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Despite an inspired late charge by Liam Burger and Zheemo Isaacs for Paarl Gimnasium, the visiting Paul Roos Gimnasium rolled to a convincing 128-run victory, thanks to a five-wicket haul by Callum Appollis and half-centuries from Beor van Reenen and Liam Basson.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

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The Stellenbosch side won the toss and elected to bat, but it didn’t go well for them in the early going.

Gimmies had PRG struggling on 46/4, but Liam Burger and Beor van Reenen steadied the ship for their side, with both notching fifties, to drive the Paul Roos total to 242.

Louis Koen caused the Paul Roos batting lineup all sorts of problems, though, snaring five wickets for only 45 runs.

Koen’s father, the ex-Springbok flyhalf, Louis Koen, and his brother, Liam, who currently plays for the Blue Bulls u20 team, and who was a successful cricketer in his own right, also attended the proud Paarl school, and Louis jnr appears destined to carry on the family tradition of sporting excellence.

Liam Burger also bowled well for the hosts, capturing three wickets, and Koch van Eyssen added two more.

Paul Roos had four players selected for the u19 Boland squad for the Khaya Majola Cricket Week this year, but two of them, the matriculants’ Josh Jordaan and Cormey van der Watt, were not involved in the match against Gim. However, the younger duo of Riley Norton and Callum Appollis both shone with the ball.

Appollis tore through the Paarl Gim batting, nabbing five wickets for only 22 runs, while Norton bowled five overs, drew first blood with the second delivery of the Gim innings, and conceded only 13 runs.

The Boland powerhouse ripped the locals’ batting lineup apart. At 48/8, all hope looked lost for Paarl Gim.

Liam Burger and Zheemo Jacobs dug deep, however, putting together an impressive partnership of 57 under immense pressure. Yet, despite their efforts, Paul Roos were dismissed for 114, still well short of their target by 129 runs.

An appetising and challenging fixture awaits Paul Roos next weekend, when their stayers take on Rondebosch in preparation for the forthcoming season.

Summarised scorecard

Paul Roos Gimnasium 242 (Beor van Reenen 57, Liam Basson 56, Extras 31, Neil Barnard 27*; Louis Koen 5/45, Liam Burger 3/13, Koch van Eyssen 2/23); Paarl Gimnasium 114 (Liam Burger 43, Zheemo Isaacs 21, Extras 20; Callum Appollis 5/22, Dian Winkel 2/34). Paul Roos Gimnasium won by 128 runs.

Waterkloof’s bowlers proved too strong for the Garsfontein Ysbere batting lineup on Saturday in the semifinals of the Fain Noordvaal competition. The Klofie attack, which was spearheaded by the consistent Jacques van Niekerk, managed to bundle Garsfontein out for a modest 137 on home soil.

Van Niekerk made an indifferent start as he struggled to find his rhythm. However, after a couple of solid overs, he turned up the heat and captured 2/25.

Alongside Van Niekerk, Hernus Marais impressed with a fiery new-ball spell, sending down eight overs and returning figures of 2/31.

Franco Cronje continued his wicket-taking form, picking up 2/21 in five.

It was a bleak day for the batsmen of the Ysbere who were placed under heavy pressure throughout their innings by the Waterkloof bowlers.

Stefan van Staden looked promising, in a knock of 29 from 38 balls but, like his teammates, he found a way to get himself out.

An untimely run out cut Gustav Beer’s innings short, just as he had started to look comfortable at the crease. Nonetheless, he contributed an entertaining 25 from 34 deliveries.

The Klofie batsmen then made it clear that they wanted to attack the victory target of 138. Wian Ruthven got his side off to flyer, cracking a ruthless 20 from just 12 balls, while Marcus Bakker raced to 28 before losing his wicket.

This, however, set the stage for Divan Behrens and Beukes van den Berg. Behrens settled into playing the anchor role and weighed in with 20 in an 82-run partnership with his captain.

