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It was a typical hot summer day on the highveld, and the athletes produced even hotter performances during Noordheuwel’s Top 15 meeting in Krugersdorp on Wednesday.

The athletics meeting was hosted on Nories’ tartan track which, at 1 777 metres above sea level, is the highest of its kind in Africa.

The best performance according to the APE points system belonged to Llewellyn Harmse, of Monument, who won the u19 400m hurdles for boys in 52.15 seconds. That gave him 971 points, which would have been good for a bronze medal at last year’s ASA Junior Championship (u20).

In the u17 400m hurdles, Franco Hattingh (Kempton Park) also produced an impressive performance, winning in 52.82 seconds.

Two of the three track records bettered during the meeting happened in the sprint hurdles events. Enrique Bosch (Helpmekaar) won the 100m hurdles for boys u15 in 13.08 seconds to remove Francois Tredoux of Waterkloof’s record of 13.12 seconds from the record book. That mark had stood since 2008.

In the boys’ u19 110m hurdles, Menlopark’s Werner Bezuidenhout flew to victory in an excellent time of 13.76 seconds, which improved upon the previous record of 14.11, set by Roelof van der Walt (Helpmekaar)  in 2018.

Bezuidenhout added another gold medal in the 100m sprint, clocking 10.66 seconds. The competition was a lot tighter than in the hurdles, however, with Gordon Maluleke (Oos-Moot, 10,78), Cheswill Jooste (Noordheuwel, 10.88), and Shawlynn Mienies (Dinamika, 10.94) all dipping under 11 seconds.

Maluleke claimed gold in the 200m sprint in a good time of 21.83 seconds, with Mienies (22.28) on his heels.

Jooste, a massive counterattacking threat, will be a strong contender for the fullback berth in the South African Schools’ rugby team later this year. No doubt, some opposition rugby coaches are losing a bit of sleep ahead of their matches against Noordheuwel this season.

The South African u16 champion of 2023, Jaco van der Westhuyzen (Ben Viljoen), showed a clean pair of heels to his opponents in the u16 100m sprint, winning in 10.90 seconds. He is the son of the former Springbok, Sharks, and Blue Bulls flyhalf/fullback, Jaco van der Westhuyzen.

Van der Westhuyzen Jr.’s performances helped his school, Ben Viljoen, from Groblersdal, to be crowned the champions of the smaller schools’ section of the meeting. He did the sprint double by adding a win in the 200m in 22.14 seconds. Oos-Moot’s Leandro Delport (22.17), however, gave him a proper run for his money.

In the u17 100m, Jeugland’s Ofentse Nondabula (10.65) claimed the gold medal in a faster time than Bezuidenhout’s winning mark in the u19 race.

Roux van Zyl impressed in the u19 400m, taking victory in 48.06 seconds.

Montana’s Marcel Brits produced a 915-point performance in the 1 500m for boys u17, with an outstanding time of four minutes and 3.56 seconds. He also held off Zwartkop’s Rico Coetzer (4:04.62) for the win.

When the KZN cricket team finished second at the 2023 Khaya Majola Cricket Week, losing only to a star-studded Central Gauteng team in the final, one of the primary reasons for KZN’s success was their new ball bowler Ntando Soni.

The Glenwood paceman enjoyed a spectacular week in Makhanda. His returns included 4/39 in a crucial game against a strong Titans outfit, 3/11 vs Eastern Province, 2/12 vs KZN Inland, and 2/32 vs Central Gauteng.

Those superb performances earned him a place in the South African Schools side, which then faced the SA Colts team at St George’s Park. There, Soni saved his best for last, knocking over 5/20 to see SA Schools to a massive 118-run win.

Soni had been an in-swing bowler until 2023, when he tweaked his action, which not only brought him an out-swinger but also an increase in pace. Before that, he candidly said: “I wasn’t really getting enough pace to play at the next level.”

It takes talent to get to the top, but another non-negotiable is hard work, and it was that work ethic, both on and off the field, that was rewarded.

The tweak Soni referenced happened as a result of watching videos of Proteas’ fast bowler Gerald Coetzee in action. It was the way that he loaded up, the Glenwood 1^st XI captain explained.

“I thought let me try this and see just for fun, and I started bowling and it felt good. It felt as if I was hitting the right areas at training. I was bowling quicker. So, I’m like, okay, this is it. Ever since then I’ve been making small adjustments, because I don’t want to look at other players’ actions that won’t suit me. So, I have made a few changes, small changes.”

It was another Proteas’ paceman who first captured Soni’s imagination and inspired him to become a fast bowler. “I just started watching cricket on TV, when I was four- or five-years-old, and someone who really caught my eye was Dale Steyn, the aggression and the excitement that he brings. That’s when I fell in love with cricket.

