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In 2024, Bishops Diocesan College embarks on an eagerly anticipated journey, with the spotlight shining brightly on the esteemed institution’s rugby programme. The anticipation for their special 175th anniversary season is palpable as they gear up for a year brimming with significant milestones and formidable challenges.

After an impressive 17-year tenure at Bishops as a maths teacher, Ronald Jacobs assumes the mantle of Teacher in Charge of Rugby, ushering in a new era for the school. He has served as the House Director of Ogilvie House since 2017, and he brings a wealth of experience and a deep-rooted passion for the sport as he steers Bishops towards further excellence in its rugby endeavours.

A rugby man, through and through, Jacobs’s journey in coaching spans over three decades, beginning after a stint when he represented Western Province as a player in the early nineties. Notably, he graced the field in a historic encounter against a SARU XV, led by Allister Coetzee, on 14 September 1991, marking the end of an era where national-representative teams were segregated by race and ideology.

Throughout his tenure, Jacobs has played an active role in Bishops’ rugby, guiding the u16 B team before assuming leadership of the 2nd XV for six years.

Now, as the Teacher in Charge of Rugby at the proud school, he says he is feeling positive about the direction they are moving in.

“Two years ago, we organised a rugby committee, with the goal of getting the level of rugby at Bishops to where we want it to be. This is the second year of the three-year programme that was put into place, and I can tell you there have been some major shifts. Not necessarily only in the results, but there has been a tangible change to the spirit surrounding rugby at the school”.

With great hopes for the coming season, the Bishops’ 1st XV will rely on the experience of some of the side’s more seasoned players.

James Le Feuvre and Alex Smith return from last year’s squad and will share the captaincy responsibilities in 2024. They’re further bolstered by the likes of Kashief Joseph, Lucca Mynhardt and Alex Newton, who also donned the trademark numberless first-team jerseys last season.

This year holds special significance for Diocesan College as it commemorates its 175th anniversary and, as part of the celebrations, the school will host a grand rugby festival from 20 to 23 March.

“It’s going to be a big one,” said Jacobs, “We have the likes of Michaelhouse, St Andrew’s College, Kingswood, Grey High and Hilton, joining along with our local rivals. We expect more than 1400 rugby players strutting their stuff over those four days.”

Guiding the squad through this landmark season is head coach Wes Chetty, who brings a wealth of experience to the post, having played over 100 games for the Ikey Tigers. Chetty inherited the role at Bishops from Dave Mallet in 2018, when, former Leinster and Connacht prop, Stephen Knoop served as Bishops’ scrum guru.

Assisting him are coaches Sam Mofokeng and Tank Lanning, alongside specialists Mika Schubert and Uzair Saban.

Apart from the experienced core group of players, there are also exciting prospects with a rich rugby pedigree available for the first team this year.

Former Stormers hooker, Jan van den Heever‘s son, Daniel van den Heever will be vying for his place in the squad alongside Arran Muir, whose uncle is the legendary World Cup-winning Springbok fullback, André Joubert.

The eagerly anticipated clashes against Bishops’ arch-rivals Rondebosch Boys’ High promise to be among the highlights of the season, building on an intense rivalry between the two institutions.

In 2023, Bishops clinched a memorable victory in their first encounter, thanks to a moment of magic by their SA Schools A team fullback Gilermo Mentoe, which secured a 13-8 victory.

As expected, though, their rivals were set on revenge in the return fixture on the Piley Rees and they broke the home team’s hearts with a converted try in the final seconds of the match to score a nail-biting 36-35 victory.

This year, more than ever, Bishops will be eager to do the double over their peninsular opponents to celebrate a milestone year. They end their season at Rondebosch, but August still feels like a long way away, especially since they start the season with a rush of six games in less than three weeks.

The provisional fixtures for 2024

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Under the guidance of Coach Suwi Siwila, the Maritzburg College basketball team recently achieved something that the school had previously achieved only three other times in its long history: going unbeaten through the KZN inter-school season.

