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After Kearsney College defeated Westville Boys’ High in a W100 match on Wednesday, the rivals clashed again on Saturday in a limited overs match, played on Bowden’s, at Westville.

In overcast conditions, Kearsney skipper Ross Coetzee opted to bowl first after winning the toss. That proved to be a good decision.

Westville is loaded with good batsmen, but on Saturday they found the going tough. The Griffin made a decent start, with captain Nicandro Kistna and Max Robertson putting on 25 for the first wicket, followed by Robertson and Seth Simpson advancing the total to 44 before the second stick fell.

The real issues came a little later in the innings as three middle-order wickets went down for the addition of only five runs. Then, after 24 runs had been added for the sixth wicket, the last four wickets produced only four runs as Westville crumbled to 111 all out after 40.3 overs.

Kaeden McAllister, with 28 runs, which included four fours, was the host’s top scorer, while Max Robertson contributed an unusually circumspect 23 from 64 deliveries.

It was the spinners who did most of the damage, with the leggie, Asavela Khambule, snaring 3/13 in six overs, while Ross Coetzee picked up 3/20 from 9.3 with his off-spin.

All six bowlers used by Kearsney enjoyed success, with Ryan Browning, Sandiswa Yeni, Michael Groom and Murray Weyer taking a wicket each.

The visitors, needing only 112 to win, were under no pressure to score quickly to grab a second win on their rival’s home ground within the space of four days, so they took their time.

They needed 33.4 overs to overhaul the Westville total, and 39 by Cameron Veenstra, at the top of the order, was the pivotal knock in their innings. He scored relatively quickly, with his runs coming from 48 balls, which included six fours.

Four other batsmen scraped into double figures. It wasn’t much, but Kearsney didn’t need much.

Sekou Shangase continued his fine form with the ball for Westville, capturing 2/13 from four overs, while Chad van Breda returned 2/19 from five, but the home team’s underwhelming innings was too much to overcome as Kearsney staked their claim to be the best of KZN’s teams in 2024.

At the Riverside Sports Club, Clifton College were, unfortunately for them, done in by a devastating bowling spell from Jayden Roux, who just last year was a key player in the Clifton 1st team. In 5.2 overs, he destroyed the home side’s batting, knocking over 4/5.

Opening bowler Kyle Christie also gave the Clifton batsmen fits, grabbing 4/17 in 10, and leg-spinner David Hill did a tidy job, claiming the other two wickets at a cost of 17 runs from seven overs.

Clifton’s innings was done in 34.2 overs, with only 70 runs on the board.

With Ben Hockly then taking the game to Clifton, Hilton surged to a nine-wicket victory after only 14 overs. Hockly crushed three sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten 57 from just 49 deliveries, and that was it!

It was a dominant performance in all aspects of the game from a Hilton team that appears to have turned the corner after a difficult start to the season.

Summarised scores

Westville Boys’ High 111/10 (Kaeden McAllister 28, Max Robertson 23; Asavela Khambule 3/13, Ross Coetzee 3/20) Kearsney College 112/5 (Cameron Veenstra 39; Sekou Shangase 2/13, Chad van Breda 2/19) Kearsney College won by 5 wickets.

Clifton College 70/10 (Jayden Roux 4/5, Kyle Christie 4/17, David Hill 2/17); Hilton College 71/1 (Ben Hockly 57*) Hilton College won by 9 wickets.

There was drama galore, upsets, and hearts broken on Saturday as Durban Girls’ College (DGC) claimed the top honours in the National Aquatics Festival, hosted by Maris Stella in Durban.

The opening day had seen the favourites, predictably, dominate the pool stages, but the scripts were flipped in the playoffs as the underdogs pulled off upsets.

To reach the final, DGC had to undertake a difficult challenge after finishing second in Pool A behind last year’s winners, St Stithians College.

In the playoffs, though, DGC was a different beast, thumping the hosts 20-8, before grinding out an 8-7 win over East London’s Clarendon in the semi-finals.

Their opponents in the final, St Mary’s Waverley, also pulled off a stunner, to book their place in the title decider. They outlasted their Johannesburg neighbours, St Stithians, also by a single goal, winning 7-6.

The showdown for the silverware was an entertaining battle, with the teams going goal-for-goal until the final minute.