“It was how he went about things, like his celebration, and all of that made me want to grow in cricket. I wanted to be like him. He was my role model growing up.”

In 2023, Soni was clearly on the national selectors’ radar. He was invited to a regional camp in Port Elizabeth, and that was followed by an invitation to the national camp in Pretoria.

“That’s when it started to get serious,” he said. “Performance-wise, it wasn’t really my best. But I understood what it took to be there, so I learnt quickly. Later on in the year, I went on to make the Khaya Majola Week and then SA Schools.”

His success was about more than physical preparation, Soni shared. He had done his homework and it paid dividends. He explained: “I got information from some people before the Khaya Majola Week. They had gone on a tour to East London, so I had chats with them about how the wickets were playing. They said it’s similar to Durban.

“I went to the Khaya Majola Week. The pitches were nice. The ball was snappy. It was swinging around.”

Heading into the inter-provincial showpiece, Soni said he chose not to think about making the South African Schools or South Africa u19 teams, because that would put unnecessary pressure on his shoulders.

“I just wanted to play my role as best as possible, to be honest, and help my team win. If I do well, the team does well.

“I played all five games, and my body was exhausted, but I had to give 100 percent. You’re representing your province, so it was good. I learned a lot.”

His personal performances in Makhanda were clearly top notch and there was no avoiding the thought, Soni knew he was in with a shout at making the SA Schools team.

Before the announcement of the side, a friend told him he would definitely be in the team. “I’m a bit of a shy guy, to be honest, so I’m like, ‘Nah, maybe not’,” Soni replied.

“I didn’t want to get too confident. I did do well but, at the same time, it’s my first time at the Khaya Majola Week.

“Then, they called out the SA Colts team, and I wasn’t there, and I’m thinking there’s a slight chance I’ll be in the SA Schools team. Then they called the likes of Tristan Luus, and then I think I was the second to last one they called. Then, I knew. Okay!”

That announcement caused a jolt in his heart, Soni said. “To go up, everyone’s watching, everyone’s clapping for you receiving your SA Schools’ cap. It was a dream come true… Just to be in that moment was great.”

Being selected for SA Schools meant a next day clash against the SA Colts team and the players in both sides certainly didn’t want to be shown up by the opposition.

It was Ntando Soni’s day, however, even though he went into the contest tired after five days of hard-fought cricket.

“I was just happy to be there for the experience,” he admitted. “Then I rock up there. In my first over, I take two wickets. So, I thought I’m onto something here. I didn’t want to change anything, because everything had been working for me throughout the week. So, I didn’t want to change my processes.

“Then, I ended up taking five. I’m not sure how, because it happened quickly, and they were good wickets.”

Soni credits the Linda Zondi Cricket Academy for playing a major part in his success. Apart from regular 1^st team practices, he diligently attends academy sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school starts. He also attends sessions at Kingsmead with the Dolphins School of Excellence.

“The information that I get there [from both], I come back, and I work on it by myself, like bowling drills and my action, how I’m going to get wickets, where to bowl.

“I think I’m a fairly consistent bowler. That didn’t come overnight. I worked hard for it. I train when I have time outside of school. I have training sessions, mainly at night. That started when I was in grade 9 because I had a goal in mind that I wanted to be the best in KZN and hopefully the best in SA. I just keep striving for that.

“I try to do things that other people can’t do. You won’t get a bowler with good pace and bowling six out of six [good balls] for a whole spell. It’s rare, so my goal is to be as consistent as possible, take wickets if I need to take wickets, and slow down their run rate.

“The work I put in here, not many people see it, but knowing that I made SA u19 – and that was one of my goals – I knew it actually paid off. It was a good feeling.”

That SA u19 cap he spoke about came against India in the Triangular Series that preceded the u19 ICC Cricket World Cup. Despite his excellent returns during the Khaya Majola Week, he didn’t crack the nod for the World Cup, which was a disappointment.

Still, one of his goals is to represent South Africa at the next u19 ICC Cricket World Cup, which won’t involve heavy travel demands as it is set to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.

When it comes to working on his game, Soni said he also takes a lot from Clifton College old boy Kushen Kishun, who enjoyed a 10-year playing career with a very successful KZN Inland outfit. Kishun now serves as an analyst with the Dolphins, and Soni is keen to keep banking the knowledge he imparts.

“That is my opportunity to get better, because not many people have the privilege to be in the Dolphins School of Excellence set up. So just to be there, getting experience, information, and to come back here with the facilities at Glenwood, helps.

As captain of the Glenwood 1^st XI and an SA Schools’ opening bowler, Soni receives a lot of attention from the younger members of the Glenwood community. He views it as his responsibility to encourage them.

“I’m a boarder and a lot of boys come to me, asking what it feels like to play for my country. They ask me to teach them to bowl fast. They ask for my shirt, for example. They come and I try my best to give them insight because I was also once in that position.