From 16 September 2023, College’s 1st team demonstrated exceptional defensive hustle and a relentless offence to join the ranks of the 1991 team, which included notable players like Andrew Pratt, who is now a member of Maritzburg College’s School Governing Body, in the history books.

Coach Siwila told SuperSport Schools Plus he emphasised the importance of team building to establish a strong team culture.

The squad engaged in various legacy-building activities, with a focus on membership and goal setting. They dedicated time and gave back to the basketball programme by officiating junior games, working the tech table, and coaching junior teams, to ensure everyone was a part of and active in the programme.

Siwila said he stressed the importance of staying focussed on the task at hand and striving for improvement, rather than fixating on success or winning. He highlighted the team’s commitment to redefining winning as personal growth through basketball.

“Every week, whether it was a tournament or a regular practice, the players embraced this mindset and embodied it,” Siwila reckoned.

He also noted that, at times, when College’s focus drifted to the ultimate goal, they overlooked celebrating small victories and living in the present moment. “It’s essential to appreciate the journey,” he added.

Reflecting on his team’s achievements, Siwila said: “For the last two years, KZN schools have dominated the high school rankings in SA. The boys, this past season, were motivated by the desire to be the best in the country and also to make their coach Bongani Khumalo proud.

“We tragically lost coach Khumalo in December 2022 in a car accident, and every achievement thus far has been for him.

“The motivation also came from belief and knowing that College is a powerhouse and, rightfully so, deserves to dominate. You can’t explain it but playing for College is like no other feeling. Nothing feels impossible and hard to reach,” he said.

When asked what tactics were employed during times of adversity to inspire the players and foster team spirit, Siwila replied: “When we were faced with defeat or lacked motivation, the process was simple. We promised to create and leave a legacy and in doing so promised to see failure as part of the process. [It was] a learning and teaching point for everyone involved”.

He described working with the current squad as “amazing”. “To see them buy into our team values, principles of play, and gym programme, was a marvel. All they have achieved is a result of their hard work.”

The current Maritzburg College team has played in three tournament finals, winning the second edition Jenny Orchard Basketball Tournament, where they defeated the number-one team in the country, Northwood School, while finishing as the runners-up in the Kearsney College Independent Schools Stayers Basketball Tournament and the Kearsney Invitational Basketball Tournament. All three events featured teams from around South Africa.

“Having four SA u17 squad players and going unbeaten in arguably the toughest league in high school basketball is an amazing feat,” coach Siwila concluded.

“Congratulations to them and thank you to the team and everyone that has contributed to their success.”

Maritzburg College 1st Basketball Squad

1. Inathi Masinga
2. Ryeleigh Hoskins
3. Josh Murekezi
4. Lwandile Dlamini
5. Ashar Ngcobo
6. Nkhanyiso Ngcobo
7. Naha Setipa
8. Jonathan Gasarasi
9. Kamva Sibankulu
10. Ndumiso Mkhulisi
11. Amu Mtolo
12. Ntobeko Ngobese

Kaizer Chiefs’ standout Wandile Duba put his skills on show when he scored a remarkable goal from outside the box to help the AmaKhosi to three crucial DStv Premier Soccer League points and a 1-0 win over Golden Arrows at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday evening.

It was a vital victory after a series of sub-standard performances and results from the Phefeni Glamour Boys, which had left their faithful fans disappointed as their competitors kept getting the better of them.

Duba had previously entered the action as a substitute on 2 March, and made a significant impact, when Chiefs played to a goalless draw against Moroka Swallows in a Soweto derby, also at the FNB Stadium.

His journey mirrors that of other promising young players who have risen through the ranks of development structures and competed in the highly competitive Gauteng Development League (GDL). Among them is the talented Mfundo Vilakazi, who recently earned a spot in the Amakhosi’s first team.

