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Somerset College sent off their four matriculating first team cricket players on a high note on Saturday after beating HTS Drostdy in an action-packed, high-scoring end-of-year fixture.

Captain Nicholas Rieth and his teammates’ Dion Claassens – who earned his 100th first team cap in his final game – Thando Prusent and Christopher Varie depart the school in Somerset West at the end of the year.

Batting first, Chad Ayford set Somerset College on its way with a fine 83 at nearly a run per ball, and his fellow opener Owethu Moyi, with 37, did his bit by taking the sting out of the initial bowling onslaught.

Tyrone Rieth, who will pick up the baton and assume the captain’s role next year in the place of his older brother, showed off his leadership with a mature innings, which added a further 81 to his side’s total.

When Callum Hughes joined the younger Rieth at the crease, he punished the HTS Drostdy bowling, scoring 66 runs from 53 deliveries. Between the two of them, they clobbered 17 boundaries, including six maximums, to help Somerset College to an imposing 320/5 after 50 overs.

The Rieths are one of three sets of siblings playing for Somerset College’s first team this year. Christopher Varie’s younger brother, Troy, is also in the squad, alongside Alexia and Massimo Kontopirakis.

Undaunted by the big challenge facing them, or by the fact that Johann Rauch removed two of their top-order batsmen in a single over, early on, HTS Drostdy settled in and mounted a spectacular run chase.

Stefan van der Merwe batted masterfully to bring up his century before he was run out by Hughes, while Bryan Cochrane bolstered Drostdy’s score with a solid 78.

Unfortunately for the visitors, though, Somerset College were able to keep them in check and when the 50-over mark was reached, they were still 65 runs shy. Nonetheless, they had put in a good shift with the bat.

With another win in the bag, Somerset College will bid farewell to their four matriculants, who have played a big role in the school’s cricketing success.

Nicholas Rieth, at the helm as captain since 2021, was more than just a leader. In his 89 appearances for the first team, he was an all-rounder par excellence, amassing 2 382 runs, taking 35 wickets, and effecting 80 fielding dismissals.

The centurion, Claassens, boasted a huge 180 wickets in the 805 overs he sent down for the 1st XI.

Christopher Varie, a steadfast presence with 83 caps to his name, finished with an impressive record of 81 wickets from 568 overs.

Then, there’s Thando Prusent, a player who has not only graced the Somerset College team but has also proudly donned the Boland colours at the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola U19 Week for consecutive years. His tally of 1 552 runs and 49 wickets for the school speaks volumes of his exceptional talent and dedication.

As the four stars bid adieu to their alma mater, they undoubtedly leave a gaping hole in the squad. However, a silver lining exists in the emergence of exciting young talents, eagerly waiting to step into their shoes and carry the school’s proud cricketing tradition forward.

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.

Summarized scorecard:

Somerset College 320/5 (Chad Ayford 83, Tyrone Rieth 81, Callum Hughes 66, Owethu Moyi 37, Jonathan Firth 24, Extras 22; Reghardt du Plessis 2/42, Adriaan Krynauw 2/49); HTS Drostdy 255/8 (Stefan van der Merwe 100, Bryan Cochrane 78, H Nortje 24*, Extras 24; Johann Rauch 2/18, David de Klerk 2/21). Somerset College won by 65 runs.

 

Wynberg Boys’ High claimed a thrilling victory over Diocesan College on the Jacques Kallis Oval on Saturday, spurred on by the efforts of Paul James, who starred with bat and ball, to help his side overcome their peninsular rivals.

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

The hosts won the toss and set about building a solid innings, or so they thought, but it didn’t begin in the manner they had hoped for as Tiaan Louw struck with the very first ball of the game for Diocesan College.

It wasn’t long before Matthew Brodziak took the first of his three wickets on the day, and at 5/2 Wynberg found themselves on the ropes.

However, their stalwart opener, Kyle Williams, showed immense patience as he withstood the Bishops’ attack to fulfil the anchor role. This allowed Paul James to lift the tempo. He hammered nine boundaries, on his way to 52, before he misjudged a delivery by Louw and was caught by Peyton Leigh for the hosts’ top score.

The rest of the Wynberg lineup batted at a steady pace, and the tail wagged to boost the home side to a respectable 246 all out.

Batting at eight, Jordan Nel contributed a valuable 45, while Yaseen Moos and Michail Tarentaal weighed in with a further 51 runs between them, which would prove vital later in the day as Bishops closed in on Wynberg total.

The visitors’ openers did a fine job up front, exercising patience as they set about establishing the foundation that the opposition never had. Adnaan Lagadien scored 61 off 108 deliveries and Kashief Joseph made 38 from 55.

