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Competitors in the Clifton Water Polo Tournament will face a wet welcome on Wednesday in Durban, both in the water and out of it, with a cold front sweeping the region and a 99 percent chance of rain forecast.

While it’s going to be a touch on the cold front, the action at the Clifton Aquatic Centre will, no doubt, be hot.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The early matches bring together the KwaZulu-Natal sides, with Clifton kicking things off against Maritzburg College at 11:00, followed by Kearsney against Northwood, Durban High School (DHS) against Westville, and Hilton College against Michaelhouse.

Local fans will then have a chance to check out the out-of-province challengers for the title. Paul Roos will be first up against Grey College, followed by Reddam House Constantia against Selborne College, St John’s College against Affies, and the two-time defending champion, SACS, against King Edward VII (KES).

The competition appears to be wide open, with SACS having experienced mixed fortunes in the first term. However, any team underestimating the Cape Town school would be making a serious error.

Another Mother City squad, Reddam House Constantia, is a serious dark horse. Their dominant victory over SACS in the SACS Nite Series at the beginning of the year sent shock waves through Western Province schools’ water polo.

Paul Roos, like SACS, didn’t enjoy a strong showing in the SACS Nite Series. Much like SACS, they started 2025 without some long-established stars. Both sides, though, will have grown since then. With their pedigree in the game, they’ll be out to make some waves

The other team from the Cape, East London’s Selborne College, will be keen to upset the apple cart. A veteran team, with SA Schools’ stars Liam Hansen and Thomas Caswell in their lineup, they have the quality to challenge for the title.

Grey College, as the only school in the Free State that plays the game, face an uphill battle. One can never dismiss the fighting quality of the Bloemfontein boys, but they’re more likely to pull off an upset or two than to go the whole way.

St John’s College, the 2022 champion and last year’s beaten finalist, said goodbye to some stars at the end of 2024, among them SA Schools’ players Ross Rovelli and Greg Pryce. They’re irreplaceable but few schools have as rich a water polo history as the Johannesburg school, so they’ll be in the fight for the title.

Their neighbours, KES, finished above St John’s at the KES Water Polo Tournament in March, and were, in fact, also in front of Paul Roos, Clifton, Westville, and Northwood. That suggests they’ll fancy their chances, and it would be a mistake to sleep on them.

Affies, the ITEC Grey College Water Polo Tournament champion, is another side that is always up for it and a team that could pull off a shock or two. The margins are slim, and if a break or two goes their way, Affies could be a title challenger.

It’s been a while since a KwaZulu-Natal team won the Clifton Water Polo Tournament title, but the local teams are primed and determined to end that unfortunate run this year.

Hilton College is loaded with quality, including Tristan Uys, who was named the Best Attacker at the 2024 Schools Water Polo South Africa Interprovincial Tournament at the end of last year. They’re experienced and battle-hardened.

Kearsney College, the winners of the St Stithians Invitational last year, is another battle-hardened bunch. They’re a team that has shown an admirable ability to pull off victories in the toughest of circumstances.

The hosts, Clifton College, should be in the mix, too, especially since coach Pierre le Roux has had the players under his guidance through a full pre-season for the first time since arriving in Durban in January. The biggest question facing them will be that of leadership, with no matric players in the lineup.

Westville Boys’ High, after a strong showing in the winter league, is another team that cannot be slept on, while Durban High School, led by SA Schools’ defender, Kirk Wilson, is a side that is on the up.

That description fits Michaelhouse, too, and, with KZN Schools’ goalkeeper Elliot Springate in goal, they’re a tough team to break down.

Maritzburg College, once one of the powerhouses of the game in KZN, has been on a programme rebuild over the past couple of seasons, and those efforts are starting to bear fruit, but they’ll be considered an outsider when it comes to a title challenge.

Northwood has been on a similar path, although they appear to be further down it than College. They feature the silky-skilled SA Schools’ forward Matthew Lortan, and could spring a surprise.

The fixture list is jam-packed, but there is one big gap in it. The action takes a pause on Saturday to allow rugby fans to view The Rugby Championship clash between the Springboks and the Pumas, which will be broadcast on five big screen TVs at the Clifton Aquatic Centre.

The venue will also be filled with vendors offering plentiful food options, so it will truly be the place to be for fans of the game regarded as rugby in the pool.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 24 September

Game 1 – 11:00 – Pool A – Clifton vs Maritzburg College
Game 2 – 11:50 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Northwood
Game 3 – 12:40 – Pool C – DHS vs Westville
Game 4 – 13:30 – Pool D – Hilton vs Michaelhouse
Game 5 – 14:20 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Grey College
Game 6 – 15:10 – Pool A – Selborne vs Reddam Constantia
Game 7 – 16:00 – Pool C – St John’s vs Affies
Game 8 – 16:50 – Pool D – SACS vs KES

18:00 – Opening Ceremony

Thursday, 26 September

Game 9 – 07:00 – Pool D – Hilton vs KES
Game 10 – 07:50 – Pool C – St John’s vs DHS
Game 11 – 08:40 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Grey College
Game 12 – 09:30 – Pool A – Clifton vs Reddam Constantia
Game 13 – 10:20 – Pool D – Michaelhouse vs SACS
Game 14 – 11:10 – Pool C – Westville vs Affies
Game 15 – 12:00 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Northwood
Game 16 – 12:50 – Pool A – Selborne vs Maritzburg College
Game 17 – 13:40 – Pool D – Hilton vs SACS
Game 18 – 14:30 – Pool C – St John’s vs Westville
Game 19 – 15:20 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Paul Roos
Game 20 – 16:10 – Pool A – Clifton vs Selborne
Game 21 – 17:00 – Pool D – KES vs Michaelhouse
Game 22 – 17:50 – Pool C – Affies vs DHS
Game 23 – 18:40 – Pool B – Grey College vs Northwood
Game 24 – 19:30 – Pool A – Reddam Constantia vs Maritzburg College

