St Andrew’s School unveiled a first of its kind in South Africa artificial hockey field on Tuesday evening. The FIH-certified dry hockey surface, manufactured by Polytan and installed by Trompie, is the same one that will be used at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
Ashley Appleby, Polytan’s International Sales Manager, commented: “Polytan is a close partner of the FIH and as such have been working on a dry hockey solution for the past few years. Today is the culmination of all the hard work as we celebrate the official opening of St Andrew’s School’s new certified FIH dry innovation hockey turf system.
“Poligras Paris GT Zero is also the world’s first carbon zero hockey pitch and is manufactured using sustainable bio-based raw materials.”
St Andrew’s Director of Hockey Trevor Raubenheimer said his players have been practicing on the surface for a month now. “It’s plays perfectly. I don’t have anything bad to say about it,” he said.
The pitch does not require water and is self-sustainable, and that played a big role in the decision to go with the Polytan surface, Raubenheimer added.
“You can water it, if you want. At the Olympics, they will water it in the morning and the night. That’s optional.
“Hockey is a winter sport. In winter, we have dew, so it won’t be necessary. When it’s rained in the morning, or even the previous evening, and we have trained the next day, it plays just like a water-based surface. I really can’t tell the difference.” In an area of low winter rainfall, like the Free State, that’s a big positive.
The Polytan surface has an important playing advantage over a water-based surface, Raubenheimer explained: “With a water-based surface, if it isn’t watered regularly, it is inconsistent. With this, it is very consistent, all over the pitch. I’m very happy with it.”
The only place where water is regularly used is where the ball is injected for penalty corners, with a five-litre bottle being left for the injector. “It does make it a little bit smoother [for the injector],” he said. “In terms of speed, it is the same.”
With a crowd of about 500 people in attendance, St Andrew’s played Queen’s College to give the pitch its official opening. They made a winning start, recording a 2-1 win over their opposition from Komani.
Saints will next be in action at the Bishops 175th Hockey Festival, while Queen’s visit Kearsney College to participate in the Founders Hockey Festival.
Ten of the country’s top hockey-playing schools have converged on Pietermaritzburg and are preparing for the annual Nomads Festival, which begins on Thursday, 21 March.
The event, which is being hosted by Maritzburg College, runs over three days and will end on Saturday, 23 March.
The Nomads Festival comprises a group of core schools, who have established themselves over the years as among South Africa’s most consistent and best hockey-playing schools.
Catch all the Nomads Festival action live on DStv Channel 216 from 15:30 on Thursday.
Maritzburg College coach Kyle Emerson‘s team enters the festival with a point to prove.
The hosts have a rich history in the sport. In the past 73 years, they have delivered 36 players to the South African national team, including three captains. Despite that esteemed history, College did not enjoy a particularly good Nomads Festival in 2023, winning two and losing three matches.
Emerson will be seeking a better showing from his defence which conceded 10 goals, twice as many as the number they scored, last year.
One of their standout players is goalkeeper Nicholas Holmes, who was a member of the South Africa u17 team that took part in the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Kuala Lumpur in October last year. College is well stocked with players who have represented KZN Inland at provincial level, but will look, in particular, to the experienced Siwa Sithembu, who was selected for the SA u16 High-Performance camp last year, to lead their challenge.
In the previous edition of the Nomads Festival, Jeppe High School for Boys overcame the hosts 3-1. The teams will meet on the last day of the festival.
While College will be seeking to reverse that result, coach Siya Sityana’s team will be a tough nut to crack. At last year’s Nomads Festival, the Gauteng side was unstoppable, sweeping all of their matches. They stamped their authority on proceedings by scoring 12 goals and conceding only one.
They also made their intentions for the 2024 edition of the Nomads clear when they beat Michaelhouse 2-1 in a warmup match a few hours after arriving in the KZN Midlands on Tuesday.