Van den Berg, who has a knack of performing well on the bigger stages, carved out a well-played unbeaten 58 from 59 deliveries to direct Waterkloof comfortably across the line in only the 26th over, thus securing another place in the Noordvaal competition’s final for his side.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

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Summarised scorecard 

Garsfontein 137/10 (Stefan van Staden 29, Gustav Beer 25; Jacques van Niekerk 2/25, Hernus Marais 2/31, Franco Cronje 2/21): Waterkloof 138/2 (Beukes van den Berg 58*, Marcus Bakker 28, Divan Behrens 20*, Wian Ruthven 20: Stefan van Staden 1/33). Waterkloof won by eight wickets. 

The Rondebosch Boys’ High bowling attack proved too strong for Diocesan College on Saturday.

In the final outing for Rondebosch’s graduating group – captain Jordan Neill, Bongi Mfunelwa, Graeme Engelbrecht and Alex Combrink – they met Bishops in a 50-over match on the Frank Reid Oval.

The hosts were sent to the crease first, and Bosch’s bowlers immediately launched an onslaught.

Declan Gillespie led the charge, taking three wickets for 24, but it was their collective bowling excellence that enabled them to restrict Bishops to less than triple figures. Graeme Engelbrecht tied up the tail-end with 2/5, while Alex Combrink and David Simon both grabbed a brace as well.

Cole Crawford played a steady and defiant innings of 35 for Diocesan College, but the visiting bowlers picked apart the rest of the batting lineup with ease to dismiss them for just 93.

The home team did well to regroup in a valiant attempt to defend a small target. They had Rondebosch under pressure early on, when they reduced the batting side to 18/3. All Bosch needed, though, was a solid partnership and Noah Heath and Bongile Mfunelwa delivered it to see their team to victory over their southern suburbs’ rivals.

Mfunelwa finished the game off in style, smashing a huge six to end his school cricket career on a high. He and the rest of the Rondebosch matriculants will remember the game fondly as a perfect send-off.

Next Saturday, a team of Rondebosch stayers will host Paul Roos Gimnasium for a friendly declaration match in preparation for the forthcoming season.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecard:

Diocesan College 93 (Cole Crawford 35*, Extras 21; Declan Gillespie 3/24, Graeme Engelbrecht 2/5, Alex Combrink 2/13, David Simon 2/24); Rondebosch Boys’ High 97/3 (Bongile Mfunelwa 38, Noah Heath 36*, Matthew Brodziak 2/25). Rondebosch Boys’ High won by seven wickets.

On Wednesday, in a sensational display of power hitting, Marinus Daling bludgeoned 15 sixes and plundered 148 runs from just 56 deliveries for Paarl Gimnasium in their match against Hugenote.

The team from Paarl batted at better than 12 runs per over, reaching 243/3 in their 20 overs, thanks to opener Willem Matthee contributing an unbeaten 62 and Daling’s masterclass.

Cullen Ruiters finally brought Daling’s destructive innings to an end, with Andre van der Merwe taking the catch. Ruiters grabbed his second wicket with the final delivery of the innings to finish as the best of the Wellington school’s bowlers, but the damage had already been done.

Zheemo Isaacs and Charles King then combined well for Paarl Gimnasium to capture five wickets for 16 runs, and Daling was in on the action again, palming three catches to round off his day.

In Stellenbosch, Paul Roos Gimnasium beat Paarl Boys’ High for a second time in four days.

After taking the spoils in their 50-over encounter on Saturday, Paul Roos backed up that performance with another impressive victory in a T20 clash on Wednesday.

Despite a shaky start for the Stellenbosch boys, Riley Norton led the charge, smashing 78 off 51 deliveries without losing his wicket, while Cornel Swart cracked 42 at a run-a-ball, to help Paul Roos to 155/4.