Friday, 26 September

Game 25 – 08:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool C
Game 26 – 09:00 – 2nd Pool B vs 3rd Pool D
Game 27 – 10:00 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool C
Game 28 – 11:00 – 3rd Pool B vs 2nd Pool D

Game 29 – 13:00 – Loser 25 vs 4th Pool D
Game 30 – 14:00 – Loser 26 – 4th Pool A
Game 31 – 15:00 – Loser 27 – 4th Pool B
Game 32 – 16:00 – Loser 28 – 4th Pool C

18:00 – Parents Social Evening

Saturday, 27 September

Game 33 – 07:00 – QF1 – 1st Pool D vs Winner 27
Game 34 – 08:00 – QF2 – 1st Pool C vs Winner 28
Game 35 – 09:00 – QF3 – 1st Pool B vs Winner 25
Game 36 – 10:00 – QF4 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 26
Game 37 – 11:00 – Winner 29 vs Winner 30
Game 38 – 12:00 – Winner 31 vs Winner 32
Game 39 – 13:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 30
Game 40 – 14:00 – Loser 31 vs Loser 32
Game 41 – 15:00 – Plate SF 1 – Loser 33 vs Loser 35
Game 42 – 16:00 – Plate SF 2 – Loser 34 vs Loser 36

South Africa vs Argentina – Viewing on five big screen TVs

Game 43 – 19:30 – SF 1 – Winner 33 vs Winner 35
Game 44 – 20:30 – SF 2 – Winner 34 vs Winner 36

Sunday, 28 September

Game 45 – 07:00 – 15/16 – Loser 40 vs Loser 39
Game 46 – 07:50 – 13/14 – Winner 40 vs Winner 39
Game 47 – 08:40 – 11/12 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38
Game 48 – 09:30 – 9/10 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38
Game 49 – 10:20 – 7/8 – Loser 41 vs Loser 42
Game 50 – 11:10 – 5/6 – Winner 41 vs Winner 42
Game 51 – 12:00 – 3/4 – Loser 44 vs Loser 43
Game 52 – 13:00 – 1/2 – Winner 44 vs Winner 43

14:00 – Prize Giving

A simple and structured brand of water polo is what South African College High School (SACS) will be out to deliver when they begin their title defence of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament in Durban on Wednesday.

The prestigious event, one of South Africa’s premier boys’ tournaments, runs from 24 to 28 September at the Clifton Aquatic Centre.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In a thrilling and nail-biting final in 2024, SACS defeated St John’s College 8-7 to repeat as champions.

The Newlands-based outfit is seeded in Pool D and will face Hilton College, Michaelhouse, and King Edward VII.

SuperSport Schools Plus caught up with SACS head coach Devon Card ahead of the tournament to discuss their preparations, expectations, and the makeup of the team.

“Preparations are always challenging during the winter, especially as many of our players are still focused on their winter sports until the end of August,” he said.

“Despite that, we’ve managed to get some solid hours under our belt, particularly with our school getting the heaters on so early in the term.”

Coach Card’s side last played tournament polo at the KES Water Polo Tournament, in Johannesburg, in March.

There, they finished in sixth place after a disappointing SACS Nite Series campaign, which saw them finish fifth.

Despite those hiccups, SACS has plenty of talented players who have been focusing on key areas ahead of the tournament.

“We’ve always been a process-driven team, and that mindset is deeply entrenched in our group,” Card said.

“We firmly believe that defence wins tournaments, so we’ve been stress-testing our structures against the SACS Old Boys team, which features some of the best attacking talent in the country.

“Another key focus has been building confidence within the squad to step outside the framework when needed – to back themselves, trust their instincts, and play what’s in front of them.”

Card said his players are relishing the opportunity of playing under pressure as the two-time defending champs.

They are also wary of the challenges that will be posed by their opponents in Pool D.

“It would be naïve not to acknowledge the quality of the opposition,” he said.

“Hilton have proven in previous tournaments that they’re among the best in the country, and both KES and Michaelhouse are definitely teams we’ll need to take seriously.

“That said, our focus remains on ticking the first box in front of us and on controlling the things within our control.”

When asked about what spectators and the SACS faithful can expect from his side, the coach said: “As always, we’ll be bringing our SACS brand of polo to the tournament. Spectators can expect to see us playing as a team, not relying on individuals, and delivering simple, structured water polo.”

The Cape outfit will kick off their campaign on day one against KES at 16:50.

SACS TEAM

Leo Jackson, Harry Oldham, Luca Orgill, Matt Robinson, Nick Wilson, Finn Lecuona, Aidan Turrell, Ben Bigara, Matt Forbes, Michael Skeeles, Connor Mortlock, Jandro Rojo-Roos, Seth Hopkins, Jake Dave.

SACS Pool fixtures

Wednesday, 24 September

16:50 – SACS vs KES

Thursday, 25 September

10:20 – SACS vs Michaelhouse
13:40 – SACS vs Hilton College

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 24 September

Game 1 – 11:00 – Pool A – Clifton vs Maritzburg College
Game 2 – 11:50 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Northwood
Game 3 – 12:40 – Pool C – DHS vs Westville
Game 4 – 13:30 – Pool D – Hilton vs Michaelhouse
Game 5 – 14:20 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Grey College
Game 6 – 15:10 – Pool A – Selborne vs Reddam Constantia
Game 7 – 16:00 – Pool C – St John’s vs Affies
Game 8 – 16:50 – Pool D – SACS vs KES