They were level at 3-3 after the first two chukkas and, somehow, both managed to score four goals in the second half to leave the scores level at 7-7 after the final whistle. It was the lottery of penalties that gave the KZN side the victory after a St Mary’s player missed from the spot.

The win saw DGC improve on the bronze medal they won in 2023, while St Mary’s also bettered their finish by two places after they ended fourth last year.

In other matches on the final day, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) got one over Maris Stella in the fifth/sixth play-off, winning a tight contest by a 7-5 margin.

Clarendon ended their campaign on a satisfactory note, outlasting last year’s winners, Saints, 15-11 in a high-scoring third/fourth playoff match.

There were also wins for Our Lady of Fatima over Danville, while Durban Girls’ High defeated Pretoria High School for Girls to finish the tournament in seventh spot.

Results: Day 2

DHS Pool

Durban Girls’College 22-1 Danville
St Stithians College 17-2 Durban High School
St Mary’s Waverley 15-3 St Mary’s DSG
Durban Girls’ College 20-8 Maris Stella
St Mary’s Waverley 7-6 St Stithians College
Durban Girls’ College 8-7 Clarendon
Clarendon High 15-11 St Stithians College
Durban Girls’ College 7 (11)-7 (9) St Mary’s Waverley

Maris Stella Pool

Pretoria High School for Girls 8-2 Our Lady of Fatima
Clarendon High School 15-1 Maris Stella
Pretoria High School for Girls 6-0 Danville
Our Lady of Fatima 11-0 Danville
Durban Girls’ High 5-2 Pretoria High School for Girls
St Mary’s DSG  7-5 Maris Stella

Final standings

Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s Waverley
Clarendon Girls’ High School
St Stithians College
St Mary’s DSG
Maris Stella
Durban Girls’ High
Pretoria High School for Girls
Our Lady of Fatima
Danville Park Girls’ High

 

Lhuan-dre Pretorius will be plying his trade at Cornwall Hill College in the coming year. The SA u19 opening batsman decided to make the move after signing a deal with the Momentum Multiply Titans for next year.

That also means the Titans will have the services of one of the most prolific run scorers in South Africa schoolboys’ cricket for the Khaya Majola and Cubs Weeks.

His presence will undoubtedly strengthen a struggling Cornwall Hill 1st XI and give the junior structures in Northern Gauteng a major boost.

The former St Stithians College pupil’s decision to relocate to the prestigious English school in Pretoria was based on the fact that he has received his education in English over the last four years.

Pretorius is in good nick with the bat and his achievement of finishing among the top five leading run scorers at the u19 World Cup is testament to that fact.

The left-hander scored 287 runs at a strike rate of 94.09 while averaging 57.4. He also performed impeccably behind the stumps, where he took eight catches and was involved in four run outs.

“I’m very excited about my move up north. It’s something new and I always look forward to meeting new people,” he said.

“It also allows me to develop my game in different conditions. The Titans is a very rich cricketing province and I’m looking forward to joining them.”

Detailing his goals at his new school, Pretorius said: “My ambitions at Cornwall Hill will be to be the best version of myself in every aspect and to help the youngsters feed off me and, most importantly, to assist them in developing their game.

“I am in a very privileged position, a position a lot of young people my age dream of. For me, it is very important to just stay humble, set a good example, and lead from the front as best I can.”

Pretorius now joins he a league where he and his SA u19 opening partner Steve Stolk, from Menlopark, will face each other more often.

He will also be going toe-to-toe with Vihan Pretorius, his younger brother, who has become one of Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool’s top performers with the bat.

The sun was out, there were clear blue skies, and the conditions favoured both the swimmers and the water polo teams on the opening day of the National Aquatics Festival, hosted by Durban’s Maris Stella at the Kings Park Pool on Friday.

The annual water polo tournament saw 16 matches completed, with a number of teams asserting their dominance ahead of the looming playoffs, which take place on Saturday.

Last year’s champions, St Stithians College were among the sides to impress, claiming emphatic victories in their first two matches over St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), and Danville.

They were, however, stopped in their tracks by a determined Durban Girls’ College (DGC) side, which held coach Etienne Le Roux’s team to a 6-6 draw, to make matters interesting in Pool A.

