthew Hunt (3). Parktown Boys’ High School 15 (0) – Tries: Thepiso Tladi, Kgotso Tumahole. Conversion: Kelvin Kotey.  Penalty: Kelvin Kotey.

Saturday at the St Mary’s Hockey Festival in Johannesburg was tough on The Wykeham Collegiate. Twice, they suffered 0-1 defeats – to Herschel and Clarendon – and they were held to a goalless draw by DF Malan in their other game.

After a 1-0 win over St Mary’s DSG (Pretoria) and a 2-1 victory over Paarl Girls’ High on Friday, it was jarring setback. Nonetheless, the Pietermaritzburg school doesn’t have time to lament those results. They face St Cyprian’s in a cross-pool playoff on Sunday morning.

St Mary’s Waverley found their way on day three, recording successive 1-0 wins over Clarendon and DF Malan, with their game against Herschel ending in a 0-0 draw.

It was a good step up from the hosts, who went winless the previous day.

St Andrew’s School for Girls led the way in Pool H, picking up three wins, although their record on Saturday wasn’t perfect. They handed Collegiate and St Cyprian’s 1-0 losses but went down 0-2 to Pearson.

The East London side was held to goalless draws in their other games, by Somerset College and Garsfontein.

Cape Town’s St Cyprian’s won one, drew one, and lost one: they went down 0-1 to St Andrew’s, beat Garsfontein 2-1, and drew 0-0 with Somerset College.

With final placings on the line, Sunday is a big day. Windhoek High School gets it underway against Our Lady Fatima, with St Mary’s DSG (Pretoria) taking on the St Mary’s Waverley Festival XI in the next game.

RESULTS

Saturday, 6 April

Pool G: Herschel 0-2 Paarl Girls; Clarendon 0-1 St Mary’s 1^st; DF Malan 0-0 The Wykeham Collegiate; Herschel 1-0 The Wykeham Collegiate; Clarendon 0-0 Paarl Girls; DF Malan 0-1 St Mary’s 1^st; Herschel 0-0 St Mary’s 1st; Clarendon 1-0 The Wykeham Collegiate; DF Malan 0-0 Paarl Girls

Pool H: St Andrew’s 0-2 Pearson; Somerset 0-0 St Cyprian’s; Garsfontein 0-0 Collegiate; St Andrew’s 1-0 Collegiate; Garsfontein 1-2 St Cyprian’s; Somerset 0-0 Pearson; Garsfontein 0 -0 Pearson; Somerset 0-0 Collegiate; St Andrew’s 1-0 St Cyprian’s

Durban Girls’ College (DGC) and Eunice dominated Pool E on day three of the St Mary’s Hockey Festival to move on to the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.

They were the dominant forces in Pool A and Pool B respectively on the first two days of the event, and they kept up their momentum as they motored their way into the final four.

In the semi-finals, DGC takes on St Stithians, while Eunice will fight it out with Paarl Gim.

On Saturday, DGC achieved what no other team had been able to do over the course of the first three days. They beat Eunice. If anyone was going to beat the Bloemfontein girls, however, it was going to be DGC, the team which had scored the most goals in the festival.

The defending champions had enjoyed a nine-match unbeaten run, winning seven and drawing two matches, during which they scored 27 goals and conceded just seven. Besides St Anne’s, no team had scored two or more goals against Eunice. Then they met DGC in their last match of the day on Saturday.

In a stunning display, coach Chardinay Penniston’s girls fired four goals past the defending champions, without reply, to emphatically lay claim to the top spot in Pool E, with Cara Baker, Emily Macquet, Ruby Kraus and Chelsey Woolf getting their names on the scoresheet.

Heading into that match, Eunice and DGC were level on points, and the result of the showdown would determine who finished first and who finished second in the pool.

Last year, DGC finished seventh at the St Mary’s Hockey Festival. This year, Penniston’s charges were determined to improve on that showing.

However, their performance at the recent DSG Festival did not suggest that they could dominate at this level. That was because Penniston was building a new team.

“I think the progression of this group has been a little slow, compared to last year,” Penniston said candidly. “But, having said that, this group’s development has been more meaningful. They are developing consistency the more they play together.”

Several of her players have exhibited moments of brilliance on the astro, like goalkeeper Ella Carstens, who stood tall and was an impregnable wall against an attacking Bloemhof earlier in the day. Her heroics helped DGC to a 2-0 win.

“They rely on each other and pull together as a team,” said Penniston.