Aden Batt bowled well for Boishaai, dismissing the opening pair of Paul Roos in quick succession, which put the hosts under immense pressure at 4/2 in the third over.

With the visitors at the crease, Norton continued his fine form, taking two crucial wickets to stymie their batting effort. Dian Winkel also starred with the ball, dismissing three Paarl batsmen while conceding a paltry 11 runs.

Norton’s crucial spell in the middle, and the hosts’ collective bowling efforts, proved enough to take them to victory.

Francois van der Merwe spearheaded a late charge by the visitors at the tail-end, scoring an unbeaten 31 from 21 deliveries, but the Paarl side was, ultimately, well beaten, finishing 35 runs short on 120/7.

Paul Roos and Paarl Gimnasium meet on Saturday to test their mettle in a 50-over match in Paarl.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecards:

Paarl Gimnasium 243/3 (Marinus Daling 148, Willem Matthee 62*; Cullen Ruiters 2/57); Hugenote 69/7 (Andre van der Merwe 17; Zheemo Isaacs 3/9). Paarl Gimnasium won by 174 runs.

Paul Roos Gimnasium 155/4 (Riley Norton 78*, Cornel Swart 42; Aden Batt 2/19); Paarl Boys’ High 120/7 (Francois van der Merwe 31*, Gideon du Toit 29; Dian Winkel 3/11, Riley Norton 2/22). Paul Roos Gimnasium won by 35 runs.

Boland Landbou 152/5 (Marius du Plessis 42, Stefan Conradie 32, Lohann Louw 30, Rynard van der Schyff 25; Eddie Fick 2/31); DF Malan 119/3 (Emile Olivier 38, Charl Botha 23, Reuben Braxton 22). Boland Landbou won by 33 runs.

The KwaZulu-Natal Inland Schools’ Cricket Association has revealed a 13-player u19 squad, which will do duty at the Khaya Majola Week in Makhanda from the 16th to the 20th of December. It includes five players from St Charles College, four from Hilton College, and two each from Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College.

A look over the line-up reveals a talented, balanced squad with many options, both on the batting and bowling fronts. It appears, though, that the all-rounders, Ross Boast and Bryn Brokensha (in feature photo), will carry a heavy workload, maybe more with the ball than with the bat, which is a favourable comment on the depth of the batting. And both are extremely capable batsmen, too.

The most in-form of the batsmen selected is, undoubtedly, Michaelhouse’s run scoring machine, Murray Baker, who has enjoyed an exceptional end to the year. He’ll provide middle order security along with Boast and Brokensha, although any of the three could come in at the first wicket down.

Caleb Thomas and Sam Brown are specialist openers, while Ntando Zuma is a proven high-quality performer, who excelled for the Coastal Conquerors, made up of players from KZN and KZN Inland, when they won the Cubs Week in 2022. Ivan Lockem, if he gets going, can tear a bowling attack apart. He hits the ball very cleanly.

Matthew Urquhart is a more than useful batsman and an accurate off-spinner, while Cameron Strudwick provides a left-arm spin option, and Nathan Beaumont is a fine leg-spinner.

Matipa and Natanzi Denenga bring medium-paced options to the bowling attack, while Thabiso Ndlela adds a bit of extra pace up front.

The non-travelling reserves include Nathan Hoatson, Asanda Khumalo, and Chad Mason, who all offer all-round skills. Mason might regard himself as the unluckiest player to miss out. He’s performed consistently well with both bat and ball in the fourth term and has made meaningful contributions for Maritzburg College throughout 2023.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

KZN Inland u19 Squad

Caleb Thomas (Maritzburg College), Ntandoyenkosi Zuma (St Charles College), Samuel Brown (St Charles College), Murray Baker (Michaelhouse), Ross Boast (Hilton College), Bryn Brokensha (Maritzburg College), Ivan Lockem (Hilton College), Cameron Strudwick (Michaelhouse), Thabiso Ndlela (St Charles College), Matipa Denenga (Hilton College), Natanzi Denenga (Hilton College), Nathan Beaumont (St Charles College), Matthew Urquhart (St Charles College)

