Blog

The annual water polo interprovincial tournament starts in East London today.

All the results from the opening day will be updated as we receive them throughout the day.

Results | Day 1 

u19

[ninja_tables id=”61355″]

The Buffalo City u19 girls’ water polo team will open their Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament campaign with a tough clash against Central Gauteng A at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pools in East London on Saturday.

Saturday’s opener is the first of four games in the pool stage of the competition for the home team. The event, which is the pinnacle of schools’ water polo in South Africa, runs from 7-11 December.

This year, the competition will be tighter than ever, with a new format pitting the top five girls’ teams against one another in the same pool. In past IPTs, the top sides have been split across two pools.

That, pretty much, means every match is a must-win clash. If teams are to secure a place in the playoffs, they’ll have to be on their game from their very first outing.

All eyes will be on Pool A, which features the top five sides: Western Province A, Central Gauteng, Nelson Mandela Bay, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The head coach of Buffalo City, Paige Meecham, is confident her team will rise to the occasion. “We’ve been working really hard, training for the past three months as a unit,” she said.

“The girls have been putting in lots of time and lots of effort. I’m very happy. I think we’re in a good space before the tournament, and, hopefully, we can carry that into the tournament.”

Fine-tuning key areas, such as mobility and movement in attack and defence, has been the focus of Buffalo City’s preparation.

The players in the squad complement the style of play that Meecham wants her charges to produce.

The largest contingent of players, seven in total, are from Clarendon High School for Girls: Jasmine Koch, Meka Loots, Alison Woodin, Jessica Schaefer, Julianne Saffy, and the SA u18 duo of Tori Voke and Kiyara Campbell.

Striling High School will be represented by Roxy Van Eek, Megan Schwartz, and Tatum Knox, while Hudson Park’s Erin Batting and Rania Khan complete the lineup.

Reflecting on the make-up of the team, Meecham said: “There were eight selectors at the trials that helped select the side. It’s a well-rounded team. Two girls, who didn’t play in the Currie Cup at the beginning of the year, have made the team now.

“It also has an even split with seven matrics and six grade 11s, so there will be continuity going forward into next year.”

Buffalo City heads into the tournament keen to improve on their showing in the Currie Cup, which was played in March. It also took place in East London, and Buffalo City finished fifth, just behind KwaZulu-Natal.

Meecham believes they’ve taken lessons from that event. “We have watched a lot of those Currie Cup games,” she revealed. “We did video analysis. We learnt from them, and lots of growth has come out of watching those games.

“We have identified areas that were problematic, and areas of positivity. There’s a lot we’ve taken out and want to fix.”

Meecham succeeds Hannah Muller as coach of the Buffalo City side. Muller was in charge at last year’s IPT in Gqeberha.

It will be Meecham’s second stint with the u19 side after coaching a younger age group in 2023. She said she’s looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m very excited to work with these girls. They are a very awesome group. They’ve grown up insanely well in front of our juniors, and I’m excited to see how they rise to the massive occasion.

“I firmly believe this team has the potential and drive to do well at this tournament. Hopefully, we put all the pieces together at the right moments, especially playing at home in front of our home crowd,” she ended.

BUFFALO CITY U19 GIRLS’ POOL FIXTURES

7 December

17:35- Buffalo City A vs Central Gauteng A

8 December

11:20- Buffalo City A vs KwaZulu-Natal

9 December

07:00- Buffalo City A vs Western Province A
12:25- Buffalo City A vs Nelson Mandela Bay

Buffalo City u19 Girls’ Team

Jasmine Koch, Meka Loots, Alison Woodin, Jessica Schaefer, Julianne Saffy, Tori Voke, and Kiyara Campbell (Clarendon High School for Girls), Roxy Van Eek, Megan Schwartz, Tatum Knox (Stirling High School), Erin Batting, and Rania Khan (Hudson Park High School).

With the 2024 Gauteng Development League (GDL) complete, SuperSport Schools Plus explores the journeys of the teams that triumphed this season under the “Champions Series” banner.

This week, Ongama Gcwabe narrates the story of the u17 champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, with the help of head coach, Tiro van Rooyen.

Coaching or playing for Mamelodi Sundowns isn’t child’s play at any level. The pressure and expectations within the club, as well as from the outside, from its millions of supporters, bring about an unprecedented amount of stress.