Having showcased his skills and scored stunners in the DStv Diski Challenge, Duba, at just 19 years of age, caught the attention of football enthusiasts and established himself as a rising star.

Reflecting on his performance against the Dube Birds, in an interview with the Kaizer Chiefs website, Duba said: “I was very grateful to the coach for giving me a chance against Swallows. It was exciting to be back in the Gold and Black.

“I have been working hard since the mini pre-season and the coaching staff have been very encouraging, telling me I will get my chance. I must just be patient and keep working hard.”

Duba’s journey has been filled with difficulties and obstacles that have occasionally hindered his progress. In 2023, his mother passed away. It was the toughest loss of his life and career, Duba said. He turned out for Chiefs in May of that year but was not seen in the 1st XI again until this year.

“It has been tough for me since I lost my mother last season because she was always very supportive. My family and friends have been there for me even more than ever since I lost my mom.

“In some ways, my friends have become my parents in the way they treat me, giving me guidance and advice. Likewise, with my family, and I appreciate it”, he told the Kaizer Chiefs’ media team.

As the highly anticipated Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs approaches this weekend, the question is whether or not Duba has played himself into a starting role at the FNB Stadium, known as the Calabash.

With a seating capacity of 94 736, a run-on role would see coach Cavin Johnson putting his faith in Duba on the biggest stage in South African football, in the biggest game in South African football.

The HTS Drostdy Sport Day provided the stage for an electrifying start to the new rugby season in Worcester this past weekend, as teams fine-tuned their squads ahead of league battles.

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

Local rivals, Worcester Gimnasium and HTS Drostdy, set the tone with impressive twin-victories on Saturday. The Donkeys stampeded past Schoonspruit, registering a commanding 35-5 win, and followed that up with dominant 65-0 thrashing of Melkbosstrand.

Meanwhile, Worcester Gimnasium mirrored their neighbours’ successes, securing two wins, albeit by much smaller margins, against the same opponents. A hard-fought 15-5 triumph over Melkbosstrand preceded a narrow victory over Schoonspruit.

Lhangquin de Bruyn (flyhalf), Lukewin van Heerden (centre) and Lorenzo Harmse (fullback) scored the first tries of the season in Worcester Gim’s first outing. They will be seeking a repeat of last year’s successes, when they turned many a head by outclassing some of their strongest opponents.

HTS Drostdy faces a tougher challenge in their next fixture on Saturday, when they square off against Stellenberg .

The Gimmies are set to continue their pre-season fixtures with a tour to George, where they’ll clash with Langenhoven Gimnasium at the Hoërskool Outeniqua 101 Year Sports Day.

Swartland also remained unbeaten at the weekend’s event, edging out Brackenfell by a 13-10 margin, before running in 48 unanswered points against Worcester Secondary.

U19 A Results

HTS Drostdy 65, Melkbosstrand 0; Worcester Gimnasium 17, Schoonspruit 12; Hoërskool Tygerberg 7, Langeberg 3; Swartland 48, Worcester Secondary 0; Hoërskool Brackenfell 21, Esselenpark 3; Worcester Gimnasium 15, Melbosstrand 5; HTS Drostdy 35, Schoonspruit 5; Hoërskool Tygerberg 5, Worcester Secondary 5; Langeberg 10, Esselenpark 8; Swartland 13, Brackenfell 10.

Die C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje skitter op die gebied van netbal en spog met ‘n nalatenskap vol prestasies.

Nie alleen was hulle die Interskole-kampioene van 2023 nie, hulle het dit vermag deur Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof te klop met 35-23, die grootste Inter-sege van die afgelope bykans 13 jaar.

Onder die gesoute afrigting van Surita le Roux, is die span oorgehaal om vanjaar ‘n top-posisie by die komende SA Skole-toernooi te behaal, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle verlede jaar vyfde geëindig het,

Die span spog met ‘n lys hoogs talentvolle spelers, soos Marguerite Cronje, wat die span lei as kaptein, Cara Smith, Amy Fröhlich, Nadine Jonck, Marianne Louw, Diné le Roux, Jessica Barnard, Danielle van Jaarsveld, Anja Cohen en Karin Truter.