Calum Daniels played well for his 47, but James bowled him and also removed Luke de Klerk to lead the home team’s bowlers with a return of 2/44.

Their patient start, however, quickly descended into panic as Diocesan College’s overs and wickets began to diminish.

Towards the end, in a frantic pursuit of runs, three players were run out. That proved pivotal. When Ishan Khan captured the final wicket in the penultimate over, Bishops found themselves still 23 runs short of victory.

In the weekend’s other southern suburbs’ showdown, Daniel Cooke drove Rondebosch Boys’ High to a convincing seven-wicket victory over SACS with an unbeaten innings of 61.

Raeeq Daniels shone with the ball for Bosch, picking up a five-for, while Graeme Englebrecht nabbed three sticks cheaply.

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:

Wynberg Boys’ High 246 (Paul James 52, Jordan Nel 45, Kyle Williams 34, Yaseen Moos 30, Michail Tarentaal 21*, Storme van Rooyen 20; Matthew Brodziak 3/56, Peyton Leigh 2/46, Tiaan Louw 2/46); Diocesan College 223 (Adnaan Lagadien 61, Calum Daniels 47, Kashief Joseph 38, Extras 24; Paul James 2/44). Boys’ High won by 23 runs.

SACS 134 (Oliver Whitehead 25, Rowan Taplin 25, Extras 25; Raeeq Daniels 5/34, Graeme Engelbrecht 3/16); Rondebosch Boys’ High 135/3 (Daniel Cooke 61*, Declan Gillespie 32; Oliver Whitehead 2/21). Rondebosch Boys’ High won by seven wickets.

The annual St Stithians College Invitational Water Polo tournament is one of the highlights on the sports calendar. Most of the top water polo teams at school level attend the prestigious tournament in Johannesburg.

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

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.

All the Results 

Day 2

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The annual St Stithians College Invitational Water Polo tournament is one of the highlights on the sports calendar. Most of the top water polo teams at school level attends the prestigious tournament in Johannesburg.

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

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.

All the Results 

Day 2

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Kingswood College looked to their bowlers on Friday to secure victory against Grey High School by the smallest of margins.

With rain expected on Saturday, Grey High travelled a day earlier to face Kingswood in a 35-over match.

After the hosts won the toss and elected to bat first, their captain and stalwart opener, Brad Goss, laid a sturdy foundation with a solid innings of 52 before Zander Nutt palmed a catch from a delivery by Tristan Grundling.

At 105 for 5 after Goss’s dismissal, it looked like the home team was on the back foot, but a tidy partnership at the end of the innings by Alistair Knott and Josh Loon made a big difference. Six quick boundaries by the duo, including a stunning six by Knott, took the home team to a total of 180/7.

Kingswood knew it would take a strong fielding performance to protect their score against the visitors from Gqeberha, and that’s precisely what they delivered, as Matthew Collet spearheaded their bowling the attack with figures of 3/31 in his seven overs.

The hosts were on top, but Michael Molenaar and Joel Maree launched a fightback in the final nine overs, with Molenaar tallying 40 to top score for his side.

Unfortunately for the visitors, though, it came just a little too late, as they reached their allotted overs just four runs short of their target.

The most impressive stat for the Kingswood bowlers is that they conceded only nine extras. Their accuracy ultimately won the game. Grey, by contrast, will be disappointed that they conceded 32 extras, especially when one considers how tight the game became in the final few overs.

They showed great heart at the end of the contest, but Kingswood held on for the victory. Both teams will be grateful for the opportunity to play, as the weather continues to disrupt the end-of-year fixtures in the Eastern Province.

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.

Pearson and Brandwag also moved their match to the Friday afternoon and opted for a T20 challenge.

Nikolai Hector and Cayden Wilson wreaked havoc among the Brandwag batting lineup, combining to take nine wickets for the loss of a mere 18 runs.

It took Jayden Groenewald and Divan Els only two-and-a-half overs to reach the target total as Pearson bagged a 10-wicket victory with a dominant bowling display.

 

Summarised scorecards:

Kingswood College 180/7 (Brad Goss 52, Extras 32, Angus Johns 31, Alistair Knott 26*; Marco Giaconi 2/17, Tristan Grundling 2/17, Ben Ristow 2/36); Grey High School 177/7 (Michael Molenaar 40, Marco Giaconi 38; Jean Upman 31, Joel Maree 20*; Matthew Collet 3/31, Ike Ukekwe 2/27). Kingswood College won by three runs.