DGC captain Emily Macquet and her teammates are happy and proud to have performed better than they did last year, but they did not come this far only to make it this far. They are hungry and determined to achieve more. They’re now focussed on outplaying Lance Louw’s Saints for a place in the title-decider.

Most teams retreat and focus on defence after Eunice registers a first goal because, once they get going, the Bloemfontein side rarely stops scoring.

Under Nika Coertzen’s guidance, the Bloemfontein school has run riot and scored the second-most goals at the festival this year. However, when they faced St Anne’s, the girls from Hilton chose a different approach. They decided to fight fire with fire.

St Anne’s, now coached by long-time Oranje coach Morne Odendaal, went 0-1 down to a goal by Bianca Rees-Gibbs. However, their positive approach was rewarded with a goal with 12 minutes left on the clock.

But Eunice skipper Trusten Barnard and her teammates were not about to settle for a draw, and they responded almost immediately with a spectacular Bianca Rees-Gibbs’ goal, which was good enough to grace any highlights’ reel.

Again, St Anne’s responded with an attack on the Eunice goal.

Coertzen had focussed on fortifying her side’s defence this season and before the clash with St Anne’s, Eunice had scored 22 goals and conceded only four. But their watertight defence was unable to stop Ella Shuttleworth, who fired in a brilliant individual goal to level matters.

Rees-Gibbs and Eunice were not about to be denied victory, though. She showed why she was a member of the South African u16 team last year, netting her hat-trick goal to win the contest.

Next up, though, Coertzen’s charges will have to dust themselves off and put their loss to DGC behind them as they prepare to meet an in-form Paarl Gim – a team that has shown it is as good on defence as it is on attack – for a place in the final.

Pool E Results

Eunice 3-1 Menlopark, Bloemhof 0-2 Durban Girls’ College, Affies 0-0 St Anne’s, Eunice 3-2 St Anne’s, Bloemhof 1-2 Menlopark, Affies 0-0 DGC, Bloemhof 1-1 St Anne’s, Affies 0-1 Menlopark, Eunice 0-4 DGC

Brute krag was aan die orde van die dag in Pretoria.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools. Skakel na die wedstryd.

Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool se pak voorspelers het die sleutel gebied tot hul eerste oorwinning oor Hoërskool Garsfontein in drie jaar. Affies het met ‘n naelbyttelling van 33-31 as oorwinnaars uit die titaniese stryd getree.

Affies het die tuisspan behoorlik gekarnuffel voorlangs, met verál hul verdediging teen die Garsies se sterk dryfmale wat die Bere gekortwiek het. Dit het voorts daartoe gelei dat die Bere deurgaans onder enorme druk geplaas is.

Albei spanne het groot fisiekheid tafel toe gebring, maar dit was die Wit Bulle wat die kontakpunte, met reuse duikslae, beheer het. Die oorhand onder die grootmanne het ‘n platform geskep vir die Affie-snellers om aanskoulike, hardlooprugby te speel.

Buitesenter, Nicholaas Grobler, was die eerste om deur te breek vir ‘n drie, waarna Affies voet in die hoek gesit het vir die twee vleuels, Roux Eagan en Rikus Strydom, om ook voor rustyd agter die tuisspan se doellyn te gaan kuier.

Die Bere het met rukke en stote in die eerste helfte goeie rugby gespeel. Dit was egter in die tweede skof dat dit begin lyk het asof die tuisspan hul ritme begin vind. Die spoedvraat op linkervleuel, Junaide Stuart, het kort na die omdraaislag teruggeslaan met sy tweede drie.

Sy eerste, het gekom van ‘n slinkse steekskoppie deur skrumskakel Brooklyn Newman, wat die Affie-verdedigers onkant betrap het. Newman is laat in die wedstryd self met ‘n drie beloon, wat die Bere se agterstand na slegs twee punte laat krimp het, met twee minute speeltyd oor.

Daardie drie het die Bere gelig en dit was so hittete of die tuisspan het in doodsnikke deurgebreek, vanuit hul eie halfgebied, om ‘n haas uit die hoed te pluk. Ongelukkig, tot die teleurstelling van die groot tuisskare, het dit nie uitgewerk vir hulle nie en kon Affies genoegsaam spartel om die moedige terugvegpoging te stuit.