“I was shy when I was younger, so I didn’t go up to people and ask them how it felt. I want to give them what I really didn’t have growing up, just to share information with them and hopefully they use it.”

Glenwood has a fine tradition of producing fast bowlers, including Andile Phehlukwayo, who excelled for South Africa at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Phehlukwayo maintains close ties with the school and when he is around Soni chats with him.

Soni has also shared the field with the 2014 matriculant. “I played a series with him against Oman at Chatsworth. We have chats, and another one [I talk to] is [former SA Schools and SA u19 fast bowler] Lifa Ntanzi. I grew up watching him a lot. He was someone I really looked up to. I also stayed with him in the BE, as well, when I was in grade 7, so we have chats, about life, things like that.”

Looking towards the future, Soni is planning to study at UKZN and maybe pick up a contract with the Dolphins. But nothing has been signed yet.

Considering the present day, he said he wants to work on his batting. “I am a good batsman, but I don’t train batting a lot. I train my bowling a lot, so I think there is an imbalance,” Soni said.

“I know how to bat. I bat in the top five, here at Glenwood. I scored a few runs at Khaya Majola Week. I got a not out against India. I do know how to bat, and this year I am going to try to balance it out a bit because there is a big role that I need to play when it comes to school cricket.”

Glenwood is the best place he could be, Soni opined. “I started boarding at Glenwood when I was in grade seven. It caught my eye, with the tradition and the brotherhood and the excitement it brings.

“I knew I was going to grow with Glenwood. They have produced a number of national and provincial players, so I knew that if my books were in order, I was going to be one of those guys.”

There have been challenges, some of them beyond his control, turning out for the Green Machine. His grade 8 year was disrupted by Covid-19, so he played little u14 cricket. The following year, he was part of a team that went unbeaten at u15 level. From there, he skipped u16 cricket and moved straight into the 1^st team.

“That step was big, but I didn’t let it take over mentally. I did well in my first year in the 1st team,” he said. “I think I took 20 to 30 wickets that year. That was good. My team-mates have changed over the years. This is my third year playing for the 1st team now.”

Reflecting on his team-mates during those three years in the 1^st XI, he said: “We’ve had a good relationship. There is no one [that has brought us down], so I have had good relationships with everyone in the team. I haven’t struggled with that. I get along with people. My team-mates have been good throughout the years.

This year is his second as captain of the 1st team. “There was a lot of pressure last year,” he admitted. “As a grade 11, I was captaining seniors.

“I enjoy captaincy. The expectation brings out something in me. People, usually, go through the motions, but captaincy keeps me focussed.

“When we come back to school, boys ask me if we won. [Sometimes I can say] yes, we won. If we lose, everything comes back to me, so those are the ups and downs of being a captain. But it is all worth it.”

Hoërskool Diamantveld (DHS) het met trots sy eerste netbalspan vir die komende seisoen bekendgestel en, onder leiding van die ervare afrigter, Bethenie du Raan, is die span slaggereed vir groot sukses.

Die spanlys bied met ‘n mengsel van talent, met vyf matriekleerlinge, vier graad 11-leerders en een belowende graad 10-speler.

Aan die voorpunt van die span staan Mari du Raan, wat die rol van doel sal vervul. Neffens haar is Johandri de Wet op hulpdoel, terwyl Izeldi Jacobs  veelsydigheid bied as hulpdoel en aanvallende vleuel, en Valmari Faber haar vaardighede na vore bring as ‘n aanvallende vleuel of senter.

Carmen Louw is op senter en Lara van Niekerk op verdedigende vleuel en hulpdoelverdediger.

Klarissa Taljaard bring verdere diepte aan die verdediging as hulpdoelverdediger en verdedigende vleuel, terwyl Brithe Honiball en Zandri Starke hul verdedigingsvaardighede sal uitstal as onderskeidelik verdediger en verdedigende vleuel.

Timney Greyling bied ‘n talentvolle opsie wat betref sowel aanvallende as verdedigende vleuel.

Onder die uitblinkers in die span tel du Raan, wie se uitsonderlike talent haar ‘n gesogte plek in die 2025 Wêreldbeker o. 19-span besorg het. Starke was onder die top-35 o. 16-spelers by die All Ages-toernooi in Boksburg in 2023, terwyl Louw haar merk gemaak het as een van die top-35 o. 17-spelers by die Telkom Nasionale Kampioenskappe in Kaapstad in 2023.

Met die doel om hulself hierdie seisoen as die top-netbalspan in die Noord-Kaap te vestig, streef die span ook na ‘n top-10-plasing op die nasionale ranglys.

Met Hoërkskool Menlopark se jaarlikse toernooi en die Absa Wildeklawer-sporttoernooi wat op hulle wag, maak die span gereed om strawwe kompetisie vanjaar die hoof te bied.