DGC also managed two wins on the day, claiming an 11-2 victory over St Mary’s DSG, before thumping their arch-rivals, Durban Girls’ High, 15-1.

Danville struggled to get going in the pool, and their lapses of concentration in defence resulted in the side conceding 44 goals, with St Mary’s DSG scoring 21 of those.

Clarendon High School ruled in the South Pool, blasting through all of their opponents to send out a message that they’re a top contender for the title.

They opened their campaign with an emphatic 22-0 win over Pretoria High School for Girls, before thumping Our Lady of Fatima 17-1. In their last match of the day, they held off a motivated St Mary’s Waverley, winning by a two-goal margin, 7-5.

Hannah Muller’s Clarendon was joined by St Mary’s Waverley at the top of their pool. The Johannesburg school, which hosted the National Aquatics Festival in 2023, is in second spot after winning three out of their four matches on the opening day.

They began the day by dismantling the hosts, Maris Stella, 14-2. They followed that up by scoring 20 goals against Our Lady of Fatima, before dishing out an 18-2 defeat to Pretoria High.

Maris Stella faces a tough start on Saturday, with an early showdown against Clarendon at 07:40.

Meanwhile, Durban Girls’ College and Durban Girls’ High take on Danville and St Stithians College respectively in their final pool matches.

The day’s first match starts at 07:00, at both the Durban High School (DHS) and Maris Stella pools, with the final scheduled for 12:05 at DHS.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools.

Results: Day 1

North Pool

St Stithians College 18-1 St Mary’s DSG
Durban Girls 12-0 Danville
Durban Girls College 11-2 St Mary’s DSG
St Stithians 11-1 Danville
Durban Girls College 15-1 Durban Girls’ High
St Mary’s DSG 21-1 Danville
St Stithians 6-6 Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s DSG 5-1 Durban Girls’ High

South Pool

St Mary’s Waverley 14-2 Maris Stella
Clarendon High 22-0 Pretoria High
St Mary’s Waverley 20-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Maris Stella 8-3 Pretoria High
Clarendon High School 17-1 Our Lady of Fatima
St Mary’s Waverley 18-2 Pretoria High
Maris Stella 11-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Clarendon High School 7-5 St Mary’s Waverley.

 

Day 2 Saturday, 10 February

@ Durban High School

07:00 – Durban Girls’ College vs Danville; 07:40 – St Stithians College vs Durban Girls’ High; 08:30 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool B; 09:10 – 21a Pool A vs 31a Pool B; 09:50 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 21; 10:30 – 75t Pool B vs Winner 22; 11:25 – Loser 25 vs Loser 26; 12:05 – Winner 25 vs Winner 26.

@ Maris Stella

07:00 – Pretoria High vs Fatima; 07:40 – Clarendon High School vs Maris Stella; 08:40 – 4th Pool A vs 5th Pool B; 09:20 – 5th Pool A vs 4th Pool B; 10:00 – Loser 23 vs Loser 24; 10:40 – Winner 23 vs Winner 24; 11:20 – Loser 21 vs Loser 22.

Om 87 lopies van 36 aflewerings in ‘n o. 19-Wêreldbeker-wedstryd te moker is spesiaal, maar om jou honderdste wedstryd vir jou skool op jou 18de verjaarsdag  te speel, is die spreekwoordelike kersie op die koek.

Dit is wat Saterdag op Hoërskool Menlopark se Steve Stolk wag wanneer hy sy terugkeer tot die span maak. Die seuns van Pretoria verwelkom vir Hoërskool Nelspruit in die vierde ronde van vanjaar se Finsbury-reeks.

Dit is egter nie slegs Stolk wat ‘n bedreiging vir die Nellies inhou nie. Dian van Zyl, Menlo se ander staatmaker in die toporde, kolf ook met mening op die oomblik. Hy het sopas ‘n pragbeurt van 84 in verlede naweek se nederelaag teen Waterkloof aangeteken.

Benewens die gevaarlike kolflys wat op die Nellies wag, lek Menlo se twee draaiers, GN van Zyl en Gerhard Engelbrecht, ook lippe af vir die geleentheid om die Nellie-kolwers aan te vat.