Louw het reeds haar merk gemaak deur Suid-Afrika se o. 16-netbalspan te verteenwoordig.

Le Roux benadruk die belangrikheid van nederigheid en vasberadenheid, terwyl elke wedstryd beskou moet word as ‘n geleentheid om uit te blink, ongeag die opponent. Om enige teëstander te onderskat is eenvoudig nie ‘n opsie nie, aangesien elke wedstryd  dieselfde benadering en, inderdaad, toewyding verg.

In his milestone 100th first-team appearance, Grey High School‘s Xander Elkington delivered a masterful performance by dismissing five St Andrew’s College batsmen on the weekend.

Elkington’s contribution underlined his exceptional season for Grey, where his all-round prowess has often been the linchpin of the team’s successes.

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

From the outset, the Grey boys exhibited ferocious intent, with Likhona Gcora setting the tone by knocking back the stumps of the first two Saint Andrew’s batsmen in quick succession.

Mitchell Coventry resisted, striking back-to-back boundaries, as he contributed 27 runs before he was caught by Joel Maree.

Elkington, however, tore through the Makhanda school’s batting lineup to capture 5/19 in eight overs, and St Andrew’s slumped to only 76 all out in their first innings.

With Grey at the crease, Roman van Zyl struck early to reduce them 19/2 after the first 10 overs. However, Marco Giaconi constructed a fine innings of 52 runs to steer his side past their opponents’ first innings’ total.

When Oliver Johns finally got rid of Giaconi, Josh Rennie took over and helped Grey to an imposing 213/8 before declaring.

Rennie worked hard for his undefeated 54 runs, hitting four boundaries while working the ball around for singles at every opportunity, and Kian Cambier and Joel Maree weighed in with 31 apiece.

Towards the end of the Grey innings, Tristan Grundling hammered the only six of the innings in his knock of 20, which helped extend Grey’s lead to 137 runs.

William Beamish (49) began the second innings for St Andrew’s on a positive note. He struck two sixes and five fours before Zander Nutt trapped him in front of his wickets, tantalisingly close to a half-century.

Nutt was on a tear and claimed the three wickets that fell for only five runs while also sending down four maiden overs. Oliver Johns and Samuel Scheckter then shut up shop to prevent St Andrew’s going down to an outright defeat.

Summarised Scorecards

St Andrew’s College first innings 76 (Mitchell Coventry 27; Xander Elkington 5/19, Likhona Gcora 2/8, Tristan Grundling 2/26); Grey High School first innings 213/8 (Josh Rennie 54*, Marco Giaconi 52, Kian Cambier 31, Joel Maree 31, Tristan Grundling 20; Roman van Zyl 2/15, Alastair de Kock 2/20, Laurie Apps 2/84); St Andrew’s College second innings 70/3 (William Beamish 49; Zander Nutt 3/5). Grey High School won on first innings.

Queen’s College 170 (Bevaneo Maytham 80, Connor Oelofse 22; Jacques van der Merwe 2/24, Bungqina Nuku 2/29, Adam Rogers 2/54); Selborne College 94/6 (Tré Gilbert 31, Reece Wait 26; Bevaneo Maytham 2/13, Ryan Denston 2/24). Match abandoned.

Na verlede jaar se triomf met twee doele, het Voortrekker Hoërskool vanjaar gemaklik met 46-33 as oorwinnaars uit die stryd getree in die eerste wedstryd van Wesgrow Sentrale Sportreeks teen Hoërskool Diamantveld.

Dit was vanuit die staanspoor duidelik dat Voortrekker ‘n krag gaan wees om mee rekening te hou, aangesien hulle blitsig beheer oor die wedstryd geneem en reeds in die eerste kwart met 10-7 voorgeloop het.