Non-travelling reserves

Nathan Hoatson (Michaelhouse), Asanda Khumalo (Maritzburg College), Chad Mason (Maritzburg College)

Head coach: David Griffiths (Hilton College)
Assistant coach: Ahmed Amla (KZNCUI)
Manager: Stem Siwela (Weston Agricultural College)

St John’s College and King Edward VII, who first met on the cricket field in 1905, renewed their rivalry on Thursday, with the two 1^st XIs producing a thrilling 40-overs-a-side clash that went down to the wire.

After winning the coin flip, St John’s, having opted to bat first, made a steady but unspectacular start, with Nkosana Sibiya and Thomas Ievers putting on 19 before Ievers was out in the fifth over for 12, a victim of opening bowler Thebe Modisane.

KES then had reason to celebrate in the eighth over when they removed batting kingpin, Joe MacRobert, for seven, caught by Christian Sabela off the bowling of Zeig Roos.

Sibiya stuck around until the total had reached 59, but he fell for 22, one of three wickets claimed by Fayaaz Vawda. Kago Masote, meanwhile, contributed 28, but he was the next wicket to go.

St John’s needed a substantial partnership to give their inning momentum and they got it when Alec Loveland and Cole Francis joined forces. They put on 81 runs for the sixth wicket in just over 14 overs before Loveland was caught by Vawda off the bowling of Eric Southey for 35 from 46.

Francis, though, helped advance the St John’s total to 187 before becoming the ninth wicket to go, caught by Southey off of Christian Sabela’s bowling for a crucial 65 from 60 deliveries, with two fours and two sixes.

Sabela and Vawda were the pick of the KES bowlers, with Sabela capturing 3 for 33 in 7.3, while Vawda took 3 for 44 in eight.

Luthando Masinda, in at 11, made six before he was the last man out with the total on 199. Those half-a-dozen runs, though, proved to be a very important contribution.

Needing to bat at exactly five runs an over to win, KES lost Cameron Smith in the seventh over for nine (he had faced only 11 balls), which brought Troy Gordon out into the middle to join Eric Southey.

Together, they compiled a partnership of 87 for the second wicket. Crucially, though, St John’s never allowed them to get on top of the bowling, although Gordon batted at just better than a run a ball.

With the total on 119, Southey was caught by Jacob Smith off an Oliver Tait delivery for 42 from 97 balls, which included four fours.

KES then managed a partnership of 60 for the third wicket, but they also found themselves under ever-increasing pressure as the overs started to slip away.

Tiaan Goosen was out for 30 from 35, with the total on 179. He was one of three batsmen to lose their wicket to Cole Francis, but Troy Gordon was still out in the middle, poised to take his team over the line, with 21 runs needed for victory, but only 14 balls remaining.

Disastrously for KES, they lost their top scorer, Gordon, two balls later, caught by Jacob Smith off of Francis for 83 from 82, with six fours and a six. KES had six wickets in hand, but new batsmen at both ends of the pitch.

Their run chase was further crippled when Zeig Roos was dismissed with the first ball of the 39^th over. St John’s then did an outstanding job of protecting their runs, with Francis adding another wicket to his haul, to limit King Edward VII to 193 for 6.

Francis, their standout with the bat, was also the pick of their bowlers, snapping up 3 for 35 in his eight overs.

Alec Loveland, with 1 for 27 in eight, bowled an economical spell, which ratcheted up the pressure on KES, and Oliver Tait was also economical, returning figures of 1 for 29 in eight. Malan du Plessis, with 1 for 29 in seven, made a key contribution, too.

In the 2nd XI match, St John’s claimed a 27-run victory, but KES were victorious in the under-14A and under-15A matches, winning those by 57 runs and eight wickets respectively.