Afrigter du Raan prys haar span se toewyding, gees en sportmanskap, en beskryf hulle as ‘n goed gebalanseerde span. Met die ondersteuning van spanbestuurder, Magda Myburgh, en konsultant, Lanie Steenkamp, is die eerste span gereed om hul merk in die wêreld van netbal af te druk.

 

A combination of team cohesion, good preparation, and confidence will be key for Clarendon High School for Girls this weekend when they participate in the National Aquatics Festival, which is being hosted by Maris Stella in Durban.

The two-day tournament will see some of the best girls’ water polo teams in South Africa lock horns in the pool for top honours as the season ramps up to full speed.

Clarendon finished in an impressive second place in the same event last year, behind St Stithians College.

They enter the tournament in high spirits after claiming some big scalps in recent weeks, and on the back of winning gold at the Buffalo City Water Polo Tournament in January.

One of their standout victories was at the Brian Baker Water Polo Tournament in Makhanda last month, where they beat St Stithians 12-11 in a humdinger.

The East London side reached the semi-finals in Makhanda, but were then beaten by Reddam House Constantia, which was followed by a loss to Roedean, resulting in a strong fourth-place finish, nonetheless.

In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools, Clarendon’s Head Coach, Hannah Muller, said her team is looking forward to the challenge ahead, and she believes the side will reap rewards for the hard work the players put in during the pre-season.

“The girls have been working hard, with a pre-season swimming and water polo camp at the beginning of the year,” she said.

“We are very privileged to have our Head of Aquatics, who runs our swimming programme for the girls, Kerry Voke. She has experience and knowledge of the swimming pool herself.

“The team has beaten some top schools over the past two weeks, increasing their confidence and team dynamic. I am very proud and excited to see how we do in Durban and at St Peter’s later this month.”

For the past two years, the water polo programme at Clarendon has made positive strides, with the school encouraging young learners to take up the sport from Grade 8.

Early last season, the first team began a rebuilding phase after losing several of their senior players.

The school has also invested heavily in the sport and a new Aquatics centre. That investment paid early dividends when Muller and her side defied the odds by winning the annual Clarendon Stayers Water Polo Tournament in October last year, defeating Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) 6-5 in the final.

Muller said it was challenging for her side at first, but they worked hard to turn things around.

“We had a rough start to our season last year. We had a brand-new team,” she said.

“There were many new players, who still needed to learn the ropes, and throughout the season we had time to build and improve as a team, which showed at the end of the season.

“Winning Clarendon Stayers was the highlight of our season last year, because Clarendon hadn’t won the trophy in the past 20 years, and doing it at our new Harrison Aquatics Centre was a definite highlight.”

This year, Muller’s team comprises both senior and younger players, who are seeking to drive the programme forward.

A majority of the team also represented Buffalo City in last year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in Gqeberha, where Muller, as the Head Coach, guided the side to a sixth-place finish.

One of the stand-out players during that week was Tori Voke, who was included in the South African Schools squad at its conclusion. She is still part of the Clarendon team and has been at the forefront of the side’s efforts this season.

Muller, a former South African player, however, praised all of her players, emphasising the importance of teamwork, ahead of their quest for glory in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The team has done so well. Each one of the players has her strengths, and that’s what makes us a team.

“You can’t have all 13 players being scorers or attackers. You need a good defensive structure. Every little puzzle piece, no matter how different, needs to fit into another to make the overall best picture possible.

“To single out one or two will be difficult because each player adds to the success of the team,” she added.

Clarendon has been drawn in Pool B, alongside Pretoria High School for Girls, St Mary’s Waverley, Maris Stella, and Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School.

Playing at their best, with smiles on their faces, is what Muller will require from her charges during the weekend and for the rest of the season.

She said they will use the National Aquatics Festival as an opportunity to work on their game and to gain experience against other top schools,

‘The goal for every coach is to have a team that performs at its best,” she said. “My goal, as a coach, is the same, but sometimes, seeing a smile on a player’s face is way more rewarding than a ranking in a tournament.

“That being said, we are placed in the top 10 water polo schools in the country at the moment, and I would love to start chipping away and improve that ranking slowly.

“We are very pleased to have the newly built Fina-accredited Harrison Aquatic Centre, shared with the primary school, providing a top facility for the development of strong water polo players and swimmers,” she concluded.

Clarendon will kick off their tournament against Pretoria High at 14:40 on Friday.

Find all the teams and fixtures for the National Aquatics tournament, HERE.

Hoërskool Monument came close to scoring a massive upset in the Johnny Waite T20 on Wednesday, in a hard-fought battle against St David’s Marist Inanda.

An inspired bowling performance by Andre Van Niekerk (3/25) and Joshua McCoy (2/29) had St David’s on the ropes.