Ten spyte van Diamantveld se dapper pogings om terug te kom in die stryd, het Voortrekker hul greep regdeur die wedstryd verstewig en hul voorsprong met elke kwart vergroot, om teen rustyd met 20-13 voor te loop.

Die derde kwart het geen blaaskans vir Diamantveld gebied nie, met Voortrekker wat hul snelle pas gehandhaaf het om 14 verdere doele by hul telling te voeg, teenoor Diamantveld se nege. Dit het die telling teen die einde van die derde kwart op 34-24 te staan gebring

Voortrekker se spelers het inderdaad uitsonderlike vaardighede en spanwerk tentoongestel, om hul uiteindelike oorwinning van 46-33 te beklink. Dit span van Bethlehem gaan moeilik getroef word vanjaar.

 

 

 

The anticipation builds as one of South Africa’s premier netball tournaments looms on the horizon.

The Menlopark Toyota Netball Tournament, now in its prime, promises to showcase the best of strength against strength, a thrilling spectacle so early in the season.

Scheduled from Wednesday, 20 until Thursday, 28 March, this year’s tournament will welcome 46 high schools and 53 primary schools from across the nation. It’s a gathering that epitomises the essence of South Africa’s most beloved women’s sport.

With Toyota as the headline sponsor, supported by Spar and Provantage School Sports, expectations soar for an even grander event than before.

“We are excited to be associated with such pristine brands and we know that the tournament will be equally immaculate,” said Eleanor du Toit, tournament organiser from the Hoërskool Menlopark.

Beyond the thrill of competition, the tournament aims to provide an opportunity for players to test their mettle against the finest in a festive atmosphere, ensuring they relish every moment of what they love.

The organisers extend a warm invitation to all in Pretoria and surrounding areas, urging family members and netball enthusiasts alike to join them at the tournament for days filled with top-tier school netball action.

The stage is set, and we eagerly anticipate hosting the participating schools as they converge for this exhilarating event.

The Gauteng Development League (GDL) is underway. The 2024 league season, the 13th since the GDL was established, kicked off over the weekend.

Since its introduction, the league has helped unearth many exciting talents who have gone to make their mark in the Premier Soccer League.

Among those whose stars are on the rise are Mfundo Vilakazi, who has broken into the first team of Kaizer Chiefs FC; Relebohile Mofokeng, formerly of the School of Excellence, and now on the books of Orlando Pirates FC; Emile Witbooi of Cape Town City FC; and Siyabonga Mabena who also represented the School of Excellence, and now runs out for Mamelodi Sundowns. Additionally, Owethu Khumalo, who emerged from the ranks of Randburg AFC, currently showcases his skills for Moroka Swallows.

Having witnessed the successes of individual players and the undeniable growth of the GDL, one wonders who will emerge from the 2024 season as a star of the future.

At Balfour Park, on Sunday, UP Tuks shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw with the defending champions of the GDL, Highlands Park. In a tactical battle, the defences made attacking football difficult and, when the sides managed to create opportunities, they failed to convert them.

In a post-match interview, Highlands Park captain Seth Van Wyk told SuperSport Schools he was disappointed that his side had not made use of the chances that came their way but, he said, his side would keep working hard, week in and week out.

“We have such a big target on our backs. We’ve won the GDL two times in a row. Obviously, there is a big target on our back. Everyone wants to beat us. If they beat us, they have the reputation that they have beaten Highlands Park, but we just keep our heads down. We stay humble and we keep working hard.”

After their opening draw, the Lions of the North face a stiff challenge from SuperSport United, who recently won the u19 title in the GDL Top 8.

Elsewhere across the province, football fields were buzzing as supporters embraced the start of the new season on Saturday. There were some emphatic wins and several disappointing showings.

East Rand Athletic Club, one of the promoted clubs, introduced themselves to the GDL by taking all three points off Wits Junior, who endured a rough and bumpy 2023 GDL season. The students will be keen to get back out on the field and score some points after going down 0-1.