Selborne College will not be bystanders. Coach KJ Friend’s team is on a high following a successful Tony Godding Festival where they finished as one of the three unbeaten teams. They’ll be aiming to maintain that momentum against competition that will be a step up from the East London event.
Grey College, who won four of their five matches at the Tony Godding Festival, had mixed results at Nomads in 2023, and produced three wins and two loses.
They scored 11 and conceded eight goals on their way to victories over Maritzburg College, King Edward VII School (KES), and St John’s College. They lost to Pretoria Boys High School and Jeppe. They will have a chance to avenge their 2-4 loss to PBHS on the first day of the festival when they cross sticks with the Pretoria-based team.
PBHS, like the other Nomads participants, has an excellent hockey history and they will be anything but pushovers. Grey College will have to be on point and clinical. KES, Hilton College, Wynberg, St John’s, and Grey High, who were also undefeated at the Tony Godding Festival, will also be in action at the hockey extravaganza.
Fixtures
Thursday
08:00 – Jeppe vs Hilton College, 09:00 – Grey College vs PBHS, 10:25 – KES vs Selborne, 11:35 – Maritzburg College vs Grey High, 12:50 – Wynberg vs St John’s, 14:00 – Jeppe vs Grey College, 15:15 – PBHS vs Selborne, 16:25 – KES vs Hilton College, 17:40 – Maritzburg College vs Wynberg, 18:50 – Grey High vs St John’s.
Friday
08:00 – KES vs Grey College, 09:10 – Grey High vs Hilton College, 10:25 – Wynberg vs PBHS, 11:35 – Maritzburg College vs St John’s College, 12:50 – Jeppe vs Selborne, 14:00 – Grey High vs KES, 15:15 – Hilton College vs PBHS, 16:25 – Grey College vs St John’s, 17:40 – Jeppe vs Wynberg, 18:50 – Maritzburg College vs Selborne.
Saturday
07:30 – Grey High vs PBHS, 08:40 – KES vs Wynberg, 09:55– Selborne vs St John’s, 11:05– Hilton College vs Grey College, 12:15 – Maritzburg College vs Jeppe
Bishops Diocesan hockey head coach, Ryan Julius giving out instructions to his team during the Parel Vallei Boys Hockey Festival in Cape Town. Photo: Bishops Diocesan
The Bishops Diocesan College first hockey team will be aiming to continue a spotless start to their season when they host the Bishops 175Hockey Festival in the southern suburbs of Cape Town.
The festival, which celebrates the school’s 175th anniversary, gets underway on Thursday, with the final matches scheduled for Sunday morning.
From the Western Cape, Bishops will welcome Somerset College and Langa Hockey Club for the three-day event.
Gauteng’s interests are represented by St Benedict’s College and St David’s Marist Inanda.
Meanwhile, Michaelhouse and St Charles College will fly the flag for the KwaZulu-Natal region.
Completing the lineup are St Andrew’s School, from Bloemfontein, and Makhanda’s St Andrew’s College. Both were in action at the Tony Godding Festival in East London over the past weekend, where College put together a record of five wins from five matches, including a 2-1 victory over high-flying Grey College on the last day.
All eyes will, however, be on the home side, with much expected from them after a strong 2023 and a good start to 2024 at the Parel Vallei Boys Hockey Festival last week.
There, coach Ryan Julius’s boys were a cut above the rest, dominating proceedings, and thereby announcing themselves as one of the teams to keep an eye out for in the forthcoming season.
They played three matches, against Somerset College, Outeniqua, and Paarl Boys’ High.
In their opening encounter, they calmy defused Somerset College’s challenge to claim a 2-0 win. That result was followed by an emphatic 5-0 victory over Outeniqua. Then, in their last outing, they netted seven against Paarl Boys’ High to end their weekend on a high.
Reflecting on the festival, coach Julius said he was satisfied with the results and happy to see his side take on some of the province’s best schools.