Commenting on the rivalry with their near neighbours, St John’s 1^st XI coach Bongani Ntini said: “Cricket has a rich tradition at St John’s College and King Edward VII School, and it’s wonderful to see that this fixture has endured the test of time for over a century.

“Matches, like these, help preserve the spirit of the sport and its long-standing traditions. They not only showcase the talent and competitiveness of the schools but also foster a strong sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship between the two schools.”

With wins over St Stithians, Jeppe and KES in Gauteng, and victories against Northwood, Glenwood and DHS in KZN, it has been a very good end of the year for St John’s. They face a serious challenge on Saturday, however, when they take on an in-form Affies in their final match of the season.

Summarised scores

St John’s College 199/10 (Cole Francis 65, Alec Loveland 35, Kago Masote 28, Christian Sabela 3/33, Fayaaz Vawda 3/43); King Edward VII 193/6 (Troy Gordon 83, Eric Southey 42, Tiaan Goosen 30, Cole Francis 3/35) St John’s College won by 6 runs

Parel Vallei has announced the appointment of Alwyn Burger as their new Director of Rugby for 2024 as the Somerset West school looks to continue its progress across a wide variety of sporting codes. He makes the move from Hugenote Hoërskool.

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“I’m excited to be working with a bunch of guys who are as passionate as I am about growth”, said Burger about the new challenge.

“The headmaster, Mr David Schenk, and I probably watched every moment of the World Cup together telephonically. We were still talking about the final into the early hours of Sunday morning.”

“When you have a headmaster who is just as enthusiastic and excited about working with you, it almost makes you nervous with anticipation to get the job started.”

Over the past couple of years, Parel Vallei’s sports’ programmes have made massive strides.

“The hockey is immaculate. They’re running a great hockey programme for boys and girls,” Burger said. “The netball has been picking up well over the last two years as well, so we’ll be looking to do the same with the rugby.”

Parel Vallei’s cricket has also been among the best in the Boland region in recent years, with the school regularly testing its skills against some of the strongest teams in the country.

“It will be my responsibility to find a solution that ensures [there is] a balance that maintains our academic record, while also creating a culture that understands how much work needs to be invested to be competitive in our league and start challenging the bigger rivals in the area soon.”

Burger said he will aim to build upon the foundations laid by previous Parel Vallei successes to lift the school to the next level.

With 14 years of experience to contribute, Burger will be taking a hands-on approach as Director of Rugby as well, offering his input and expertise and abilities to help build the rugby program.

“I remember playing against them with Hugenote in 2019. My under-16 team won their game with a penalty at the end of the match, but the rest of their teams all beat us.

“Thinus Pienaar, who was in charge at the time, put great systems in place. I’ll look to build on those going forward. We’re fortunate to also bring in Lucas Roothman as the 1st XV coach.”

Roothman has previously done duty as a specialist coach at Paul Roos Gimnasium. He adds more than 12 years’ worth of knowledge to the coaching team.

“Something I’ve learned in my time involved with sports is that the communication channels need to be completely open at all times. Coaches shouldn’t have any doubt about their roles,” Burger said.

“My policy is that coaches need to be able to communicate with me freely. I believe the way we work together to solve a problem will say a lot more about our character than the emotions involved with confrontation.”

A rugby-man through and through, Burger is excited about focusing on the sport he loves, though he enjoyed the diversity of his role in overseeing various sporting codes in the past.

“I love it! There is something different to take from every type of sport. You might be humbled at athletics, and then find a new way to win at netball later, picking up tricks of the trade, but I am excited to be focusing on rugby.”

He says his ultimate goal is to earn a reputation for Parel Vallei as a well-balanced school where students are given an opportunity to excel in whatever they choose to pursue.

St John’s College has six players in the Gauteng u19A boys’ water polo team, and St Stithians has six players in the Gauteng u19A girls’ water polo side for next month’s Inter-provincial Tournament (IPT), which takes place in Gqeberha from the 9th to the 13th of December.