18:00 – Opening Ceremony

Thursday, 26 September

Game 9 – 07:00 – Pool D – Hilton vs KES
Game 10 – 07:50 – Pool C – St John’s vs DHS
Game 11 – 08:40 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Grey College
Game 12 – 09:30 – Pool A – Clifton vs Reddam Constantia
Game 13 – 10:20 – Pool D – Michaelhouse vs SACS
Game 14 – 11:10 – Pool C – Westville vs Affies
Game 15 – 12:00 – Pool B – Paul Roos vs Northwood
Game 16 – 12:50 – Pool A – Selborne vs Maritzburg College
Game 17 – 13:40 – Pool D – Hilton vs SACS
Game 18 – 14:30 – Pool C – St John’s vs Westville
Game 19 – 15:20 – Pool B – Kearsney vs Paul Roos
Game 20 – 16:10 – Pool A – Clifton vs Selborne
Game 21 – 17:00 – Pool D – KES vs Michaelhouse
Game 22 – 17:50 – Pool C – Affies vs DHS
Game 23 – 18:40 – Pool B – Grey College vs Northwood
Game 24 – 19:30 – Pool A – Reddam Constantia vs Maritzburg College

Friday, 26 September

Game 25 – 08:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool C
Game 26 – 09:00 – 2nd Pool B vs 3rd Pool D
Game 27 – 10:00 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool C
Game 28 – 11:00 – 3rd Pool B vs 2nd Pool D

Game 29 – 13:00 – Loser 25 vs Pool D
Game 30 – 14:00 – Loser 26 – 4th Pool A
Game 31 – 15:00 – Loser 27 – 4th Pool B
Game 32 – 16:00 – Loser 28 – 4th Pool C

18:00 – Parents Social Evening

Game 33 – 07:00 – QF1 – 1st Pool D vs Winner 27
Game 34 – 08:00 – QF2 – 1st Pool C vs Winner 28
Game 35 – 09:00 – QF3 – 1st Pool B vs Winner 25
Game 36 – 10:00 – QF4 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 26
Game 37 – 11:00 – Winner 29 vs Winner 30
Game 38 – 12:00 – Winner 31 vs Winner 32
Game 39 – 13:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 30
Game 40 – 14:00 – Loser 31 vs Loser 32
Game 41 – 15:00 – Plate SF 1 – Loser 33 vs Loser 35
Game 42 – 16:00 – Plate SF 2 – Loser 34 vs Loser 36

South Africa vs Argentina – Viewing on five big screen TVs

Game 43 – 19:30 – SF 1 – Winner 33 vs Winner 35
Game 44 – 20:30 – SF 2 – Winner 34 vs Winner 36

Sunday, 28 September

Game 45 – 07:00 – 15/16 – Loser 40 vs Loser 39
Game 46 – 07:50 – 13/14 – Winner 40 vs Winner 39
Game 47 – 08:40 – 11/12 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38
Game 48 – 09:30 – 9/10 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38
Game 49 – 10:20 – 7/8 – Loser 41 vs Loser 42
Game 50 – 11:10 – 5/6 – Winner 41 vs Winner 42
Game 51 – 12:00 – 3/4 – Loser 44 vs Loser 43
Game 52 – 13:00 – 1/2 – Winner 44 vs Winner 43

14:00 – Prize Giving

The St Peter’s College Football Festival, played over three days as part of the 20th annual St Peter’s College Sport and Cultural Festival, concluded on Sunday with St John’s College being crowned the boys’ champion and Clapham High winning the girls’ title.

Boys’ Competition 

Cup

In the lead-up to the event, St John’s College had been in good form, and they continued to play winning football, which powered them through to the final against Parktown Boys’ High.

Both defences stood strong in the title game, with neither breaking, leaving the sides level at 0-0 at the end of regulation time. That sent the game to the penalty spot to determine the winner, with St John’s coming away with a 4-2 victory.

That result mirrored their semi-final showdown against St Benedict’s College. Bennies pushed St John’s hard, and a penalty shootout decided the game, which also ended 0-0 and then 4-2 from the spot.

St John’s didn’t go through the tournament unscathed, however. They suffered a shock 0-1 loss to Stanford Lake in a group stage match, which left them in second place in their group.

They showed their mettle, though, in the quarterfinals, when they took on Norkem Park High, the runners-up of the Curro Halala Cup, with St John’s toughing it out for a 1-0 victory to advance to the semifinals.

Parktown Boys’ High’s opponents in the semifinals were Clapham High, who had been relentless and appeared almost unstoppable in the earlier stages of the competition. However, Parktown found a way to halt the train and came away with a 2-1 win.

The bronze medal clash between St Benedict’s and Clapham ended 0-0, but Bennies took the penalty shootout 4-3 to finish third.

Plate

The hosts, St Peter’s College, were eliminated from the main Cup competition, which left them in the Plate competition. They gave the home supporters plenty to cheer by winning through to the final against The King’s College.

With the title on the line, there was nothing to separate the sides after regulation time. Then, after the contest finished deadlocked at 0-0, it was on to a penalty shootout. It went to sudden death, but St Peter’s held their nerve to win it 8-7.

In the Plate’s bronze playoff, Waterford Kamhlaba, from Eswatini, who are familiar figures in South African school sports’ competitions, took on Woodlands International College. In a high-scoring game, it was Waterford who triumphed 4-3.

Bowl 

There were also seven goals in the final of the Bowl, played between Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Boksburg and Penryn College, with CBC sneaking a 4-3 win.

Stanford Lake won the Bowl bronze playoff, beating Polokwane’s Mitchell House 2-0.

CBC Boksburg had edged out Stanford Lake 1-0 in the semifinals, while Penryn College won 3-1 against Mitchell House.

Shield 

In the Shield competition, Polokwane Preparatory School and College (PEPPS) recorded a 1-0 victory over St Alban’s College in the final.

St Alban’s excelled in their semi-final showdown against Sisekelo High, ramming home eight goals to charge into the final. PEPPS, meanwhile, held off Dainfern College, scoring a 1-0 win to advance to the title decider.

Girls’ Competition

Cup  

In the girls’ competition, the championship was claimed by Clapham High, who had been on a prolific run, scoring goals with ease from their first match to their last.

The Pretoria school is in prime position to claim another title in the forthcoming Gauteng Schools Champions League finals, which have been rescheduled to Tuesday, 23 September, at the Vaal University of Technology.

On Sunday, they seized the girls’ St Peter’s College Football Festival title in no uncertain terms, overrunning St Anne’s Diocesan College 8-1 in the final.