“The festival was against teams we don’t often play against, because we’re in the southern suburbs, so it was quite an interesting weekend that gave us an idea of what the rest of the teams in the Western Cape can offer,” he told SuperSport Schools in an exclusive interview.
“It also allowed us to practice certain situations that we will probably find ourselves in this season.
“We also enjoyed it because it contributed to the growth of school hockey, and at Bishops, we want to be part of the growth of schoolboys’ hockey in South Africa.”
The Bishops Diocesan first hockey side alongside head coach Ryan Julius during the side’s pre-season match against the South African Women’s Team in Cape Town. Photo: Bishops Diocesan
Coach Julius is no stranger to Bishops, having coached the first team previously.
He was at the school from the beginning of 2017, for two-and-a-half years, before he departed to take up a playing contract in The Netherlands in 2020.
He returned to the set-up last year as an assistant coach and was roped in to take the lead role for 2024.
Julius, who has also represented South Africa at the Olympic Games, is no stranger to pressure and will be urging his side to stay focussed throughout the festival, starting with their first encounter against Michaelhouse on Thursday night.
“We are looking forward to these fixtures. It’s not often we get to play against the rest of South Africa’s schools, so it’s going to be a nice challenge for us and a good indicator of how successful our pre-season has been,” he said.
“That’s something I’m looking forward to from a coaching perspective – to see what my boys have learned in terms of the tactical and technical approach that I’ve tried to bring to the school.
“More than anything, it’s the school’s 175th birthday, so it’s nice to host a festival like this at home.
“I’m sure there’s a bit of pressure on us as a school but, for me, I don’t see it as pressure, I see it as a privilege.
“We will get to showcase what our school has to offer and try and compete with what other schools around South Africa have to offer,” he concluded.
The action kicks off on Thursday with Bishops taking on Michaelhouse in the main match at 19:30.
The hosts, on day two, will face St Charles College and St David’s Marist Inanda. Day three will see Julius’s side face St Andrew’s School and St Andrew’s College, before they finish their campaign against St Benedict’s College on Sunday at 12:40.
Fixtures
Thursday, 21 March 2024
14:00 – Somerset College vs Langa; 15:10 – St Benedict’s College vs St Charles 16:40 – St Andrew’s College vs St David’s Marist Inanda; 17:50 –St Andrew’s School vs Uplands; 19:30 – Bishops vs Michaelhouse.
Friday, 22 March 2024
08:20 – Langa vs St Andrew’s School; 09:30 – Uplands vs St Andrew’s College; 10:40 – Somerset College vs St Benedict’s College; 11:50 – Bishops vs St Charles; 13:20 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Michaelhouse; 14:30 – Langa vs Uplands; 15:40 – St Benedict’s College vs St Andrew’s School; 17:10 – St Charles vs St Andrew’s College; 18:20 – Bishops vs St David’s Marist Inanda; 19:30 – Somerset College vs Michaelhouse.
Saturday, 23 March 2024
08:20 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs St Charles; 09:30 – Somerset College vs Uplands; 10:40 – St Benedict’s College vs Michaelhouse; 11:50 – Bishops vs St Andrew’s School; 13:20 – Langa vs St Andrew’s College; 14:30 – Somerset College vs St David’s Marist Inanda; 15:40 – St Benedict’s College vs Uplands; 17:10 – St Charles vs St Andrew’s School; 18:20– Langa vs Michaelhouse; 19:30 – Bishops vs St Andrew’s College.
Sunday, 24 March 2024
08:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Uplands; 09:10 – Michaelhouse vs St Andrew’s College; 10:20 – Langa vs St Charles; 11:30 – Somerset College vs St Andrew’s School; 12:40 – Bishops vs St Benedict’s College.
The Pearson High School first team in action against Queens College at the Tony Godding Festival in East London. Photo: Elschke (Pearson High)
The 2024 hockey season is officially up and running. The pre-season is done, and festivals now grab the spotlight.