Under-17 coach Tiro van Rooyen knows that pressure all too well, having been with the Pretoria-based unit for several years.

“To be in the yellow shirt as a player and coach is demanding,” Van Rooyen admitted to SuperSport Schools Plus.

“For the players to do something like this this year has been very good for the academy, and it shows that the academy is one of the best, not just in the country but also in the continent.

“When two divisions win the league, it shows that we’ve got good players, probably the best players in the country, and that we have good coaches.”

However, Van Rooyen, and colleagues, including Selekedi Mogale who coached the Sundowns u15 team to back-to-back league titles this season, ensure the Brazilians turn up and turn out, delivering positive results week after week.

Van Rooyen gave SuperSport Schools further insight into those things that go on behind the scenes at Mamelodi Sundowns, which ensures that the club continues its very successful ways.

“Behind the scenes, the leadership of the academy is working very hard to get the best players and helping us technically. We meet every day around 12:00 to prepare training sessions. We have strategy meeting. We have match reports after every weekend and that helps us for the next game,” Van Rooyen revealed.

“It helps us as coaches to develop and improve every single day because if we do not address a couple of problems or things that we do well in the game then we go blindfolded in the next game. When a Sundowns team does well in two divisions, it’s a major boost because every single game that we play is very tough.”

Van Rooyen was under a lot of pressure this season given that he had to build a team from scratch and strike a balance between player development and meeting the high standards for which Sundowns is widely recognised.

At the beginning of the season, the coach inherited 16-year-olds, who were from the u15 football team. It’s a huge jump for the players from that level to the u17s, who play 90-minute matches, as professionals do all around the world.

Van Rooyen had to work on developing different aspects of the players so that they could handle the intensity that comes with u17 football and the professional football space.

“I found the journey of the team very interesting because it was a very young group, so we played with the [team born in] 2008, which is an u16 team. So, naturally playing 90 minutes for the first time, going from 35 minutes a half, physically they had to improve a lot,” he explained.

“Football action-wise, technical-wise, they had to be better and psychologically they had to be better as well. That is the learning curve that at the beginning of the season we struggled with because we would concede in the last five minutes of the first half and we could lose a game closer to the 90-minute mark.

“We dropped the intensity and more mistakes were happening. That was a natural thing for these boys playing 90 minutes for the first time. What we’ve learnt from that is that we can only improve in football action and try to keep the ball a little bit longer.

“Those were the difficult moments in the season but once the boys got better physically, technically, and psychologically, it took the strain away.”

With the Gauteng Development League growing from strength to strength every year, backed by SuperSport Schools’ broadcasting prowess, coach Van Rooyen lauded the development that the league has made over the years.

As a coach, Van Rooyen now has the resources to better analyse his team’s progress and he does that courtesy of the video footage that is available through the SuperSport Schools app.

The coach said he wants to see the league continue to grow for the better of football in the country. “The Gauteng Development League is the best in the country, but also Sub-Saharan Africa,” he enthused. “So far, the league has improved every single year with the referees, organisation, and time.

“In the last two to three years, [thanks to] full game coverage, we can analyse the game as well through the SuperSport Schools app. We can help our players develop technically and tactically.

“Now, it’s [important] to keep the consistency of it, which I think is the most important. That is the big thing for the country now, to make sure that this will be a consistent league and it will carry on for years to come.”

The host of the u17 Cosafa tournaments, South Africa, made two ticks in the win column after impressive displays from both their boys’ and girls’ teams on day two of the Cosafa competitions in Johannesburg.

Thursday’s outings at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) AW Muller Stadium were the first appearances for the South African teams in the event.

In the girls’ competition, Leonay Kock, the player of the match, showcased her exceptional talent by scoring a hat-trick to make a significant contribution to South Africa’s victory.

Kock’s superb performance was the latest in a string of impressive showings in national colours, which included her being named the Player of the Tournament at the CAF African Schools Football Championship | Cosafa qualifier in Namibia in October, which South Africa won to secure a place in the 2025 CAF African Schools Football Championship Finals.

Katlego Malebana also found the back of the net as South Africa defeated Malawi 4-2 in their opening match of the u17 Girls’ Cosafa Championship.