The participants include the Nelson Mandela Bay team, selected from schools from the upper side of the Eastern Cape, the Buffalo City team, which chooses its players from the likes of Selborne College, Hudson Park, and Stirling High School, the KwaZulu-Natal teams, and Western Province.

Based on the results produced by Gauteng’s schools during the course of the season, the boys will go into the IPT as underdogs. That label, of course, often serves as strong motivation for a team to outperform expectations.

The squad is a combination of players from St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College, King Edward VII, Jeppe High School for Boys, and St Stithians College. They’ll need to gel from the get-go, operate as a unit, and limit some of the errors that have been evident at times, if they’re to challenge outfits like KZN and Western Province.

The Gauteng side, though, can draw inspiration from their St John’s College boys, who excelled at the Saints Invitational this past weekend. The reached the final and pushed SACS all the way before going down by a narrow 6-7 margin. It was their only loss of the event.

The B Team has a more diverse make-up, with players from St Benedict’s and Reddam House Helderfontein also coming into the frame.

While the Gauteng boys’ team might not be among the favourites, the girls’ side is expected to be a strong title challenger. It’s made up of in-form players, with a number of them coming off of very impressive performances at the Saints Invitational.

Roedean School, which finished in silver medal position, and beat the eventual champions, Herschel, in the group stages, has three players – Michaela Boaventura, Francesca de Villiers, and Mia Loizides – on the team, and all three shone at the tournament, which ended on Sunday.

Loizides and De Villiers were included in the All-Star team, and Loizides, who has the talent to open up any defence, was also named the best attacker of the competition.

The Gauteng u19A line-up, apart from the Roedean and St Stithians reps, also features Ruby Carlson and Kara Wicht from St Dominic’s, and Georgia Cope from Crawford Lonehill.

Apart from more representatives from Roedean and St Dominic’s, the B team further includes players from St Mary’s Waverley and Steyn City.

TEAMS

Girls 

U19A

Michaela Boaventura (Roedean), Ruby Carlson (St Dominic’s), Georgia Cope (Crawford Lonehill), Charlotte Crick (St Stithians), Francesca de Villiers (Roedean), Georgia Eccles (St Stithians), Lauren Fox (St Stithians), Mia Loizides (Roedean), Liyakhanya Ndamane (St Stithians), Jenna Penney (St Stithians), Gina Sguazzin (St Stithians), Kara Wicht (St Dominic’s).

U19B

Jessica Black (St Mary’s School), Humairaa Bodiat (Roedean), Amy Harmzen (St Dominic’s), Morgan Harrison (St Dominic’s), Amy Mather (Crawford Lonehill), Emma Morley (St Mary’s), Cecilia Petersen (Roedean), Tatum Rogers (Steyn City), Amy Smith (St Mary’s), Amy Stubbs (Roedean), Ziyanda Tshabalala (Roedean), Emma van Rensburg (Roedean).

Management:

Etienne le Roux (Head Coach)
Jarred Appelgryn (Coach)
Kyla Moolman (Coach)
Nicola MacLeod (Coach)
Leila Fernandes (Manager)

Boys

U19A

Anton Arwidi (St David’s), Connor Flinn (Jeppe Boys), Tristan Grimett (St David’s) Tanner Kleynhans (St Stithians), Samuel Lister (St Stithians), Karabo Mamaregane (King Edward VIl), Taeg Mosehla (St John’s), Nicholas Pearce (St John’s), Leonardo Pereira (St John’s), Greg Pryce (St John’s), Ross Rovelli (St John’s), Benjamin Scher (St Stithians), Marc Smith (St Stithians), Caleb van Loggerenberg (St John’s).