Puntemakers:

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool 33 (21) – Drieë: Nicolaas Grobler, Roux Eagan, Rikus Strydom, Stephan McDonald. Doelskoppe: Ruben Pienaar (2). Strafdoele: Pienaar (3). Hoërskool Garsfontein 31 (12) – Drieë: Junaide Stuart (2), Ethan van Wyk, Stephan Pretorius, Brooklyn Newman. Doelskoppe: Luan Ferreira (2), Handre Maree.

Ander spanne: 

o. 16: Affies 40, Garsfontein 34

o. 15: Garsfontein 10, Affies 7

o. 14: Garsfontein 25, Affies 7

Paarl Gim and St Stithians put together outstanding performances on day three of the St Mary’s Hockey Festival to top Pool F and book themselves places in the semifinals.

In the semis, Paarl Gim will go up against Pool E runners-up and defending champions, Eunice, and Saints will go head-to-head with Pool E table-toppers, Durban Girls’ College.

Paarl Gim was the first team in Pool F to punch their ticket to the semi-finals.

Ian Naudé’s team headed into their match against Rhenish on the back of a 2-0 win over Waterkloof and a 1-1 draw with Oranje, a tie in which they were rescued by a late Tanya Pieterse goal that saved the day. A draw with Rhenish would seem them through.

“We are going in looking for a win. We are building a winning culture within the team, and we won’t shoot for anything less, even though a draw can see us through,” Naudé shared with Supersport Schools Plus moments before their showdown with Rhenish.

But the Stellenbosch girls were not going to be pushovers. Chris Gerber’s team was one of the most fluent outfits of the festival, showing off impeccable ball movement when in possession. Despite being a young team, with only one matric in the side, Rhenish had also exhibited admirable mental strength throughout the St Mary’s Festival.

“I am proud of how this team has shown up. They are a young side, enjoying the festival, but they are also mentally tough. They have the ability to dig deep when it matters the most,” Gerber told Supersport Schools Plus.

If Gim was to win, Naudé knew he had to try something special to get one over their familiar opponents. This was a Boland-Cape Town derby being played in Johannesburg.

The Bolanders altered their positioning slightly. It worked. By changing their channels of attack, Paarl Gim created more space for their strikers to exploit.

“Playing against Rhenish is always hard, but our girls are well-conditioned and have a hunger to be number one in the tournament. So, they were very composed. They passed well and retained possession well,” Naudé said.

Those adjustments and their hungry approach earned Paarl Gim a hard-fought 1-0 win and lifted them to the top of the pool.

St Stithians, the other team from Pool F to book a semi-final slot, started slowly. They finished third in Pool D after posting three wins, three draws and a loss to Paarl Gim.

Their start to the St Mary’s Festival was not all that different from their start to the season. Lance Louw’s charges did not dominate at the Balling Festival earlier in the year.

Among the teams they lost to at the Balling Festival was Oranje, who overwhelmed Saints 10-0. When the two sides again on Saturday, Saints didn’t just have an opportunity to avenge their heavy defeat in Bethlehem, they were also in a must-win situation.

A victory for the Johannesburg side would put them in a position to open up the table and give themselves room to compete for one of the top two spots.

In his pre-game team talks, Louw stresses teamwork, “So that, if the opposition marks one player out, everyone else is still able to rally and keep the team in the game. Our focus is always on us, not I,” he explained.

Reabitswe Mpume was, however, in sensational form for Saints and Oranje was unable to diminish her influence on the contest, no matter what they tried. She controlled play in the middle of the field, seeing to it that Gyster van Schalkwyk’s charges could not freely make excursions into the St Stithians’ final quarter.

Mpume’s outstanding performance was spurred on by Ashley Lanham-Love’s industrious runs and work rate. “Ashley had an outstanding day today. She was exceptionally consistent and made all the running to open things up,” said Louw.

Saints’ hard work was rewarded with a goal, scored by Mpume. It was a result of perfectly timed dummy runs and passes after Saints had won a short corner.

Buoyed by their 1-0 victory over Oranje, Saints battled to a 0-0 draw against a well-oiled Rhenish side and then pulled off a 1-0 win over Waterkloof to set themselves up for a shot at the final.

On Sunday, Saint takes on Durban Girls’ College in a must-watch semi-final tie.

Pool F Results

Oranje 0-1 St Stithians, Rhenish 2-2 St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), Waterkloof 0-2 Paarl Gim, Oranje 1-1 Paarl Gim, Rhenish 0-0 St Stithians, Waterkloof 0-2 St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), Waterkloof 0-1 St Stithians, Rhenish 0-1 Paarl Gim, Oranje 1-0 St Mary’s DSG (Kloof)