Nelspruit se Nathan Duncan en kaptein, Jayden Meyer, behoort egter nie terug te deins vir die uitdaging nie, Albei beskik oor die vermoë om gevaarlike teenaanvalle met die kolf te loods, terwyl altwee ook vir Nellies se vooraanstaande bouler, Vaughn van Zyl, met die bal kan bystaan.

Van Zyl het deur die loop van die reeks ‘n taamlike reputasie as gevaarman opgebou. Hy behoort ook vars te wees aangesien die Nellies ‘n loslootjie oor die vorige naweek geniet het.

Hoërskool Waterkloof en Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom pak mekaar in die grootste wedstryd van die naweek in die Jakarandastad. Met albei spanne wat nog onoorwonne is in vanjaar se reeks, kan dit as die nie-amptelike eindstryd van Afdeling A beskou word.

Die Klofies sal hoop dat staatmaker, Divan Behrens, se goeie spelpeil met die kolf voortduur. Saam met Behrens, is Marcus Bakker en kaptein, Beukes van der Berg, ook goed op dreef, wat die Pretorianers se kolflys verder versterk.

In die boulafdeling, sal die twee jongelinge, Jaydon Blom en Jacques van Niekerk, die span van Pretoria se aanval loods. Albei spog met uitmuntende boulsyfers in die span se sege oor Menlopark in ronde vier.

Potchefstroom Volkies se kolflys is egter nie te versmaai nie. Diaan van der Merwe bevind homself in ‘n lopie-ryke fase, terwyl Louis van Wyk ook die lopies oes.

Hulle sal daarop uit wees om die onervare boulaanval van die Klofies onder heelwat druk te plaas. Met die bal sal Dian Liebenberg en Devan Oberholzer groot gevaar vir die Klofie-kolwers inhou.

Die sukkelende Hoërskool Centurion sal hoop om hul eerste sege onder die belt te kry, wanneer hulle teen ‘n vars Hoërskool Rustenburg op tuisbodem te staan kom.

Die Woeries het erg klippe gekou oor die laaste paar rondes. Kaptein en voorslagkolwer, Charl Prinsloo, het egter geen plan om handdoek in te gooi nie. Hy is persoonlik lekker op dreef met die kolf en sal hoop om ook ‘n waardevolle bydrae met die bal te lewer.

Die Rusties se voorslagkolwers, Wessel Oosthuizen en Zander Diedericks, sal gretig wees om, na ‘n kort breek, die tuistoestande ten volle te benut.

Both Boland Landbou and Paarl Gimnasium came out on top after strong performances in their midweek 40-over fixtures, ahead of their showdown on Saturday.

On Thursday, Boland bested the travelling Framesby team, from Gqeberha, with some penetrative bowling by Marius du Plessis and Tiaan Ryke wreaking havoc on the visitors.

Du Plessis snapped up 4/21 in eight overs and Ryke assisted by dismissing three more batsmen to curtail the visitors’ run chase 75 runs shy of their target.

With Kobus Conradie making 61 runs in a 112-ball stay, Boland had posted 184/7.

Taine Douw bowled extremely well for Framesby, snaring four Boland batsmen, but his side was unable to build any momentum at the crease in the face of the relentless bowling onslaught of the locals.

The team from the Eastern Cape continues its jam-packed tour with a two-day declaration match against Somerset College, starting on Friday, and they end their busy schedule on Sunday with three T20 games at the Somerset College Cricket Festival.

The local rivalry between Boland Landbou and Paarl Gimnasium promises to be one of the highlights of Saturday’s schedule.

Gim heads into the showdown off the back of a strong all-round performance on Wednesday, which brought them a 137-run victory over Curro Durbanville.

Charles King helped drive the Gimmies to an imposing total of 217/6, with a well-struck 65. The Gimnasium bowlers then ran through the Curro batting, bowling them out for 80.

Koch van Eyssen was the standout performer for the Paarl school, scoring an undefeated 27 runs before knocking over four of the visiting batsmen while conceding a miserly seven runs.

The last four Curro batsmen were ruthlessly brushed aside as Van Eyssen struck three times without conceding a run. King then trapped the last Curro batsman in front to bring the game to a close in the 20th over of their innings.

With both Gimmies and Landbou appearing to be in good form, an exciting 50-over battle is set to unfold on the farm, as Boland welcomes the Paarl players on Saturday.