Fatima Lali and Asimenye Mwanyongo struck for Malawi in the Group B showdown. However, their efforts weren’t quite enough despite a valiant attempt to take control of the match from the resolute host nation.

After their opener, South Africa occupies second place on the table, behind Madagascar, who outplayed Namibia 5-0 on Thursday at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium.

With the South African girls’ team having set a strong precedent, the local boys’ team followed suit in their clash against Botswana in a TotalEnergies u17 Africa Cup of Nations | Cosafa qualifier. South Africa was on song from the start and ran out a convincing 4-0 winner.

With the winner of the competition set to qualify for the 2025 u17 Africa Cup of Nations, there is plenty at stake.

Selywn Stevens opened the account for South Africa with a penalty after a foul in the box on Emile Witbooi. It didn’t take long for Witbooi, who showcased exceptional skill throughout the match, to find the back of the net himself.

South Africa’s dominance continued in the second half, with Kamohelo Maraletse and Neo Bohloko doubling the home side’s score.

After their emphatic victory, South Africa is top of Group C in the boys’ competition. They’ll aim to maintain that status when they face Comoros on Saturday

In a boost to the morale of the South African team, they were the sole winners on Thursday as the island nations of Comoros and Mauritius played to a 0-0 draw.

DAY TWO BOYS’ RESULTS 

TotalEnergies u17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 | Cosafa qualifier

Group B

Zimbabwe 5-1 Eswatini
Zambia 8-0 Namibia

Group C

South Africa 4-0 Botswana
Comoros 0-0 Mauritius

Group Standings

GROUP A	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Angola	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Malawi	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
Mozambique	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
Lesotho	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0

 

GROUP B	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Zambia	1	1	0	0	8	0	8	3
Zimbabwe	1	1	0	0	5	1	4	3
Eswatini	1	0	0	1	1	5	-4	0
Namibia	1	0	0	1	0	8	-8	0

 

Group C	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
South Africa	1	1	0	0	4	0	4	3
Comoros	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Mauritius	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Botswana	1	0	0	1	0	4	-4	0

DAY TWO GIRLS’ COSAFA CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Group B

South Africa 4-2 Malawi
Madagascar 5-0 Namibia

Group C

Zimbabwe 2-1 Mauritius

Group Standings

GROUP A	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Lesotho	1	1	0	0	6	0	6	3
Mozambique	1	1	0	0	5	0	5	3
Comoros	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0
Eswatini	1	0	0	1	0	6	-6	0

 

GROUP B	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Madagascar	1	1	0	0	5	0	5	3
South Africa	1	1	0	0	4	2	3	3
Malawi	1	0	0	1	2	4	-3	0
Namibia	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0

 

GROUP C	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Zimbabwe	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Botswana	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Zambia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mauritius	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0

 

The KwaZulu-Natal u19 girls’ water polo team is bracing itself for a tough and competitive Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament when they kick off their campaign in East London this coming weekend.

The much-anticipated tournament takes place from 7-11 December, with the u19 matches being played at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pools.

KZN heads into the tournament with a new face at the helm after Nicholas Rodda was appointed head coach.

He has taken over from Paul Martin, Clifton College‘s coach, who moves to Hilton College next year. Hilton’s Jason Sileno heads to St Stithians College.

Rodda will be looking to stamp his authority on the team after an extremely successful season with Kearsney College in 2024.

Their outstanding achievements included winning the Reef Cup, clinching gold at the Saints Invitational Tournament, and claiming the KZN Top 10 title.

“I’m very excited. This is my first u19 provincial side,” Rodda told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I have coached u13, u14, u15, and u16 girls’ sides in Gauteng before. We have some really good players who are coming along nicely as a team.”

Rodda has a balanced and strong team with some familiar names at his disposal. It includes five players from Durban Girls’ College: Inge Southey, Josie Phillips, Kayla Andrews, Kayleigh Nieuwstad, and Lara Mervis.

Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High supplies Alwande Zondi and Jada Bishop to the provincial side, while Amber Lewis is the only player from Reddam House Umhlanga.

Gemma Malherbe and Megan Peters represent St Anne’s, while Georgina Strachan and goalkeeper Kate Swainston-Harrison are from St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls, Kloof.