A counterattacking 48 runs from just 27 deliveries from Jason Rowles and a composed knock by Matthew West (31), however, swung the momentum back in favour of the side from Inanda.

Thanks to the pair’s vital contributions, St David’s was able to set Monnas a target of 159, which was something for their bowlers to work with.

At first, Monument appeared well on their way to overhauling that mark with ease, with Nicholas Vandercoff leading the way for the side from Krugersdorp. His made 53 and that innings, together with contributions from Johan Zeedjik (31) and Keagan van Wyk (24), put their side firmly in the driver’s seat.

However, Oliver Botha (3/23) and Jared Beilings (2/23) had other plans, claiming five wickets between them at a cost of only 46 runs. That effort helped restrict Monnas to 150/7 in their 20 overs, which fell just nine runs short of a famous victory.

The all-round heroics of Callum Ritchie powered King Edward VII School to a thumping 10-wicket victory over Queens High School on the John Hurry Oval.

He not only top scored with an unbeaten 59, but he was also the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of three wickets for just 18 runs. Zieg Roos also did his part with the bat, contributing a well-played 41.

In the bowling department, Ritchie was well supported by Fayaaz Vawda (2/21) and Christian Sabela (2/25), who have both been among the wickets this season.

For Queens High School, it was only Kamogelo Matji (31) who managed to make a significant contribution.

Rowan Smit struck a rip-roaring century for Trinity House Randpark Ridge, but it was, unfortunately for the home team, in vain.

In an innings of the highest calibre, the opener dominated the St John’s College bowlers. His ton from just 61 deliveries, which included six fours and an astonishing eight sixes, before he became one of David Ireland’s three victims. Ireland’s spell pulled it back for St John’s as he captured 3/31.

Then, the in-form Nkosana Sibiya, led the visitors’ charge with the bat. The gutsy opening batsman scored an unbeaten 69 runs from just 53 balls, with four fours and five sixes, to lead St John’s College to a comfortable eight-wicket victory with 3.2 overs to spare.

He was well supported by Joe MacRobert, who smashed three fours and three sixes in a quickfire 35 from 16 deliveries, while Thomas Ievers weighed in with 30 from 24, which included three fours and two sixes.

Jeppe High School for Boys claimed a comprehensive 53-run victory over Hoërskool Randburg. Strong batting performances from Aiden Reyneke (49, 31b) and Ryan Young (47*, 26b) lifted Jeppe to a demanding total of 173/6.

Hoërskool Randburg’s reply was led by an unbeaten 51 runs off 36 balls by Anrich Henning, while Richard Barnard did his bit by contributing 25 runs.

Shresth Kumar (2/13) and Luke Cannon (2/18), however, undermined the Randburg reply, sharing four wickets between them.

Summarised scorecards: 

St David’s Marist Inanda 158 (Jason Rowles 48, Matthew West 31; Andre van Niekerk 3/25, Joshua McCoy 2/29); Monument 150/7 (Nicholas Vandercoff 53, Johan Zeedjik 31, Keagan van Wyk 24). St David’s Marist Inanda won by eight runs.

Queens High School 113/8 (Kamogelo Matji 31, Tsepiso Senosi 22; Callum Ritchie 3/18, Fayaaz Vawda 2/21, Christian Sabela 2/25); King Edward VII School 114/0 (Callum Ritchie 59*, Zieg Roos 41*). King Edward VII School won by ten wickets.

Trinity House Randpark 155/5 (Rowan Smit 100, Jean du Toit 20; David Ireland 3/31); St John’s College 157/2 (Nkosana Sibiya 69*, Joe MacRobert 35, Thomas Ievers 30; Kian Vermaak 1/25). St John’s College won by eight wickets.

Jeppe Boys’ 173/6 (Aiden Reyneke 49, Ryan Young 47*, Tiago Almeida 29, Kai van Aardt 22; Josef van der Berg 2/22); Hoërskool Randburg 120/7 (Anrich Henning 51*, Richard Barnard 25). Jeppe Boys’ won by 53 runs.

In a W100 clash on Wednesday, between neighbours and rivals, Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College, the most in-form of KZN’s teams so far this year, it was Kearsney who powered their way to a seven-wicket win, with eight balls remaining, despite, for once, skipper Ross Coetzee missing out with the bat.

After being put in to bat on their home ground, Westville posted 126/5 from their 100 balls, which was built around a 96-run stand in 71 balls for the third wicket between Seth Simpson and Kaeden McAllister.

After the openers, Nicandro Kistna and Max Robertson were dismissed with only eight runs on the board, the duo took charge.

Their partnership was ended when Simpson was out, caught by Jack O’Donovan off the bowling of Murray Weyer, for 40 from 45 deliveries, with four fours and a six.