Summarised scorecards

Boland Landbou 184/7 (Kobus Conradie 61, Francois Prins 33, Lohann Louw 27; Taine Douw 4/29, Logan Fleetwood 2/31); Framesby 109/9 (Logan Fleetwood 20; Marius du Plessis 4/21, Tiaan Ryke 3/16). Boland Landbou won by 75 runs.

Paarl Gimnasium 217/6 (Charles King 65, Jandré Botha 35, Franco Boonzaier 34, Koch van Eyssen 27*; Caleb Jonkers 2/27, Caleb Inglis 2/31); Curro Durbanville 80 (Daniyaal Klinck 27, Dean Huesmann 22; Koch van Eyssen 4/7, Willem Matthee 3/16). Paarl Gimnasium won by 137 runs.

MJ Herbst se beurt van 95 lopies was Donderdag die bepalende faktor in Fichardtpark se sege oor Grey-kollege se o. 17 A-span.

Beleef die wedstryd weer op SuperSport Schools – Registreer nou – Skakel na die wedstryd

Fichardtpark se kaptein, Eben Botha, het saam met Herbst sy span aangevoer tot 95 lopies in nege beurte, voordat Zander van der Bergh uiteindelik vir die tuisspan ‘n deurbraak kon lewer met Botha se paaltjie.

Herbst het egter aanhou probleme veroorsaak vir die jong Grey-span en kon altesaam 15 grenshoue moker om die Fichies tot op 146 te dryf, voordat hy uiteindelik uitgeharloop is deur Tamim Alam.

Zayne Williamson het ‘n verdere bydrae van 34 lopies in 22 balle gelewer teen die einde van hul beurt, om die besoekers verby die 200-merk te skuif.

Michael Cruywagen het twee Grey-paaltjies binne die eerse boulbeurt laat spat om vir Fichardtpark die oorhand te gee, maar dit was Nathan Ackerman wat die kollig sou steel met sy boulwerk.

Ackerman het vier paaltjies in vier beurte gevat, om grootliks daartoe by te dra dat die tuisspan vir 112 uitgeboul kon word.

Na twee moeilike weke is dit presies wat die Fichies nodig gehad het om weer momentum te bou voordat hulle Saterdag vir Witteberg aandurf in hul Lejweleputswa-ligabepaling.

Dinsdag was Jim Fouché in aksie teen St Andrew’s se tweedespan, in die Superliga Pro-20.

Vyftigtalle deur Adrian de Necker (58*) en Arnaud Marais (52) was genoeg vir die JF-manne om oorwinning te smaak, maar Jonathan Hickley het ‘n indrukwekkende terugveg-poging geloots vir Saints en kon self spog met ‘n onoorwonne 51 lopies .

Maandag het Diamantveld met Sentraal geploeg in hul eie agteplaas, danksy ‘n skitterende bydrae van 79 lopies deur Luhan de la Rey.

De La Rey het die Sentraal-boulers 10 keer oor die draad gejaag vir sesse om sy span tot 168/7 te dryf.

Beknopte telkaarte:

Fichardtpark: 207/5 (MJ Herbst 95, Eben Botha 37, Zayne Williamson 34; Zadian du Preez 2/33). Grey College: o. 17: 112 (HJ Janse van Rensburg 21; Nathan Ackerman 4/32, Juan Moster 2/20, Michael Cruywagen 2/30). Fichardtpark wen met 95 lopies.

Jim Fouché: 146/4 (Adrian de Necker 58*, Arnaud Marais 52; Heindre Serfontein 1/10). Saint Andrew’s: II 104/8 (Jonathan Hickley 51*; Pieter Conradie 3/16, Henko Venter 3/22, Cobus Wilken 2/17). Jim Fouché wen met 42 lopies.

Diamantveld: 168/7 (Luhan de la Rey 79, Henrico van Staden 26; AJ Joubert 2/24, Pieter van Biljon 2/39). Sentraal: 106 (Pieter van Biljon 29, Ekstras 27; Vernon Rossouw 2/2, Danie van der Merwe 2/12, Luhan de la Rey 2/16). Diamantveld wen met 62 lopies.

 

It is well-known that Graeme College doesn’t shy away from a challenge during its annual Graeme College Rugby Festival in Makhanda.