At Naturena, Kaizer Chiefs FC thrilled by knocking five goals past Sevens Academy. Unfortunately, the game had to be abandoned because of severe lightning and thunderstorms. It was a disappointing ending to a fantastic performance from coach David Mathebula‘s boys.

In Pretoria, the season began with a Tshwane derby between Mamelodi Sundowns and Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sport School. Rosina took the game to Sundowns, but they came away disappointed after going down 0-2 against the Brazilians.

The thunderstorms and accompanying lightning forced many matches to be called off, including the match between SuperSport United and Jomo Cosmos. NWU Vaal, who made the final of the 2023 GDL Cup before earning promotion, had their game against Remember Elite Sports Academy called off, too, which was a blow for fans in the Vaal Triangle. Another match which wasn’t played was that between Randburg AFC and Panorama.

Results 

TS Galaxy 2-0 Joburg City
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Rosina
Highlands Park 0-0 UP Tuks
Kathorus Hyper Academy 0-0 School of Excellence
East Rand Athletic Club 1-0 Wits Junior

Kaizer Chiefs 5-0 Sevens Academy (Call off due to bad weather conditions)

KwaZulu-Natal schools performed well at the recent St John’s Basketball Tournament, with Northwood and Hilton College winning the u19 and u15 titles respectively in the country’s most prestigious basketball event.

On the weekend, there was another chance for those teams to demonstrate their excellence.

Northwood’s ride on the winning streak

Northwood, who laid claim to being the number one team in the country with their dominant performances in Johannesburg, picked up where they left off when they took on Clifton College.

Lusanda Hlongwane, the MVP of the St John’s tournament, led the way with a triple-double, while Callum Magurno picked up a double-double. They, together with Chadley Hargreaves and Siyamthanda Shabalala, all tallied more than 20 points as the Knights bullied their way to a 102-35 win.

Playing for the first time in a big interschools fixture at home since winning the St John’s tournament, the Northwood team was welcomed onto the court with rapturous applause, with their supporters, pupils, parents and staff all showing their appreciation for the side.

With Hlongwane, Magurno and Hargreaves dictating play from the start, Northwood were quickly into their stride and by the end of the first quarter they had 29 points on the board.

The Knights exerted massive pressure on Clifton with their full-court, man-to-man press and, once they turned over possession, they were relentless in turning it into points.

The one-sided victory put an exclamation mark on a very successful day for Northwood, who swept their matches against Clifton, who came closest to a win in the u15A game, which Northwood claimed 36-34.

Maritzburg College remains unbeaten in KZN interschools’ matches

The Maritzburg College 1st team enjoyed a good weekend, beating Kearsney College 63-56, to keep their record in KZN clean.

Since 16 September last year to the present day, College remains unbeaten in the province in interschools derbies, and they also claimed the silverware in the Jenny Orchard Basketball Tournament in February when they defeated Northwood School (who had beaten them in the pool stages) in the final in overtime.

At Michaelhouse, the Hilton College 1st team claimed a 60-55 win over the home side, and their St John’s Basketball Tournament-winning u15A side continued its excellent season, beating Michaelhouse 26-19.

In Gauteng, KES, the runners-up at the St John’s Basketball Tournament, claimed a 10-point win over St Stithians, while St John’s got the better of Jeppe, and St David’s Marist Inanda outplayed CBC Boksburg.

RESULTS

KwaZulu-Natal

St Charles 101-46 Glenwood
Hilton College 60-55 Michaelhouse
Westville Boys High 85-77 Durban High School
Northwood 102-35 Clifton College
Maritzburg College-63-56 Kearsney College

Gauteng

St John’s College 40-31 Jeppe
King Edward VII 42-32 St Stithians College
St David’s Marist Inanda 48-20 CBC Boksburg

Eastern Cape

Queen’s College 16-3 Kingswood (Match abandoned due to inclement weather)
Queen’s College 31-15 Khanyisa