Caitlin McMurray, from Thomas More College, completes the lineup.

“There are a number of St Anne’s girls who decided not to play IPT this year, which is a bit of a loss,” Rodda said, reflecting on a side that finished as the runner-up at their own St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament against many of the country’s best teams.

“However, the girls who have made the side have stepped up to fill that void and excel in it. The team selected themselves at the Top 10 tournament,” he added.

“We have been training well and working hard, both in the pool and the gym, which is new for a lot of the girls, who have never been in the gym for IPT training before this year.”

KZN will face all the top teams in the tournament in Pool A, which also features Western Province A, Buffalo City, Central Gauteng A, and Nelson Mandela Bay.

Coach Rodda believes playing strength versus strength will benefit all of those teams.

“This is the pinnacle of schools’ water polo,” he said. “Having more competitive games over the tournament only improves the water polo that is being played overall. It’s strength versus strength as opposed to runaway games.

“It will also benefit those teams in the opposite group, being more competitive. Yes, it will make it more difficult to make the final but, at the end of the day, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the rest.”

KZN finished fourth at last year’s tournament in Gqeberha. They followed that up with another fourth-place finish at the Currie Cup in March.

Rodda said the goal is to remain consistent and to possibly go one step further this time around.

“⁠Top four is the first goal,” he said. “If we make the semifinals, then we will adjust our goal for something further, but we, ultimately, will take it game by game.

“We will align our goals when we are in East London as a team. Playing as a unit and not as individuals will make this a success, but as soon as we don’t work as a unit, we will, unfortunately, fall short,” he warned.

KwaZulu-Natal u19 Girls Pool Fixtures

8 December

11:20 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Buffalo City
16:45 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Nelson Mandela Bay

9 December

09:10 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Central Gauteng A
14:35 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province A

KwaZulu-Natal u19 Girls

Alwande Zondi, Jada Bishop (Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School), Amber Lewis (Reddam House Umhlanga), Caitlin McMurray (Thomas More College), Gemma Malherbe, Megan Peters (St Anne’s DSG), Georgina Strachan, Kate Swainston-Harrison (St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls, Kloof), Inge Southey, Josie Phillips, Kayla Andrews, Kayleigh Nieuwstad, Lara Mervis (Durban Girls’ College).

Non-Travelling reserves

Brogan Reid (Maris Stella), Chiara Collett, Kirsten Du Plessis, Erin Prato (Reddam House Umhlanga), Casey Macleod-Henderson (St Anne’s DSG).

Junior Springboks‘ coach Kevin Foote has expressed his satisfaction with the first of two SA Rugby u19 Academy camps, which ended in Stellenbosch on Sunday. The second camp kicks off this weekend.

Foote and his coaching staff worked with a group of 48 players at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport, with the camp laying the foundation for the identification and preparation of the next generation of Junior Springboks.

The second camp, which starts on Sunday and also runs for two weeks until 21 December, will be hosted at the same Stellenbosch venue, whereafter the 2025 SA Rugby Academy programme will commence in the new year. A host of new players have been added to the squad.

Looking back on the first camp, Foote said he was delighted with the preparations and interactions between the new-look Junior Boks’ coaching and management group and the players.

“The focus of the two camps is to build trust and pay attention to performance, and I thought that the first camp did a good job in laying that foundation,” he said.

“We emphasised building trust with the players and the local rugby communities, such as Stellenbosch, Boland, and the surrounding areas.

“We are very grateful to Boland, who allowed us to use their stadium on Saturday for a North vs South training match in Wellington, and we are thankful to the local rugby community who came to support the players.”

From a technical aspect, the objectives of the camp were to focus on the fundamentals and set phases, Foote said. “We want to play fast and be physical, and in doing that, tap into our South African rugby DNA, and develop our strengths as a group,” he explained.

“There is a lot of excitement among the players for this wonderful chance to attend a national rugby training programme and they do understand this is a huge opportunity to, in some way, contribute towards the incredible story of South African rugby.”