Clapham faced little resistance from the champions of the Riverwood aQuellé Soccer Festival and the Midlands Cup. After exhibiting such dominant form, they’ll be odds-on to be crowned the Gauteng Champions League winner.

Norkem High won the bronze medal after a 3-1 win over Uplands College.

Earlier on Sunday, St Anne’s Diocesan College saw off Uplands College 4-0 in the semi-finals, while Clapham High cruised to a 7-0 win over Norkem Park High.

Plate

In the Plate final, Krugersdorp High defeated Waterford Kamhlaba 2-1.

Krugersdorp High overcame Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge 2-1 in their semifinal, while Waterford Kamhlaba defeated Roedean School 2-0 to move on to the final.

Bowl

Saheti School claimed the Bowl following a 4-3 victory over St Peter’s College.

Third place went to Jeppe High School for Girls, who edged out Edenvale High 2-1 in the battle for bronze.

Shield 

Kingsmead College, the eventual Shield winners, began their journey to the title with a 3-1 win over HeronBridge College in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

PEPPS beat Sisekelo High 1-0, while Dominican Convent, from Harare, scored a 2-0 victory over Southdowns College. Woodlands International College had a bye.

In the semifinals, Kingsmead College beat Southdowns College 2-1, and PEPPS rolled to a 3-0 victory over Woodlands International College.

That left Kingsmead College and PEPPS to meet for the title, and Kingsmead lifted the Shield after a narrow 1-0 victory.

RESULTS

BOYS’ COMPETITION

Sunday, 21 September 

Shield Quarterfinals 

Dainfern College 2-0 Southdowns College
Enjabulweni High 4-0 St Alban’s College
Sisekelo High 2-0 Bye
PEPPS 4-3 Pinnacle College Rynfield

Shield Semifinals 

PEPPS 1-0 Dainfern College
St Alban’s College 8-0 Sisekelo High School

Shield Final

PEPPS 1-0 St Alban’s College

Bowl Semifinals

CBC Boksburg 1-0 Stanford Lake
Penryn College 3-1 Mitchell House

Bowl 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff

Stanford Lake 2-0 Mitchell House

Bowl Final 

CBC Boksburg 4-3 Penryn College

Plate Semifinals 

St Peter’s College 1-0 Waterford Kamhlaba
The King’s College 2-1 Woodlands International College

Plate 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff

Waterford Kamhlaba 4-3 Woodlands International College

Plate Final 

St Peter’s College (8) 0-0 (7) The King’s College

Cup Semifinals 

Parktown Boys; High 2-1 Clapham High
St John’s College (4) 0-0 (2) St Benedict’s College

Cup 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff

St Benedict’s College (4) 0-0 (3) Clapham High

Cup Final 

St John’s College (4) 0-0 (2) Parktown Boys High

GIRLS’ COMPETITION

Shield Quarterfinals 

Kingsmead 3-1 HeronBridge College
PEPPS 1-0 Sisekelo High
Dominican Convent – Harare 2-0 Southdowns College
Woodlands International College 2-0 Bye

Shield Semifinals 

Kingsmead 2-1 Southdowns College
PEPPS 3-0 Woodlands International College

Shield Final 

Kingsmead 1-0 PEPPS

Bowl Semifinals 

St Peter’s College 3-1 Edenvale High
Saheti 4-3 Jeppe

Bowl 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff 

Jeppe 2-1 Edenvale High

Bowl Final 

Saheti 4-3 St Peter’s College

Plate Semifinals 

Krugersdorp High 2-1 Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge
Waterford Kamhlaba 2-0 Roedean School

Plate Final 

Krugersdorp High 2-1 Waterford Kamhlaba

Cup Semifinals 

St Anne’s Diocesan College 4-0 Uplands College
Clapham High 7-0 Norkem Park High

Cup 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff

Norkem Park High 3-1 Uplands College

Cup Final 

Clapham High 8-1 St Anne’s Diocesan College

A patient half-century by top-order batsman, Dian Boucher, and an incisive bowling attack enabled Hoërskool Nelspruit to upset the unbeaten Hoërskool Middelburg on Saturday in Nelspruit.

Read and relive all the Mpumalanga Schools Premier League right here on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Boucher stood firm against the aggressive bowling from the Middies, selecting his shots meticulously. His patience over 102 deliveries was rewarded with a well-played 51 runs, which included five fours.

Boucher was eventually dismissed by Gavin Genis, who picked up another two wickets (2/67) in this year’s league. The Nellies’ sole Khaya Majola Week representative, Janco Breyl, was among the runs too with 31, while Vaughn van Zyl, upon his return to the side, managed 24.

This helped the Nellies to a fairly modest 199 before the last wicket fell in the 45th over, but still something to bowl at. JP Nel was the Middies’ standout with the ball, boasting figures of 4/33, while fast bowler Hendré Nel also shared in the spoils with 2/25.

The Nellies bowlers obliged indeed. Gerdu van Eeden led the way with a noteworthy outing of 3/20, picking up the big scalps of Herman Potgieter (14) and the Middies’ top scorer, Zubair Desai, albeit after he had made his way to a positive looking 52 runs. At one stage, Desai and Genis (48) appeared as if they would reach the target quite comfortably, but Desai’s dismissal swung the momentum completely.

Safwaan Muller (2/32) and Samual Day (2/42) helped Van Eeden wrap up the Middies innings, restricting them to only 181 and thereby claiming an 18-run victory.

In Secunda, Hoërskool Hoogenhout‘s Viljoen duo produced a batting blitzkrieg to help secure a comfortable 76-run victory over Hoërskool Secunda. Johan Viljoen top-scored with a blistering 64 runs, coming from only 58 balls. Pieter Viljoen, also Hoogenhout’s captain, thereafter set the stage alight with a 16-ball 40, smashing three fours and four sixes. Wyatt Johnson also got in on the act with an unbeaten 54 runs, a crucial contribution to the target of 250 set by Hoogies.