McAllister went on to tally the innings’ highest score of 43 from 41, matching Simpson’s boundary haul of four fours and a six.

Paceman Ryan Browning, who accounted for both opening batsmen, finished with 2/22 from 20 balls, while Weyer, the sixth bowler used, responded well, and knocked over 2/16 from his 15 deliveries.

In their reply, Kearsney also lost two wickets cheaply, with Jack O’Donovan and Ross Coetzee, usually two dependable batsmen, out for four and one respectively.

Opener Cameron Veenstra and wicketkeeper/batsman Matthew De Oliveira, who has enjoyed an excellent W100 competition, then added 53 from 42 balls before De Oliveira was run out for 34 from 28 balls. He had struck five boundaries, one of which was a six.

Veenstra kept speeding along and he found an effective partner in Keegan de Jager. Working well together, they put on an unbroken 60-run partnership from 35 deliveries to see Kearsney to victory.

Veenstra’s unbeaten 39-ball knock produced 59 runs and featured five fours and two sixes, while De Jager hit 20 from 17, with one four and one six.

Meanwhile, Clifton College batted first at the Riverside Sports Club against Northwood, and it was the in-form all-rounder, Shahzaad Perumal, who anchored their innings. He was in at the fall of the first wicket and while he was at the crease 59 runs were added, 36 of them, including four fours, off of his own bat.

With the total having grown to 73 from 78 balls, Perumal was the fifth man out.

Towards the end of the innings, Lawson Dinsdale enjoyed a punishing cameo, smashing two fours and a six in a 10-ball stay that yielded 18 runs, which helped Clifton to 110/8 from their 100 balls.

Andrew Deeb and Connor Leclezio were the pick of the Knights‘ bowlers, with Deeb, who opened the bowling, coming back later to stunt Clifton’s attempt at a late run boost. He returned figures of 2/15 from 20 deliveries, while Leclezio sent down only 10 balls, but claimed 2/10.

David de Bruyn, who ended Perumal’s innings by bowling him, took 1/15 from 15.

Perumal was again to the fore when Northwood batted. He snared 2/11 from his 15 balls of left-arm spin. But it wasn’t a solo effort.

Gabriel Vermeulen captured 2/25 from 20, while the opening bowlers, Tim Saulez and Callum Watson, picked up a wicket each.

Mason Storm made 19 from 20 for the Knights before Watson ended his innings. But only three other batsmen made it into the lower teens as Northwood’s run chase failed to get out of second gear.

They finished on 94/6, but only 61 runs had come from the bat. Clifton, despite doing an excellent job of restricting the scoring rate, conceded 33 extras, and 29 of those were wides, which will not have pleased coach Brandon Scullard.

Still, a 16-run victory while defending only 110, was, ultimately, a good outcome for the home side.

Summarised scores

Westville Boys’ High 126/5 (Kaeden McAllister 43, Seth Simpson 40; Murray Weyer 2/16, Ryan Browning 2/22); Kearsney College 128/3 (Cameron Veenstra 59*, Matthew De Oliveira 34, Keegan de Jager 20*; Josh Beck 1/21, Dayalan Boyce 1/23) Kearsney College won by 7 wickets.

Clifton College 110/8 (Shahzaad Perumal 36, Lawson Dinsdale 18; Connor Leclezio 2/10, Andrew Deeb 2/15, Ben Cilliers 1/7); Northwood School 94/6 (Mason Storm 19; Shahzaad Perumal 2/11, Gabriel Vermeulen 2/25, Callum Watson 1/12) Clifton College won by 16 runs.

The World Rugby u20 Championship 2024 will be played over five match days in Stellenbosch and Cape Town, with the participating teams grouped into three pools of four.

The first round takes place on Saturday, 29 June, and the final will be contested at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 19 July.

France, the winners of the past three editions of the event, are in Pool A with New Zealand, Wales and Spain, who will make their debut after winning the World Rugby u20 Trophy in 2023.

After claiming the bronze medal with a superb defensive and forward display last year, the Junior Springboks will look to impress again on home soil when they face England, Argentina and Fiji in Pool C, while 2023 runners-up Ireland, Australia, Georgia and Italy make up Pool B.

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said South Africa is looking forward to welcoming back the world’s best young players to the Western Cape.

“We have a proud history of successfully staging world-class events and we are extremely proud to be hosting the World Rugby U20 Championship for a second successive year in the Western Cape,” he said.

“Despite the challenging weather we experienced at times during last winter’s successful tournament, our enthusiastic rugby supporters truly showed their passion for the game and eagerness to see the world’s best young players in action by turning out in numbers in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Cape Town.”

Oberholzer said planning for the tournament with World Rugby and key stakeholders is already well-advanced: “We are determined to improve on last year’s event and to present a memorable, world-class tournament that players, match officials and rugby fans – locals and from abroad – will thoroughly enjoy.”