The following players were not part of the first camp: Rouwan Mitchell, Ulrich van der Merwe, Tebogo Nkosi, Xabiso Mkiva, Jacobus Fourie, Riley Norton, Arno van der Merwe, Abri van der Westhuysen, Risima Khosa, Jeffwinn Wesso, Ceano Everson, Chris Horak, Vusi Moyo, Matthew Coetzee, Yaqeen Ahmed, Janco Purchase, Gino Cupido, Alzeadon Felix, Cheswill Jooste and Erich Visser.

Johan Ackermann, who will assist the Junior Boks in a coaching consultancy role next year, is expected to join the second camp from next week in Stellenbosch.

SA Rugby U19 Academy Squad – Second Camp in Stellenbosch

Props: Ranon Fouché (Vodacom Bulls), Rouwan Mitchell (Vodacom Bulls), Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Christoff Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ulrich van der Merwe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Tebogo Nkosi (Toyota Cheetahs), Ali Thiam (Vodacom Bulls).

Hookers: Jaundre Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls), HB Odendaal (Fidelity ADT Lions), Xabiso Mkiva (DHL Western Province), Stefan Venter (Toyota Cheetahs).

Locks: Jacobus Fourie (Vodacom Bulls), Kuhle Mthimkhulu (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neil Hansen (Fidelity ADT Lions), Morne Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions), Danio Botha (DHL Western Province), Riley Norton (DHL Western Province), Arno van der Merwe (Toyota Cheetahs).

Loose forwards: Abri van der Westhuysen (Vodacom Bulls), Batho Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Yabo Ndzamela (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Risima Khosa (Fidelity ADT Lions), Divan Fuller (DHL Western Province), Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs), Jeffwinn Wesso (SA Rugby Sevens).

Scrumhalves: Zeke January (Vodacom Bulls), Juan Loots (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

Flyhalves: Chris Horak (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vusi Moyo (Fidelity ADT Lions), Matthew Coetzee (Fidelity ADT Lions), Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL Western Province).

Centres: Daniel van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Janco Purchase (Vodacom Bulls), Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Tirhani Masondo (Fidelity ADT Lions), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province), Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province)

Outside backs: Scott Nel (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jody Schambreel (Fidelity ADT Lions), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Alzeadon Felix (Toyota Cheetahs), Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs), Chijindu Okonta (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

“My dad’s cricket bat was taller than I was when I first tried to pick it up. My older brother, Tiaan, seven years my senior, started playing cricket when he was nine and I had to stand ready every afternoon in the corridor when he wanted to practice his bowling.

“The kicker was that I was never allowed to duck, sway, or cry. Otherwise, I wasn’t allowed to play anymore,” Gavin Genis recalled about where his love for the game of cricket started.

That’s where the 16-year-old Hoërskool Middelburg all-rounder began to learn about fighting under severe pressure.

Genis, already a star for his side at a young age, enjoyed a fruitful 2024, but it was in the playoffs of the Fain Noordvaal Competition that his talents became known to a wider audience across South Africa.

In almost unbelievable fashion Genis snapped up a staggering 17 wickets in only four matches, including a special return of 6/51, his third consecutive five-wicket haul, in the semi-finals against a loaded Hoërskool Waterkloof side.

His cricket journey officially started at the age of eight, when Abré Vollgraaff, then at Cambridge Academy in Witbank, and now the Head of Sport at Hoërskool Eldoraigne in Centurion, invited him to attend the u11 regional trials.

“Although I didn’t get picked that year, I already knew it was one of my goals. In my u9 and u10 years, I played for the u10 Mpumalanga Indoor side, and also made the u10 national side in both,” the all-rounder shared.

He also attained his goal of playing for the u11 Mpumalanga side, representing the union for two years in succession in the age group, which showcased his burgeoning cricketing talent at a young age.

Unfortunately, Genis, like other sports lovers, was halted through the Covid-19 years, but that didn’t dim the determined Middelburger’s drive. In the years following the pandemic, he went on to earn yet another provincial call-up, joining the u15 side at the annual Regional Week.

Following a very successful 2024, he was selected for the Mpumalanga u16 team, which will travel to Pretoria in December for the annual CSA u16 Boys Week. He also earned national indoor cricket colours again.

“Jacques Else is one of the Middelburgers I look up to the most. Coaches Shaun Neethling and Conrad Viljoen have also played a significant role in my cricketing journey thus far,” Genis said when asked about the major influences on his young cricket career.