Nathan Erasmus made his way to a half-century for Secunda, but he didn’t enjoy the same level of support as Viljoen. Umar Badat was the only other Secunda batsman to cross the 30-mark, losing his wicket to Johnson for 33.

From thereon, Johnson went on to hurt the home side even more. Following his 10 overs, he boasted a match-winning return of 5/43, to add to his 54* from earlier. Logan Schutte provided support with 3/29 as the last Secunda wicket fell with the score on only 174.

Summarised scorecards

Hoërskool Nelspruit 199 (Dian Boucher 51, Extras 36, Janco Breyl 31, Vaughn van Zyl 24, Waldemar Graham 21; JP Nel 4/44, Hendré Nel 2/25, Gavin Genis 2/67); Hoërskool Middelburg 181 (Zubair Desai 52, Gavin Genis 48, Extras 25; Gerdu van Eeden 3/20, Safwaan Muller 2/32, Samual Day 2/42). Hoërskool Nelspruit won by 18 runs. 

Hoërskool Hoogenhout 250 (Johan Viljoen 64, Wyatt Johnson 54*, Pieter Viljoen 40, Extras 32; Nathan Erasmus 3/47, Jayden Scholtz 2/50); Hoërskool Secunda 174 (Nathan Erasmus 51, Umar Badat 33, Andries Coetzer 23, Extras 23; Wyatt Johnson 5/43, Logan Schutte 3/29). Hoërskool Hoogenhout won by 76 runs. 

Despite persistent rain over the weekend, Limpopo was the arena on Saturday for two humdingers as both Hoërskool Ben Vorster and Merensky Landbou Akademie bagged victories in a round that could put the cat amongst the pigeons in the Limpopo Super League.

Read and relive all the Limpopo Super League action right here on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Ben Vorster’s Black Caps achieved a 69-run victory over Hoërskool Pietersburg, which put a big dent in the Pieties’ title defence. It means that the side from Polokwane will have to win their four remaining matches, preferably with a bonus point each, to get back in the race.

The Black Caps’ redemption after a telling defeat against Merensky the previous week sees them move to third place on the log, tied with Merensky. Both sides sit on 20 league points, four behind frontrunners, Hoërskool Piet Potgieter.

Due to the rain, both the matches at Ben Vorster and Merensky had to be restricted to 30-over encounters.

The Black Caps had the opportunity to bat first. Knowing it won’t be easy, opening batsman Ruben Pohl had to work to get his side off to a decent start. Pohl waited patiently for anything loose, hitting five fours and two sixes in his contribution of 37 runs.

Rivoningo Chauke (29) and Kuhlani Mnisi (20) also found it quite tough to score, but managed to grind out valuable contributions. The Black Caps did not bat their full 30 overs, with the last wicket going down in the 27th over.

Willem Viljoen did most of the damage with his 3/36 in five overs. He was supported by Hardus Schoeman (2/27) and captain Dian Gouws (2/14) in their 6.4 overs.

The Black Caps captain, Njabulo Maseko, might have failed with the bat, but did his part with the ball as his spell ultimately swung the game in favour of the side from Tzaneen. In just two overs, he caused a collapse, picking up four wickets for a mere eight runs. Chauke followed up his useful effort with the bat, contributing three wickets (3/32) in the four overs he bowled, thereby assisting in restricting the Pieties to only 86 to secure the victory.

Merensky, also batting first, could only manage a total of 61 in testing conditions against Mohodi Hub‘s strong bowling lineup. Randy Mosefowa had the Plasies sweating as he demolished their top order with unbelievable figures of 6/13, with Dumisani Manyama not far behind, picking up 3/8 as the Plasies lost nine wickets for a mere 21 runs. This trend, however, would continue into the Mohodi innings. They could eventually only manage a total of 39 runs.

Ian Meyer emerged as an unlikely hero, bowling accurately and fast to claim his maiden first XI five-wicket haul in a match-winning spell of 5/9. Rinaldo Bornman supported Meyer by spinning a web around the Modi batters, picking up 3/14 as Merensky won a very low-scoring affair by 22 runs.

Hoërskool Piet Potgieter kept their unbeaten run alive by thumping Nkowankowa Hub with nine wickets. A combined bowling effort, led by Ruben Oosthuizen (3/4), had Nkowankowa stumbling to 77 all out. The total was chased down with ease thanks to the efforts of Ridhwan Patel (32) and Zaid Vohra (31*).

Phalaborwa Hub beat Hoërskool Louis Trichardt by 34 runs to usurp the fourth spot on the league table, surpassing Hoërskool Pietersburg. Benjie Mathebula scored the bulk of his side’s 145 with his knock of 79. Rito Rikotso scored an additional 33, meaning that the pair contributed 112, or 77%, of Phalaborwa’s runs. Nduvho Muumba was exceptional for the Triegies, picking up 5/13, including the important wicket of Rikotso.

Xadrian Snyman (37) tried hard to get his side over the line, but the strong bowling attack from Phalaborwa proved to be just too much. Marcus Ngobeni led the charge with his 3/4, playing a massive role in restricting the Triegies to only 111 runs.

Summarised scorecards

Ben Vorster 155 (Ruben Pohl 37, Rivoningo Chauke 29, Kuhlani Mnisi 20; Willem Viljoen 3/36, Dian Gouws 2/14, Hardus Schoeman 2/27); Hoërskool Pietersburg 86 (Celliers van der Merwe 31; Njabulo Maseko 4/8, Rivoningo Chauke 3/32, Dumisani Manyama 2/1). Ben Vorster won by 69 runs. 

Merensky Landbou Akademie 61 (Luka Heinlein 19; Randy Mosefowa 6/13, Mahlodi Sekuba 3/8); Mohodi Hub 39 (Ian Meyer 5/9, Rinaldo Bornman 3/14). Merensky Landbou Akademy won by 22 runs.