This year the hosts will face Selborne College from East London in the main match of the festival. The last time these two sides met each other as part of the rugby day/festival was back in 2017.

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

Selborne won this clash by 20-15. Last year the annual rugby day which kick-starts the Eastern Cape’s schoolboy rugby season was converted into a festival as part of the Graemians’ 150th celebrations.

It also provides a good opportunity for players from the region to impress the Craven Week selectors from Border and Eastern Province early in the season as well as the SA Schools’ coach James Winstanley.

Winstanley coaches Kingswood College of Makhanda. They will face Marlow Landbou from Cradock on the second day of the festival. Despatch’s coach, Elric van Vuuren, who also coached Eastern Province to an unbeaten Craven Week last year in George will without a doubt be in attendance as well.

Last year the festival allowed him to see Batho Hlekani (Graeme College) and De Wet Fourie (HTS Daniël Pienaar) in action. Both flankers played a pivotal role in Eastern Province’s success in George. Hlekani was named the Craven Week Player of the Tournament for his efforts, while Fourie also made the SA Schools A-side.

Grey High School will also travel to Makhanda to face Hudson Park of East London in the main match of the second day. Another exciting match-up on the second day would be between Dale College and Nico Malan of Humansdorp. Both schools’ first teams are known for the fact that they love to run the ball.

Pearson will open their season with a tough encounter against Queen’s College.

The Fixtures

Thursday, 14 March 2024 

SOMERSET FIELD

09:00 – u14 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
10:00 – u15 – Mary Waters vs Port Alfred
11:00 – u15 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
12:00 – u16 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS
13:00 – u16 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
14:00 – u16 – Stirling vs Muir College
15:00 – u16 – Graeme College vs Selborne College

MARAIS A-FIELD

10:00 – u14 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
11:00 – u14 – Stirling vs Muir College
12:00 – u15 – Stirling vs Muir College
13:00 – u14 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS
14:00 – u15 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
15:00 – u15 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS

Friday, 15 March 2024 

SOMERSET FIELD | u19 

09:15 – PAHS vs Graeme College II
10:30 – Port Rex THS vs Mary Waters
11:45 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
14:15 – Dale College vs Nico Malan
15:30 – Grey High School vs Hudson Park

MARAIS A-FIELD 

09:00 – u14 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
10:00 – u15 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
11:00 – u16 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
12:00 – u16 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – u14 – Queen’s College vs Framesby
14:00 – u16 – Queen’s College vs Framesby

MARAIS B-FIELD 

09:00 – u14 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
10:00 – u15 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
11:00 – u14 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
12:00 – u15 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – u15 – Queen’s College vs Framesby
14:00 – u16 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou

Saturday, 16 March 2024 

SOMERSET FIELD | u19 

10:30 – Cambridge vs Muir College
11:45 – Stirling vs Framesby
13:00 – Queen’s College vs Pearson
14:15 – St Andrew’s College vs Die Brandwag (Uitenhage)
15:30 – Graeme College vs Selborne College

Bafana Bafana‘s journey to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semi-finals was by no means an easy ride, with coach Hugo Broos‘ largely South Africa-based side being ridiculed and looked down upon leading up to Africa’s showpiece event.

However, with Ronwen Williams leading the players on the pitch, they embodied the South African spirit in its truest form. After suffering a humbling 0-2 defeat to Mali in their opening fixture, they showed grit and determination to complete a quick turnaround of their fortunes.

With Themba Zwane in the centre of the action in midfield, South Africa carved their way to the semi-finals, which touched the hearts of the nation.

Despite hitting a brick wall and being denied a spot in the final by the Super Eagles, Nigeria, after a penalty shootout, following a 1-1 draw, the campaign delivered moments that echoed the class of 1996, which lifted the Afcon title on South African shores.

“I remember, I was 15 years old at the time and still in the development stage of my career, playing for Jomo Cosmos,” South African Football Association (Safa) Assistant Head Scout and former Bafana Bafana captain, Aaron Mokoena, recalled in an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools.

“I had just signed my first professional contract, [and was] training with the first team and occasionally playing in the u19 team. It was a dream for me to represent my country and the fact that the class of ’96 went on to win that tournament really uplifted my spirit and belief system.”