When stepping over the rope and onto the field, the youngster aspires to be like current opening test batsman Aiden Markram. He’s the one Genis has looked up to since day one. However, the Protea isn’t the sole holder of the title of biggest role model. “My father, Barry Genis, has been another I’ve looked up to”, Genis explained.

The all-rounder has produced many memorable moments during 2024, including during his side’s Mpumalanga League match against Hoërskool Nelspruit, where he scored a masterful 128 and they won a tight contest by only eight runs to keep their unbeaten run alive. Another outstanding memory was created in the Fain Noordvaal semi-final against the Klofies.

“We didn’t score close to enough runs and, after lunch, there was some nervous energy, which was to be expected, but somehow everything just clicked. Eduan Strydom and I just found a new rhythm with the ball in hand and we just went with it.

“He eventually ended up taking four wickets and I snapped up six, my best figures ever thus far,” Genis said while fondly recalling his favourite moments as a Middies’ cricketer.

Talented, with a love for the game, and with a drive to succeed, Genis has clear goals for the future. “My dream is to play for the Proteas one day, or just any form of professional cricket. I just want to play cricket, that’s all,” he said.

The Central Gauteng A u16 Boys’ team is geared up for a stiff challenge when they take to the pool in their section of the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament, which is being held in Buffalo City, East London, from 7-11 December.

Their matches will be played at Clarendon High School from Saturday. However, the final of the u16 competition will be held in the Joan Harrison East Pool on Wednesday afternoon, the final day of the IPT.

Central Gauteng A has been drawn in Pool B alongside Western Province B, KwaZulu Natal, and Northerns A.

Siyabonga Guzana’s team has had a good year. They finished third at the Currie Cup in March and have been continuously working on improving since then. They’re not taking any of their opponents lightly.

“We are not going in thinking we are one of the best teams because we came third in the Currie Cup. We are going there with a clean slate, and we will take things one match at a time. The biggest thing for us is to challenge ourselves to go further in each contest,” Guzana said.

One of the things the Gauteng coach has been focusing on has been to alleviate the pressure of expectation from his boys’ minds.

“We come from a big province, and everyone expects us to do well. It is easy for that to weigh down these boys’ minds. I want them to be free of those expectations because that is the only way they can perform at their best,” he explained.

He constantly reminds his side that they should focus only on what they can control, and that is their skills. Guzana tells his charges that if they give 100 percent at training then it will be easy to give 100 percent in matches. You can only get out what you put in.

The coach believes that a team with a good culture has the best chance of doing well, and that has been one of his areas of focus during the side’s preparations. He has emphasised the importance of every team member adding value, both from the bench and in the pool.

“I always use the Springboks as an example. When they appear on TV or in social media clips, none of them is talking about themselves. They are always talking about the team and what someone else did to help the team. The lesson from that is that despite being world champions, none of them thinks they are above the team,” the coach shared.

Each team member is a piece of the puzzle without whom a complete picture would be impossible to create. The coach hopes the message will hit home and his charges will uplift each other in every contest. His message revolves around the fact that if everyone in the team serves the team, the team will serve them. Guzana also believes those values he is imparting will serve his side well as they grow into young adults.

“One of the great things about sports is that they help develop young men into team players. It helps them become confident adults who add value to their circles and communities,” he said.

The Central Gauteng A team will begin their tournament with a game against Western Province B. Guzana’s side will go into it with one thing on their minds: do the right things, execute skills, and the results will take care of themselves.

The University of Johannesburg‘s (UJ) AW Muller Stadium and the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium will host the TotalEnergies u17 Africa Cup of Nations | Cosafa qualifier and the u17 Cosafa Girls’ Championship.

Mozambique had been set to host the event, but post-election protests in the country led to a late decision by Cosafa to move the games to South Africa.

The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa), in a recent press statement, said the decision to move the tournament was made in the best interests of the teams and stakeholders, adding that it wasn’t taken lightly. Mozambique proved to be an excellent host of the TotalEnergies CAF u20 Africa Cup of Nations, which was won by South Africa in October.

The tournament kicks off on Wednesday, 4 December, and will run through until 13 December, which is when the champions will be crowned at the UJ Soweto Stadium.

The boys’ competition is a continental qualifier for the TotalEnergies u17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, while the girls’ competition will see the 12 nations competing for the coveted regional trophy.