Nkowankowa Hub 77 (Ntsako Makaringe 23, Extras 22; Ruben Oosthuizen 3/4, Frederik Botes 3/5, Joshua Claasen 2/14); Hoërskool Piet Potgieter 81/1 (Ridhwan Patel 32, Zaid Vhora 31*; Alen Shiviri 1/21). Hoërskool Piet Potgieter won by nine wickets. 

Phalaborwa Hub 145 (Benjie Mathebula 79, Rito Rikotso 33; Nduvho Muumba 5/13, Francois Nel 3/46); Hoërskool Louis Trichardt 111 (Xadrian Snyman 37; Marcus Ngobeni 3/4, Ripfumelo Nabunda 2/12, Hlulani Ngomane 2/14). Phalaborwa Hub won by 34 runs.

The Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Cowie Cup is down to its last match, the final, with the field having been whittled down to two after the competition began with 32 teams.

It’s been an entertaining ride to the title game, with unpredictable results providing twists and turns, leading to the exit of many highly regarded teams.

One of the favourites, Westville Boys’ High, was eliminated in the early rounds, while Hillcrest High, the runner-up to Westville in the Mancosa KZNHSFA Coastal A- League, and Glenwood High, who won the A-League title in 2023 and 2024, failed to reach the last 16.

After Friday’s semi-final, Maritzburg College, the reigning champion of the Cowie Cup, found themselves on the sidelines looking in after losing 1-2 to Northwood in the semi-finals, played at Durban North College.

They had previously faced Northwood twice in the Primo Big 10, drawing their group game before Northwood won their quarterfinal clash 7-6 from the spot after a goalless draw.

The Knights‘ turnaround has been one of the most notable stories of the football season. They lacked confidence and direction in the second term and narrowly avoided being relegated from the Coastal A-League, but a win on the final day ensured their survival. Since then, though, they’ve been on fire, stacking one victory after another.

Northwood will face Carter High for the title after Carter edged out Alexandra High in an all-Pietermaritzburg semi-final showdown played at Alex.

The teams were goalless after regulation time, but Carter sneaked into the final after taking the penalty shootout 5-4.

The final, it has been confirmed, will be played on Wednesday, 24 September, at Northwood, starting at 13:00.

Semifinal Results 

Northwood 2-1 Maritzburg College
Carter High (5) 0-0 (4) Alexandra High

Final

Wednesday, 24 September 

Northwood vs Carter High at Northwood

An action-packed weekend in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) included a successful u19 GDL Festival, held at the Sicelo Stadium, in Midvaal, on Sunday.

On Saturday, though, the league leaders, Highlands Park, and Wits Junior squared off in an exciting, high-scoring match that concluded with a 3-3 draw at Marks Park.

The home side, Wits, appeared to be on the verge of a shock victory, but a late equaliser from the penalty spot by the Lions of North grabbed a share of the spoils for the visitors.

The late goal was likely a disappointment for their title challengers – SuperSport United, Randburg AFC, Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA), and Mamelodi Sundowns – all of whom were closely monitoring the match.

In other matches on Saturday, Rockefvs handily defeated Jomo Cosmos, beating EzeNkosi 3-0, while East Rand Athletic Club took on a revitalised Seven’s Academy, who were fresh off of an impressive 4-3 victory over Randburg last weekend. But East Rand executed their strategy effectively and emerged with a 2-0 win.

The focus of the GDL weekend was Sunday’s u19 Festival and it didn’t disappoint, with the Midvaal community turning out in large numbers to enjoy the action.

Check out the SuperSport Schools Plus YouTube Channel for more GDL highlights

The matches kicked off with a hard-fought 1-0 victory for SuperSport United over Kathorus Hyper Academy. Given Kathorus’s strong form during the second round of the GDL fixtures, and the pressure of the title race, it was a big three points for SuperSport.

In the day’s second match, RESA secured a crucial victory to also remain in contention for the title. Mandla Vilakati continued an excellent season for the Vereeniging-based club, netting a brace in a 2-0 victory over School of Excellence, which resulted in him deservedly receiving the man of the match award.

Mamelodi Sundowns knew they had a chance to close the gap on Highlands Park ahead of their Pretoria derby against the University of Pretoria (Tuks). It proved to be a challenging contest for both teams.

Sundowns eventually won and earned all three points on offer, thanks to a goal from Selwyn Stevens, who also earned the man of the match accolade for his outstanding performance.

In the final match of the day, Kaizer Chiefs, who suffered a 0-3 defeat against Highlands Park at home last week, took on Panorama FC. The Amakhosi reversed their fortunes in style, romping to a 4-0 victory.

In a match played at the Randburg Sports Complex, Randburg AFC held off Elspark United Academy 2-1.

Lehlogonolo Kakamba and Keith Jele struck for the home team, while Tebogo Dlamini replied for Elspark.

On Wednesday, September 24, Heritage Day, the GDL will feature a full round of fixtures.

RESULTS

Saturday, 20 September 

Rockefvs 3-0 Jomo Cosmos
Highlands Park 3-3 Wits Junior
East Rand 2-0 Seven’s Academy

Sunday, 20 September 

SuperSport United 1-0 Kathorus
RESA 2-0 School of Excellence
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Tuks
Kaizer Chiefs 4-0 Panorama FC
Randburg AFC 2-1 Elspark United Academy

Forthcoming Fixtures 

Wednesday, 24 September 

14:00 

3rd Square Stadium
TS Galaxy vs School of Excellence

14:30

Tuks Sports Ground
Tuks vs Jomo Cosmos

Elspark Sports Ground
Elpark United vs Panorama FC

Woodlands International College
Seven’s Academy vs Kathorus Hyper Academy

Greek Sporting Club
Joburg City vs Mamelodi Sundowns

15:00

Curro Sagewood
SuperSport United vs Randburg

ACCP Sports Ground
Rockefvs vs RESA

Troy Gordon, Wade McQuinn, and Lincoln Casais produced clutch performances to guide the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI to the title at the annual St John’s College (Harare) Rams T20 Tournament on Sunday.

The Invitational XI faced Clifton College on Fisher Field in the final and defeated the KwaZulu-Natal side by 39 runs to lay claim to the trophy.