Mokoena went from being an inspired youngster to captaining Bafana Bafana in the first and only Fifa World Cup played in Africa in 2010, when South Africa hosted the event. The 43-year-old told SuperSport Schools that he was driven to inspire youngsters at the grassroots level whenever he donned the South African colours.

“It did play at the back of our minds, besides us being focused on getting onto the pitch and performing well. We always knew that there were youngsters who looked up to us and who wanted to be where we were in the future.

“It’s always in your mind as a player, and it motivates you, not only to perform but to also go back to the grassroots and give back to the same structures that made you the players that you are.”

Wednesday’s semi-finals appearance was the first time that Bafana Bafana had progressed to that stage of the tournament since 2000, when they finished third, with a squad that included Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Quinton Fortune, Shaun Barlett, John “Shoes’ Moshoeu, Pierre Issa, Siyabonga Nomvete, Eric Tinkler and Andre Arendse, among others.

With South African football having gone through many ups and downs in recent years, the 2023 campaign has re-energised the country’s footballing space and given hope to aspiring football players in schools and academies across the country.

“I was impressed with the performance of the boys because for you to play at that level, you have to be mentally strong and be very well prepared,” Mokoena said.

“I hope that this campaign will motivate the youngsters that it is possible.

“I hope the performance of the boys in Cote d’Ivoire motivates the youngsters to say, ‘When you work hard and get an opportunity, don’t look back’.”

Sy is gebore in ‘n familie waar talent deur generasies vloei, maar die 16-jarige Rumé Burger is besig om haar eie pad in die wêreld van atletiek oop te kerf.

Rumé se geslagslyn spog met ‘n Springbok-oupa, Thys Burger, pa Philip Burger, wat vir die Cheetahs sowel as die Blitsbokke uitgedraf het, en ‘n paalspring-oupa, Wessel Jacobs.

Haar ma, Marida Burger, het in atletiek en netbal  ook tot die gesin se atletiese nalatenskap bygedra.

By die onlangse Curro Hazeldean Top 14-byeenkoms in Pretoria het Rumé oorwinnings in die 100m en 200m, met blitstye van onderskeidelik 12.24 en 24.78 sekondes behaal.

Haar uitsonderlike 200m-vertoning het 933 punte ingeoes, wat haar een van die byeenkoms se uitblinkers gemaak het.

Om rekords te breek het tweede natuur vir Rumé geword, nadat sy die nuwe 200m-rekord by Sentraal se Top 20-byeenkoms in 2023 opgestel het. Sy het die vorige rekord van 25.30 sekondes met ‘n tyd van 25.03, dié rekord wat vir 16 jaar lank gestaan het, verbeter.

Gebore in Perpignan, Frankryk, waar haar pa vir USA Perpignan rugby gespeel het. Rumé het saam met haar gesin op die ouderdom van vier na Suid-Afrika teruggekeer.

Phillip Burger het in 2006 ‘n volle 15 drieë gedruk in die Cheetahs se opgang tot die Curriebeker-titel van daardie jaar.

Rumé het haar skoolopleiding begin aan Laerskool Willem Postma en is nou ‘n trotse leerder van Oranje Meisieskool in Bloemfontein.

Onder leiding van haar afrigter, Elinda Vorster, ‘n atleet in eie reg wat ook al vir Suid-Afrika verteenwoordig het, oefen Rumé vyf tot ses dae per week, en hoop sy om haar land op internasionale vlak by die Wêreldkampioenskap in 2024 te verteenwoordig.

Vorster het Suid-Afrika self as ‘n naelloper tydens die Olimpiese Spele van 1992 in Barcelona verteenwoordig.

Rumé se liefde vir atletiek strek egter verder as bloot die wenstreep. Sy glo dat atletiek nie slegs fisieke krag bou nie, maar ook waardevolle lewenslesse van harde werk en toewyding inboesem.

Vir die Burger-familie gaan dit alles daaroor om aktief te bly, en die gesin spog ook met nóg twee talentvolle dogters.

Lilly (13) blink uit in hekkies en hoop om in oupa Wessel se voetspore te volg met paalspring. Zylie (10), die jongste, is ook ‘n sportentoesias en gek oor hekkies.

Rumé het grootgeword met die gesegde “harde werk klop talent, as talent nie hard werk nie,” en sy dank God elke dag vir haar talent.