With the event coinciding with the December holiday season, good attendances are expected at the two venues.

Group A has thrown up a Lusophone derby, with Mozambique being drawn alongside Angola. Malawi and Lesotho complete the four-team lineup.

The holders, Zambia, are in Group B with Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini, while Group C features the hosts, South Africa, Botswana, Comoros, and Mauritius.

In the girls’ competition, Group A includes Mozambique, Comoros, Eswatini, and Lesotho, while Group B features South Africa, the defending champions, who will face Malawi, Namibia, and Madagascar.

Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius make up Group C.

TOTALENERGIES U17 BOYS’ AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS – COSAFA QUALIFIER FIXTURES

4 December

Group A

12:00: Lesotho vs Angola (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
15:00: Mozambique vs Malawi (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

5 December

Group B

12:00: Zimbabwe vs Eswatini (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
15:00: Zambia vs Namibia (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

Group C

12:00:  Comoros vs Mauritius (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:00: South Africa vs Botswana (UJ Soweto Stadium)

6 December

Group A

12:00: Malawi vs Angola (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:00: Mozambique vs Lesotho (UJ Soweto Stadium)

7 December

Group B

12:00: Namibia vs Eswatini (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:00: Zambia vs Zimbabwe (UJ Soweto Stadium)

7 December

Group C

12:00: Botswana vs Mauritius (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:00: South Africa vs Comoros (UJ Soweto Stadium)

8 December

Group A

15:00: Malawi vs Lesotho (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
15:00: Mozambique vs Angola (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

9 December

Group B

12:00: Namibia vs Zimbabwe (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
12:00: Zambia vs Eswatini (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

9 December

Group C

15:00: Botswana vs Comoros (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
15:00: South Africa vs Mauritius (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

11 December

Semi-finals

12:00: Winner B vs Winner C (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:00: Winner A vs Best 2nd Placed (UJ Soweto Stadium)

13 December 

Final

15:00: Winner Match 19 vs Winner Match 20 (UJ Soweto Stadium)

COSAFA U17 GIRLS’ CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES

4 December

Group A

11:00: Eswatini vs Lesotho (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
14:00: Mozambique vs Comoros (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

5 December

Group B

09:30: Namibia vs Madagascar (UJ Soweto Stadium)
12:30: South Africa vs Malawi (UJ Soweto Stadium)

5 December

Group C

11:00: Zambia vs Botswana (UJ AW Muller Stadium)
15:30: Zimbabwe vs Mauritius (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

6 December 

Group A

09:30: Mozambique vs Eswatini (UJ Soweto Stadium)
14:00: Comoros vs Lesotho (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

7 December

Group B

12:30: Malawi vs Madagascar (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:30: South Africa vs Namibia (UJ Soweto Stadium)

8 December

Group C

09:30: Zambia vs Zimbabwe (UJ Soweto Stadium)
11:00: Botswana vs Mauritius (UJ AW Muller Stadium)

8 December

Group A

12:30: Comoros vs Eswatini (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:30: Mozambique vs Lesotho (UJ Soweto Stadium)

9 December

Group B 

12:30: Malawi vs Namibia (UJ Soweto Stadium)
15:30: South Africa vs Madagascar (UJ Soweto Stadium)

9 December

Group C

09:00: Botswana vs Zimbabwe (UJ Muller Stadium)
09:30: Zambia vs Mauritius (UJ Soweto Stadium)

11 December

Semi-finals

11:00: Winner match B vs Winner match C (UJ Soweto Stadium)
14:00: Winner match A vs Best 2nd place (UJ Soweto Stadium)

13 December

Final

11:00: Winner match 19 vs Winner match 20 (UJ Soweto Stadium)

The 2024 edition of the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament will see the Central Gauteng u19A girls’ team aiming to claim back-to-back titles.

The event takes place in East London from 7-11 December, and the u19 matches will be played at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pools.

After winning two major titles in the past 12 months, Central Gauteng is the team to beat. They claimed the honours at last year’s IPT in Gqeberha before winning the Currie Cup in East London in March. In both finals, they defeated Western Province.

However, a lot has changed since those triumphs. For starters, Central Gauteng is now led by coach Kelsey Thomson, who has taken over the reins from Etienne Le Roux.