The composite side, made up of players from St John’s College (Johannesburg), Jeppe High School for Boys, Queens High School, and King Edward VII (KES), and coached by Bongani Ntini, won the toss, chose to bat first, and tallied a challenging 179/6 before restricting Clifton to 140/9.

Ntini, the St John’s College Director of Cricket, was assisted by Sharmin Naidoo, the Director of Cricket at KES, and Casey Arnold, the Director of Cricket at Jeppe.

“I had a really good group of boys. We’ve gelled so well together, and that made my job as captain really easy because the guys knew what they needed to do. My job was just about putting the guys in the right place,” captain Wade McQuinn told SuperSport Schools Plus after his team had lifted the trophy.

The Gauteng side went unbeaten on their march to the title. They thumped Prince Edward by 128 runs in their first match, spanked Christian Brothers College – Bulawayo (CBC) by 55 runs, and then clinched a last-ball victory over St John’s College (Harare) in their third pool match.

Those three wins earned them a semifinal spot, where they overran Wise Owl High School by 117 runs.

“I was glad I could execute my skill set in the semifinal and really put the team in a good position to get to that final,” said Tiago Dias after scoring a 43-ball 74, which earned the opener the Player of the Match Award.

Clifton, on their way to the title decider, pounded Wise Owl by nine wickets, charged to an eight-wicket win over Churchill Boys’ High, and outplayed Peterhouse by six wickets to qualify for the semifinals.

The Durban school won all three of their group matches comfortably when chasing, so Falcon College asked them to bat in their semifinal showdown. The KZN side made light work of the Falcon College bowling and marched to 172/8, setting the stage for a 39-run triumph.

The final was clearly a clash between the two best teams of the tournament.

The Invitational XI’s victory in the title game was powered by Gordon’s outstanding half-century, with the KES learner flaying seven fours and a six in his 41-ball 54. It was his third half-century of the tournament, and it helped him to finish the event as its top scorer. He totalled 242 runs from five innings at an average of 60.50, while scoring at a healthy run rate of 155.13.

“I think T20 cricket’s a game of momentum. It’s about understanding when those moments come. I think I did really well in that in that sense. When we lost a few wickets, I was able to slow the game down a bit, rotate the strike and then pick it up later,” Gordon, who was named the Batsman of the Tournament, said.

His knock laid the foundation for his KES teammate, McQuinn, to express himself. The Invitational XI’s skipper put on a masterclass of batting at the death, plundering 38 runs from 17 deliveries to catapult his side to 179.

McQuinn batted only four times in the tournament, and when he did, late in his side’s innings, he performed exceptionally well, providing the team with valuable boosts. Overall, he tallied 120 runs an average of 60.00, with a superb strike rate of 184.62.

“I’m very grateful that my coaches gave me a clear role, so I knew exactly what I had to do,” McQuinn said. “My job was to mainly finish off games, and I felt like I was able to execute that.”

Casais, who is more renowned for his batting, took the new ball against Clifton. He hadn’t bowled all tournament, and his first two deliveries, looseners, were pounced on by Byron Ward, who sent them to the boundary.

However, with his third delivery, the off spinner showed why McQuinn entrusted him with the ball when he outfoxed the Clifton opener. Then he bamboozled the dangerous Tim Saulez three balls later. That double-blow was the beginning of a four-wicket collapse.

It included Tiago Dias executing a brilliant run out to see off Cohen Naidoo in the second over, before Casais claimed a third victim, to reduce Clifton to 12/4 after 2.4 overs.

That match-defining spell, which brought him 3/12 from two overs and undermined Clifton’s run chase from the start, led to Casais being named the Player of the Match.

Lawson Dinsdale and Zach Williamson stabilised the innings for Clifton with a 78-run fifth-wicket partnership. Dinsdale was the aggressor, carving 48 runs from 27 balls, while Williamson anchored the innings as he accumulated 39 runs from 43 deliveries. Unfortunately for Clifton, those hammer blows they had suffered in the early going took a toll and they didn’t have the batsmen or wickets in hand to properly challenge the Johannesburg Invitational XI’s total.

It also didn’t help Clifton’s cause when McQuinn unleashed his frontline bowlers in the second half of the innings. The Johannesburg side’s main strike bowler, Lebone Ramedupe, came on in the 11th over, while McQuinn, Uthman Khan, and Luke Clarke followed him. Between them, the quartet gave little away and were rewarded for their disciplined lines with five wickets in eight overs between them.

“The team comes first, so I’m really glad that we won the trophy,” Gordon said. “I am also happy that I am taking home the Batter of the Tournament. I will be looking to come back and defend that one. I hope I get chosen for next year’s team.”

SCORES

Final

Johannesburg Invitational XI 179/6 (Troy Gordon 54, Wade McQuinn 38, Bafana Mthunzi 33, Lincoln Casais 27; Eliah van Jaarsveld 3/28); Clifton College 140/9 (Lawson Dinsdale 47, Zach Williamson 39; Lincoln Casais 3/12, Uthman Khan 2/21).

Johannesburg Invitational XI won by 39 runs.

Semi-finals

Clifton College 172/8 (Tim Saulez 43, Lawson Dinsdale 38, Zach Williamson 37, Hayden Drieselmann 30; Reed Merick 2/18, Zach Gover 2/42); Falcon College 133/10 (Neil Rosenfels 66; Blake Johnson 5/26, Shiraz Perumal 2/10, Tim Saulez 2/29).

Clifton College won by 39 runs.

Johannesburg Invitational XI 198/3 (Tiago Dias 74, Troy Gordon 43, Joshua Hall 30, Wade McQuinn 24*); Wise Owl 81/10 (Tapiwa Chikwava 3/11, Lebone Ramedupe 2/11).

Johannesburg Invitational XI won by 117 runs.