The World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 will be hosted in Edinburgh, Scotland, where eight teams will fight for promotion to the Championship in 2025: Japan (relegated from the u20 Championship in 2023), Scotland (hosts), Hong Kong China (Asia), The Netherlands (Europe), Uruguay (South America) and representatives from Africa, North America and Oceania.

The two age-grade tournaments are a key part of the international federation’s investment to increase the competitiveness of global rugby by providing a meaningful pathway to the elite level for talented young players.

The showpiece tournaments, first held in 2008, have seen more than 1 550 players go on to make a test debut after playing on the u20 stage, including 32 Rugby World Cup winners.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The u20 pathway is at the heart of our ambition to develop competitiveness globally. Since their inception in 2008, the World Rugby u20 Championship and Trophy have provided exciting opportunities for the future stars of the game to express their talents and develop before reaching test level, as well as a compelling spectacle for anyone interested in our game.

“South Africa and Scotland will be fantastic hosts and provide ideal conditions for the 20 best u20 teams in the world to perform and I would like to thank our two member unions for taking up the hosting challenge.

“I am convinced many of the talented young players featuring in these competitions will leave their mark, not only on these two tournaments but also on international rugby, later down the line.”

World Rugby u20 Championship 2024

Date: 29 June to 19 July

Venues: Danie Craven Stadium (Stellenbosch), Athlone Stadium, DHL Stadium (both in Cape Town)

Pools (with 2023 ranking in brackets)

Pool A: France (1), Wales (6), New Zealand (7), Spain (12)
Pool B: Ireland (2), Australia (5), Georgia (8), Italy (11)
Pool C: South Africa (3), England (4), Argentina (9), Fiji (10)

Pool matches:

• Match day 1: Saturday, 29 June
• Match day 2: Thursday, 4 July
• Match day 3: Tuesday, 9 July

Playoff matches:

• Match day 4: Sunday,14 July
• Match day 5: Friday, 19 July (final and ranking matches)

HTS Drostdy and Worcester Gimnasium tackle one another for local bragging rights and the coveted De Lange Trophy on Saturday morning.

The De Lange name is revered and respected in Boland cricket circles. Dawie de Lange, in his time as vice-principal at HTS Drostdy, played a formative role in the development of many of the Boland’s top cricketing talents.

Those included his son, Con de Lange, who matriculated at Worcester Gimnasium. He was selected for the SA u19 team and went on to enjoy a successful career after school, captaining both the Boland and Cape Cobras teams.

After moving to Scotland, he played cricket for East Lancashire, Blackpool and Northamptonshire before being selected for the Scottish national team in 2015 as an orthodox left-arm spin and right-handed batting option.

De Lange was given the honour of the vice-captaincy of Scotland in 2017 at the Desert T20 Series in the UAE. In June of that year, he took five wickets for the Scots against Zimbabwe.

He represented every team he played for with distinction until his career was cruelly cut short by a cancer diagnosis early in 2018.

Sadly, Con de Lange passed away in April 2019, but his legacy and that of his family is commemorated when the two schools go head-to-head on the cricket field every year for the De Lange Trophy.

Speaking at HTS Drostdy’s “Evening of Legends” in 2022, Dawie de Lange expressed his support for the event, saying that he hopes it continues to help grow the competitive spirit between the two schools.

In honour of their connection to the Worcester legends, the trophy takes the name of Con de Lange when Worcester Gimnasium wins and Dawie de Lange when HTS Drostdy is triumphant.

Historically, the home-field advantage has proved decisive, with HTS Drostdy taking the spoils at home in 2022 in the inaugural competition and Worcester Gimnasium winning the return fixture last year.

Jacques Jordaan, Gerhard le Roux, Ruvan Barnard and Darius Venter have competed in every match for the De Lange Trophy since its inception in 2022 and will be seeking to reclaim the honour for the Donkeys this weekend.

Rijan Visser, Garnet le Roux, Aiden Abrahams and Ayden Pekeur, however, all return from the Gimmies team that won last year, and their goal will be to become the first team to successfully defend the coveted trophy.

Teams

HTS Drostdy: Stephan Steyn, Jacques Jordaan, Gerhard le Roux, Ruvan Barnard, Bryan Cochrane, Albert Nel, Adriaan Krynauw, Sias du Toit, Helgardt Nortjé, Darius Venter, Reghardt du Plessis.

Worcester Gimnasium: Caleb de Lange, Garnet le Roux, Noah Goliath, Aiden Abrahams, Ayden Pekeur, Alijandrew Heneke, Rijan Visser, Zayden Marais, Fredwin Philander, Brevin Maree, Therenzo Jacobs.