Brandwag 32 (Heyneke Claase 12; Nikolai Hector 5/15, Cayden Wilson 4/3); Pearson 34/0 (Jayden Groenewald 20*). Pearson won by 10 wickets.

Graeme College 169/4 (Aphiwe Mnyanda 75*, Ethan Beyleveld 38*, Ono Ntinga 20; James Renton 2/31); Stanley Cricket Club 117/9 (Lorimer Pittaway 32; Marcus Williams 2/11, AJ Jeggels 2/14, Kevin Geldenhuys 2/18, Murray Tyson 2/34). Graeme College won by 52.

 

The annual St Stithians College Invitational Water Polo tournament is one of the highlights on the sports calendar. Most of the top water polo teams at school level attends the prestigious tournament in Johannesburg.

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

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.

All the Results 

Day 1 

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The annual St Stithians College Invitational Water Polo tournament is one of the highlights on the sports calendar. Most of the top water polo teams at school level attends the prestigious tournament in Johannesburg.

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

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.

All the Results 

Day 1 

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There is no test match like one between the Springboks and the All Blacks and when the two side’s meet each other in a World Cup final even more so.

Both countries success on the rugby field could be traced back to the strong rugby culture within their school systems.

Three schools has three representatives each in Saturday’s World Cup final in the Stade de France in Paris. They are Paul Roos Gimnasium of Stellenbosch, Francis Douglas Memorial of Westown and St Kentigern College in Auckland.

Paul Roos Gimnasium also has produced the most Springboks since South Africa’s first test played back in 1891. The three representatives from the Maroon Machine are Damian Willemse, Steven Kitshoff and Willie le Roux.

Francis Douglas Memorial in New Plymouth is the alma mater to the three Barrett-brothers – Beauden, Jordie and Scott who all will be starting for the All Blacks in the final.

St Kentigerns College is a private school in Auckland who will be represented by Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie and Tamaiti Williams in the final.

In total 37 schools will be represented in the final – with the Springbok team consisting of players from 22 schools, while the All Blacks comes from 15 schools.

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.

The teams for the Rugby World Cup Final and their schools: 

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The stage is set for one of the most highly anticipated rugby clashes in history. The 2023 Rugby World Cup final, taking place this Saturday, features the reigning champions, the Springboks, facing off against their arch-rivals, the All Blacks.

The Springbok squad set to face the mighty All Blacks in the title-decider is the most experienced in the team’s history, boasting a combined total of 987 caps among the matchday 23.

One of the standout features of the final is the selection of Handré Pollard and scrum-half Faf De Klerk, who will become the most capped Springbok halfback pairing in history when they take to the park at Stade de France. It will be their 25th time together, bettering the mark they previously shared with Joost van der Westhuizen and Henry Honiball.

With Pollard returning from injury to take centre stage in the final, we are reminded of his introduction to the Green and Gold, back in 2012.

Even though no nation other than South Africa or New Zealand has lifted the Web Ellis since 2003, the Springboks and the All Blacks have not met in a World Cup final since the famous battle at Ellispark in 1995.

The junior teams have, however, battled for the U20 title, 11 years ago.

An 18-year-old Pollard, still in matric at Paarl Gimnasium, received a call up that year to the Junior Springbok squad for the u20 World Championships, which South Africa hosted, also to replace an injured player. In that instance it was flyhalf Johan Goosen. That was like-for-like, not quite the flyhalf for a hooker exchange that took place earlier during the 2023 Rugby World Cup when he replaced Malcolm Marx.

The Junior Boks faced a challenging pool-stage match against Ireland and went down 19-23 at a wet Doctor Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch to a team that included future stars like Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, and Jack Conan. They were all part of the Irish team that recently beat South Africa in a Pool B clash at the World Cup.

Still, South Africa managed to qualify for the u20 semi-finals by beating England 28-15. That Roses squad included Kyle Sinckler, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Billy Vunipola and Hendry Slade, who ran out for England in France.

In the 2012 semi-finals, Pollard’s exceptional skills were on full display as the Junior Boks beat Argentina 35-3. He contributed 12 points from the kicking tee as South Africa’s win secured the team a highly anticipated showdown against the unbeaten All Blacks’ u20s for the title of world champions.

Now, Pollard finds himself in a situation eerily reminiscent of 2012. That year, a young Pollard was phenomenal in the Junior World Championship final, scoring 15 points, including a memorable drop goal, as South Africa brought New Zealand’s four-year reign to an end with a historic 22-16 victory.