Eliminators

St John’s College 144/8 (Hayden Croxford 38, Connor Lovatt 24, Khulekani Nduku 21; Darren Ncube 2/15, Dmitry Fatch 2/31, Liam Nel 2/40); Falcon College 146/8 (Liam Nel 35, Brandon Ndiweni 27, Alastair Carle 24; Tawana Nyandoro 2/23; Khulekani Nduku 2/27, Hayden Saunders 2/30).

Falcon College won by two wickets.

Kearsney College 128/8 (Michael Groom 30*; Panashe Mazai 3/32, Tatenda Chimugoro 2/14, Simbarashe Mudzengere 2/29); Wise Owl 130/1 (Panashe Gwatiringa 57, Anesuishe Taru 52*).

Wise Owl won by nine wickets.

Seventh place playoff

Hellenic Academy 163/8 (Michael Blignaut 51, Dhruv Patel 21, Kirby Madaramete 20; Nicholas Orphanides 2/14); Peterhouse 164/3 (Luke Marillier 57*, Tyler Chapman 46, Cameron Rae 28*, Victor Watama 23).

Peterhouse won by seven wickets.

Ninth place playoff

St George’s College 153/5 (Abhira Singh 87; Tawana Ratisai 2/14, Rowyn Konson 2/24); CBC Bulawayo 154/6 (Joshua Armstrong 51*, Kelebokile Moyo 32, Ryan Winterboer 24; Tysawn Zuze 2/13, Ethan Zhou 2/33).

CBC Bulawayo won by four wickets.

Eleventh place playoff

Churchill 128/7 (Cole Mukoko 30*, Wessly Maramwidze 30, Zvikomborero Masango 29; Donell Madango 4/25); Prince Edward 101/10 (Takunda Garwe 49; Blessing Mangove 3/7, Wessly Maramwidze 2/22).

Churchill won by 27 runs.

In the opening round of their Schools SA20 campaign, Hoërskool Fichardtpark delivered a complete all-round performance to claim a seven-wicket victory over the Bloemfontein Hub XI on Friday.

The Hub XI batted first, donning their protective gear, and, boy, did they need it. Player of the match, Juan Mostert, went hard at the batsmen.

His excellent four-over spell of bowling produced a sparkling return of 4/10. It included 17 dot balls and not a single boundary conceded.

Junior Direko was the only Bloemfontein Hub batsman to place the Fichies’ bowlers under pressure, striking five fours in his 31 runs off 28 balls.

After only 17 overs at the crease, however, the Hub XI was dismissed for 89.

Faced with a low victory target, the Fichardtpark batsmen were in a rush to chase it down. Jaden Geldenhuys lashed seven fours and a six in a quickfire 38 off just 21 balls to lead his side’s charge.

Those boundaries, together with some sharp running between the wickets, saw Fichies bounding along at over 12 runs to the over, and, with the aid of 11 extras, they overhauled the Bloemfontein Hub XI’s 89, scoring 95 in only eight overs for the loss of just three wickets.

Luthando Mnyameni was the standout Hub bowler, collecting 2/34 from his four overs. Unfortunately, the other Hub bowlers struggled to contain the scoring as Fichardtpark’s aggressive batting approach bore fruit.

It was, thus, fitting, perhaps, that Nevin Olivier sealed the win by hitting a six off the fourth delivery he faced.

SCORES

Hoërskool Fichardtpark 95/3 (Jaden Geldenhuys 38; Luthando Mnyameni 2/34); Bloemfontein Hub 89/10 (Junior Direko 31; Juan Mostert 4/10, Daniel Badenhorst 3/11, Heinrich Kemp 2/12).

Hoërskool Fichardtpark won by seven wickets.

Sheldon Kruger stepped up to the plate for Hoërskool Kempton Park with a century in their victory over Hoërskool Hans Moore on Saturday, which could spell the end of the Moories’ Fain Noordvaal title defence.

Read and relive all the 2025 Schools Cricket action right here on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

After being sent in to bat first by the Moories, the hosts for the day, the Kempies, made full use of their home facilities. Wian Pieters (4) went cheaply from the bowling of Jake Bevolo (1/35), but Kruger and Hanré van Deventer recovered nicely.

As often in the past, the pair combined magnificently. The 143-run partnership between them was finally broken when Moories’ captain, Adrian Watson, took matters into his own hands, creating the run out of Van Deventer for 45 runs.

Kruger, though, kept going. He was involved in another hefty partnership of 62 runs with Shaun Nash (34), before he lost his wicket for 124, off 123 deliveries. His innings included 16 boundaries, of which seven landed on the other side of the rope. His 124 runs were exactly half of his side’s total as the Kempies managed a total of 248/9 in the allotted 50 overs.

Kearan Weyers (2/35) and Zander Swart (2/44) did the most damage with the ball, sharing four of the nine wickets between them.

The Moories’ batting card would look quite different. Like Kruger, Kempies’ quickie, Kristian du Plessis, also came to the party. Although he snapped up only two wickets, he made sure it was the two biggest fish. He first dismissed Xavier Coetzee (10) in the fourth over and then Adrian Watson (15) in the eighth to turn the screws really tight.

Ethan Kotze (5/20) fed off the momentum and energy, and would become the hero with the ball. In the 6.1 overs he bowled, he picked up five wickets, two of which swung the game completely in favour of the home side. They were the prized scalps of the Shaw Brothers, who had seemed as if they might just get the visitors over the line.

It was especially Aiden Shaw‘s 80 runs that caused concern. Along with his brother, Kenan Shaw (45), they stuck it out for a 96-run partnership. Unfortunately, when it was broken, so were the hearts of Hans Moore as the wickets tumbled and they could only manage a meagre 203 runs before the last wicket fell.

Summarised scorecard

Hoërskool Kempton Park 248/9 (Sheldon Kruger 124, Hanré van Deventer 45, Shaun Nash 34; Kearan Weyers 2/35, Zander Swart 2/44); Hans Moore 203 (Aiden Shaw 80, Kenan Shaw 45; Ethan Kotze 5/20, Kristian du Plessis 3/24, Shaun Nash 2/37). Hoërskool Kempton Park won by 45 runs.