U19B

Dylan Botha (St David’s), Jason Cutler (St Benedict’s), Judah Dos Santos (King Edward VII), Samuel Ferreira (Steyn City), Braedon Hollingworth (St Stithians), Mark Hudson (St David’s), David Johnson (Jeppe Boys), Alessio Cimato (St John’s), Brogan McEwan (St Benedict’s), Ross Stuart (St David’s) Marco Turanjanin (St Stithians), Max Turanjanin (St Stithians), Jack Wilkins (King Edward VII), Zico Williams (Reddam Helderfontein).

Management:

Jon-Marc de Carvalho (Head Coach)
Masibonge Namba (Coach)
Michael Stewart (Coach)
Zahraa Bodiat (Manager)

The KwaZulu-Natal u19A water polo team will be aiming to put on a show when they contest this year’s Inter-provincial Tournament (IPT) in Gqeberha from the 9^th to the 13^th of December.

Matches will be played at Grey High School and Newton Park.

The tournament will bring together the top players from across South Africa, and KZN’s A side is considered one of the title favourites based on the high-quality water polo produced by the province’s leading teams during the season.

The 14-player squad is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest in the tournament but, interestingly, made up of players from only three schools – Westville Boys’ High, Clifton College, and Hilton College.

Westville and Clifton both boast five players each, while Hilton supplies four players.

Representing Westville, who put together an impressive run of results late in October, are Warwick Field, Jamie Spence, Max Scully, Nathan Jacob, and Rhys Hall. Last year, Field and Jacob were named in national teams.

The KZN line-up will also bank on the momentum the Clifton boys will bring to the team after some impressive showings over the past month.

They played like a well-oiled machine at their own Clifton Water Polo tournament in late September where, after a strong showing in the group stages, they lost out to Paul Roos in the semi-finals before defeating Hilton 9-5 to claim the bronze medal.

The experience and teamwork of Ben Ribbink, Jedd Poovan, skipper Mitchell Slade, Oliver Ditz, and goalkeeper Ross Strauss will be a vital component of the KZN side’s challenge as they aim to go all the way. It’s what helped them capture the KZN Top 10 title this season.

Hilton College enjoyed a strong season, too. With Jonathan Bregman-Frangos, Matthew Hayes, Stefan Swart and Mayer Malherbe leading the way, they showed they were among the best teams in the country. A string of strong performances brought them second place in the KZN Top 10 and fourth place finishes in the Clifton Water Polo Tournament and Hussar Grill SACS Water Polo Tournament, just one place behind Clifton each time.

The combination of Westville, Clifton and Hilton players is, on paper, an outstanding outfit, and they will surely be a force to be reckoned with. In Jason Sileno, they also have one of the best coaches in the country.

They will, however, face strong opposition, with Western Province likely to be their toughest challenge. At the same time, the likes of Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, and Gauteng cannot be overlooked.

The B-Team features more selections from Westville, Clifton and Hilton, while Glenwood, Kearsney College, Northwood, and Durban High School (DHS) are also represented in the squad.

TEAMS

U19A

Ben Ribbink (Clifton), Jamie Spence (Westville), Jedd Poovan (Clifton), Jonathan Bregman-Frangos (Hilton), Matthew Hayes (Hilton), Max Scully (Westville), Mayer Malherbe (Hilton), Mitchell Slade (Clifton), Nathan Jacob (Westville), Oliver Ditz (Clifton), Rhys Hall (Westville), Ross Strauss (Clifton), Stefan Swart (Hilton), Warwick Field (Westville).

Head coach: Jason Sileno

U19B

Blake Davison (DHS), Blake Kruger (Kearsney), Elihle Hadebe (Kearsney), Ethan Lyne (Clifton), Jack Slater (Clifton), Jared Beyleveldt (Westville), Jesse Venter (Glenwood), Josh Lawton (Northwood), Kyron de Kock (Glenwood), Luca Di Vincenzo (Northwood), Marnu Koekemoer (DHS), Mitchell Wilson (Hilton), Tallin Laas (Northwood), Troy Rees-Jones (Westville).

Head coach: Darren Stone