Le Roux left St Stithians College and Central Gauteng to join Rondebosch Boys’ High in the Western Cape earlier this year.

Coach Thomson came on board in his stead and immediately made a positive impact when she inspired the team to Currie Cup glory.

She has been able to select the strongest possible squad for the IPTs and believes that combinations and players being familiar with each other will help their cause.

“This squad has depth, depth, depth, and more depth,” Thomson told SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the tournament. “There are strong individual positions and then many utilities that are versatile in all aspects.

“These girls played lots together last year. They are also u16 gold medallists and  four matric girls that have played together for years.”

Preparation is a challenge for many provincial teams, with selected players attending schools far from their teammates, which means daily training is not possible. That is not the case for the Central Gauteng u19A side. Their team is made up of players from schools within close proximity to the others, with players from St Stithians College, Roedean School, St Dominic’s Catholic School, St Mary’s Waverley, Reddam House Bedfordview, and Kingsmead College in the lineup.

“In terms of preparation, we have had a successful winter programme that has run since May and then we have fine-tuned our A and B teams since the beginning of October,” Thomson said.

“There have been lots of matches versus younger male teams for fast reactions, which has helped.”

Gauteng will be tested in their title defence. The pool stage is structured so that the top teams face each other, which will make the competition tighter than ever.

That means the defending champs will take on Western Province A, Buffalo City A, KwaZulu-Natal, and Nelson Mandela Bay during the pool stage of the competition.

Her team heads into the tournament confident, but coach Thomson said they’re taking nothing for granted.

“It’s exciting, different pool structures with all the top teams in one pool,” she enthused.

“It bodes well for high-level competition throughout the tournament and not only once getting to the quarters.

“This age group is one of the strongest all around I have ever witnessed throughout all the provinces. KZN has great young players and a great new coach, too, in Nicholas Rodda. They are lucky to have him.

“Western Province is always a team to respect. They are lucky to have Etienne Le Roux with his wealth of water polo knowledge.

“Don’t forget [Nelson Mandela Bay’s] Grant Mackenzie, a legend coach, who develops great teams always. For me, it’s awesome to see so many young teams that have a lot to offer.”

Thomson will bid farewell to five players after the tournament, including captain Mia Loizides and vice-skipper, Amy Smith. They’ll be joined by Ruby Carlson, Francesca de Villiers, and Cecilia Peterson.

“These matrics have dedicated years to Gauteng Water Polo. It’s an honour for me to see them off in their last IPT, as I was their coach in their u14 and u15 years,” she recalled.

While Loizides and Smith are set to lead the u19A team, the u19B side will be captained by Peterson, with Aimee Hattingh and Taylor Billet serving as the vice-captains.

Central Gauteng u19A Girls

Courtney Calenborne (St Stithians), Emily Carle (St Stithians), Ruby Carlson (St Dominic’s), Lucy Davis (Kingsmead), Francesca de Villiers (Roedean), Anastasia Hambakis (Reddam Bedfordview), Isabella Imbriolo (St Stithians), Julia Joseph (St Mary’s), Mia Loizides (Roedean), Ogechi McMurray (St Dominic’s), Emma Pelicot (Roedean), Amy Smith (St Mary’s), Tori Tanner-Ellis (St Stithians).

Central Gauteng u19B Girls

Taylor Billett (Roedean), India-Rose Cope (Crawford Lonehill), Kiara Cronje (Roedean), Mia Duffy (Beaulieu), Holly Franks (Kingsmead), Amy Harmzen (St Dominic’s), Aimee Hattingh (Reddam Bedfordview), Mya Osei (Roedean), Cecilia Petersen (Roedean), Amy Stubbs (Roedean), Emily Townshend (Crawford Lonehill), Ziyanda Tshabalala (Roedean), Simphiwe Zulu (St Dominic’s).

Non-travelling reserves
Eryn Doyle (Beaulieu), Rachel Rostron (St Peter’s), Angela Smith (Parktown Girls), Shannon Spitsbaard (Crawford Lonehill).

Coaches and Manager

Head coach: Kelsey Thomson
Assistant coach: Michaela Boaventura
Assistant coach: Wade Brand
Manager: Nicola MacLeod