In 2019, Pollard achieved the pinnacle of rugby success, lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy with his Springbok teammates in Japan. There, together with Steven Kitshoff and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who were also in the South African team in 2012, he became one of just 15 players to have won both the junior and senior World Cups, which solidified his status as a rugby legend in the making.

If South Africa lifts the Web Ellis Trophy again this Saturday, Marvin Orie‘s name will be added to that prestigious list. He was also part of the 2012 vintage and has performed well in the Springbok pack, alongside his Tygerberg teammate Eben Etzebeth, who is a year older and runs onto the field for a 119th time on Saturday.

Etzebeth is the most capped Springbok in the squad for the final and only the seventh Springbok to reach 100 tests, after Percy Montgomery, Jean de Villiers, John Smit, Tendai Mtawarira, Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield.

He, along with the experienced Springbok squad, will aim to etch their names into history once again, and help South Africa to become only the second country to go back-to-back as Rugby World Cup winners.

The All Blacks, who won the World Cup in 1987, 2011 and 2015, boast an impressive lineup with 1 387 combined caps, which includes Sam Whitelock (152), Aaron Smith (124), Beauden Barrett (122), and Brodie Retallick (108), who have all passed the century-mark for their country.

Whitelock and Smith played together for their entire school careers at Feilding High School, between 2002 and 2006, and the Barrett brothers have been playing together their entire lives.

If New Zealand wins on Saturday, Whitelock would become the only player ever to lift the Webb Ellis trophy for a third time.

Deon Fourie adds only 12 caps to South Africa’s collective total, having made his international debut last year against Wales, when he became the oldest player ever to earn his first cap for the Springboks, just three months shy of his 36th birthday. He may be the player with the second-fewest caps in the matchday squad, but he is a vastly experienced campaigner, having made his Super Rugby debut way back in 2008.

Jean Kleyn is the player with the fewest caps in the Springbok squad, having run out in the green and gold six times since making the move back from Ireland, for whom he played five tests after moving to Munster in 2016. Klein was born and bred in Johannesburg and matriculated at Hoërskool Linden in 2011.

Bongi Mbonambi joins Adriaan Strauss at number four on the list of hookers with the most starts for SA with his 35th start, which moves him past Malcolm Marx. John Smit, South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winning captain in France in 2007, leads the way with 81 starts for the Springboks.

Apart from the current four Springboks who played together in the SA u20 team in 2012, there’s a large group of players who were teammates in the SA Schools group that year.

Pollard was selected for that team, as well, alongside Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, and Jesse Kriel. That was the year Marx kickstarted his illustrious career at hooker, having previously played as a flanker. That trio would have played against the likes of André Esterhuizen and Jasper Wiese at the Craven Week that year.

In 2009, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth, and Bongi Mbonambe were all part of the Craven Week, laying the foundation for their futures in professional rugby and marking the start of their journeys competing against or alongside one other.

As the last dance in France draws ever closer, the spotlight shines brightly on the Springboks, who will need to draw on all their experience in the race against the Kiwis to become the first nation to win the World Cup for a fourth time.

In late September, Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane launched the Khanya Lesedi Sports School of Specialisation. While the educational institution, located in Ratanda, Heidelberg, has been in existence since 1989, the occasion marked its official designation as a school of sport, based on its rich history of excellence.

Since its establishment, Khanya Lesedi has produced outstanding results in academics, sports, artistic endeavours and social development.

On the sporting front, it has primarily excelled in soccer, netball, and athletics.

Addressing the crowd at the official launch, Chiloane said: “This specialised curriculum extends beyond physical activities, incorporating scientific innovation in physical health.

“Subjects like sports science and exercise, geography, physical science, and life science play vital roles in shaping various aspects of sports training, from pitch conditions to dietary requirements tailored to different sporting codes.

“ICT, coding and robotics are taught at the school through our multi-certification skills programme.”

Thabiso Mokoena, who has been on the books of the Supersport United Academy, Limpopo side Black Leopards, and now Tuks in the Motsepe Foundation League, attended Khanya Lesedi.

Sabelo Nkomo also attended the school. He is currently on the books of the newly promoted and current log leaders Orbit College in the Motsepe Foundation League, having previously represented the now defunct Free State Stars and Royal Eagles.

Bentle Lekone and Thabang Dube, who are current learners at Khanya Lesedi, represented South Africa at the 7^th Tricolour Games in Reggio, Italy, in July. The event was established in 1997 to celebrate the bicentenary of Italy’s national flag. This year, competition took place in 37 different sports.

Khanya Lesedi, which is home to about 1 000 learners, has one soccer field, an athletic track and three multisport courts, on which tennis, netball, basketball and volleyball are played.