Week three of the 2024 schools’ basketball season saw some top-class performances delivered in KwaZulu-Natal clashes, with Durban High School and Northwood being separated by a three-pointer at the final whistle, while Maritzburg College waltzed into Balgowan and comfortably took care of Michaelhouse.

Down the coast, in the Eastern Cape region, Queen’s College hosted the up-and-coming Mthatha 1st team at Queen’s courts, where the hosts had the support of their home crowd.

In KZN, Maritzburg College has built a well-deserved reputation for excellence on the basketball court, and they were, thus, clear favourites for their clash with Michaelhouse.

The home team might have had an upset on their mind, but College’s high pace in attack and an impeccable defence doomed ‘House to defeat as the Red, Black, and White dominated at both ends of the floor.

When the final whistle sounded, College had cruised to a 67-39 victory.

At DHS, a talented Northwood Knights squad pulled off a skin-of-the-teeth win away from home, claiming a thriller 67-64.

Westville Boys’ High, fresh off a strong third-place finish at the AISJ American International School of Johannesburg Invitational Basketball Tournament, faced off against perennial powerhouse, St Charles College, who won the St John’s Basketball Tournament in 2023.

For much of the match, it was very tight, but Saints, with James Wucherer and Taite Hendricks leading the way, and Wucherer, especially, stirring the crowd with a string of dunks, managed to pull clear near the end and pick up a 65-56 win.

Kearsney College made their trip to Hilton College worthwhile when they sneaked a two-point victory, 59-57. Reabetswe Sithole led the way for the visitors, scoring 17 points, while Simba Chidakwa knocked down 16 for Hilton.

Meanwhile, Clifton College‘s never-say-die first team put it together against Glenwood and was rewarded with a 34-25 victory.

Down in the Eastern Cape, Queen’s College made light work of the Mthatha 1st team, inflicting a 30-8 defeat on the visiting team.

Up on the highveld, Jeppe High School for Boys and Pretoria Boys High did battle. It was tight, but the boys from the South African capital emerged with a five-point win, 46-41.

St John’s College eased to a 74-18 victory over CBC Boksburg, while St Alban’s College claimed a treasured scalp, defeating St David’s Marist Inanda in Sandton by a 60-48 margin.

RESULTS

Northwood 67, Durban High School 64
Maritzburg College 67, Michaelhouse 39
St Charles College 65, Westville Boys’ High 56
Clifton College 34, Glenwood 25
Queen’s College 30, Mtatha 8
Pretoria Boys’ High 46, Jeppe High School for Boys 41
St John’s College 74, CBC Boksburg 18
St Alban’s College 60, St David’s Marist 48

It appeared as if the stars might align for South Africa from the moment the pre-match formalities got underway ahead of the first semi-final of the ICC u19 Cricket World Cup in Benoni on Tuesday, with Eastern Storm coach Geoffrey Toyana performing the duty of the trophy-bearer before the action began.

Toyana is not only the coach of the Benoni-based franchise, but he also served as an inspirational figure to the Junior Proteas, as a cricketer who enjoyed a successful playing career with the Johannesburg-based Lions and the Pretoria-based Titans, before moving into coaching.

After Toyana’s moment in the spotlight, it was left to SA u19 captain Juan James and his troops to get the job done in front of a good crowd at Willowmoore Park.

A lively atmosphere prevailed throughout, with a local band doing its bit to support the South Africans in their bid to reach the World Cup final. On the old stands at Willowmoore Park, a sea of green was present to support the Junior Proteas, continuing a culture that was to the fore all across the country when the Springboks successfully defended their Rugby World Cup title in France last year.

Unfortunately for the home supporters, some thunderbolts up front from fast bowlers’ Kwena Maphaka and Tristan Luus, and solid knocks from Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Richard Seletswane, were not quite enough to see the Junior Proteas through to play for the treasured trophy.

Afterwards, reflecting afterwards on where he felt his team might have lost the game, James said: “I think it probably started in the middle with the bat. I think they bowled really well. Again, when they were batting out in the middle, when we had them four-down for 30-odd, Uday (Saharan) and Sachin (Dhas) batted really well. It’s probably those two moments (where we lost the game).

“It’s something we struggled with the whole tournament. We just didn’t quite manage to get it right,” he added.

However, the Junior Proteas reminded the world about the power of sport over the preceding three weeks as South Africans from different backgrounds came together in support of the James-led u19s.

Moreover, stars were born, with players like Maphaka, Pretorius and Dewan Marais, among others, capturing the imagination.

“The one thing that stands out the most for me is the never giving up from us,” James reckoned.

“Even now, at the end… fighting to the very end. That’s something that makes me proud as a captain, seeing everyone fight like that.”

He then turned to the support the team had received, saying: “I just want to thank everyone for coming out in every single game. You have really been amazing, and we really appreciate the support. We hope we made you proud.”