This weekend will be no different as many of the country’s best return to action at the Nomads Hockey Festival, hosted by Maritzburg College, the Founders Festival, at Kearsney College, and the Coastal Cup, hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal High School Hockey Association at the Riverside Sports Club.
Among the teams gearing up for action will be Pearson High School, with the side from Gqeberha flying down to KwaZulu-Natal to participate in the Coastal Cup.
Pearson is the only Eastern Cape team in the lineup and is joined by KZN’s Westville Boys’ High, Durban High, Glenwood and Clifton College, the Pretoria quartet of St Alban’s College, Garsfontein, Menlopark, and Waterkloof, and Paarl Boys’ High, from the Western Cape.
Coach Dalan Phillips’s side enters the event with good game-time under their belts after participating at the Tony Godding Festival in East London over the past weekend.
There, the side achieved mixed results, winning two of their four matches against Cambridge High (5-0), and Queens College (4-0) respectively.
They further went on to draw 1-1 against Bloemfontein’s St Andrew’s School but suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Grey College in their opener.
In an interview with SuperSport Schools after the tournament, Phillips admitted that his team’s performances against the Bloemfontein schools were filled with missed opportunities and inaccuracy in the final third.
“We came to the Tony Godding Festival with a fairly new team, and expectations were set from last year,” he told SuperSport Schools at the venue.
“I think, as a whole, in terms of the hockey played, I was quite happy, but unfortunately what you do in the two circles counts.
“I think defensively, we were fairly okay, but offensively, we struggled to score goals, and if you don’t score goals, you can’t win many hockey games,” he added.
Pearson High School head coach, Dalan Phillips giving out instructions during his side’s match at the Tony Godding Festival in East London. Photo: Elschke (Pearson High)
Pearson’s team this year returns a handful of experienced players, and coach Phillips has been forced to rebuild and integrate new younger players in the system.
Those players had an opportunity to taste first team action from a first time in East London, and the coach said he was happy with what he saw.
“Some of them have settled in nicely,” he said.
“I must say, I have a nice set of boys. They’ve just got a lot of learning to do.
“I have one youngster coming up from the u14s, and he’s come into the side to learn and should take that experience back with him to the u16 group and continue to grow.
“With the others, we have done nicely as a team, and like I said, we’ve defended well but haven’t been able to capitalise when attacking.”
Pearson will kick off their Coastal Cup campaign with two matches on the opening day.
First up will be a clash against Westville Boys High at 09:15, before they take on Menlopark at 15:45.
The second day will see Phillips’ side take on Paarl Boys High before they end their tour with a tussle against St Alban’s College on Sunday at 11:45.
Pearson fixtures for the Coastal Cup
Friday 22 March
09:15 – Pearson High vs Westville Boys High 15:45 – Pearson High vs Menlopark High School
Cecil Parsons (Voortrekker) in aksie teen Fichardtpark. | FOTO: Willie Kruger
Voortrekker Hoërskool se eerstespan het Saterdag die bordjies verhang teen Hoërskool Fichardtpark met ‘n oortuigende sege van 33-5, tuis in Bethlehem .
Fichardtpark was verlede jaar gekroon as die o. 19 A-kampioen met ‘n onoorwonne rekord, maar die Trekkers het as algehele wenners van die reeks geëindig. Nadat die Fichies die vorige slag in Bloemfontein met 33-19 baas was, sal die naweek se uitslag ekstra soet smaak vir span van die Oos-Vrystaat.
Dit was inderdaad ‘n aksiebelaaide naweek wat die Wesgrow Sentrale Sportreeks betref.
Hoërskool Witteberg het ‘n skitterende 51-8 oorwinning oor Sentraal behaal, terwylDiamantveld en Goudveld-Hoërskool albei met hul tweede seges van die jaar se reeks, oor Hoërskole Trio en Jim Fouché, kan spog.
Die Fichie-Leeus het eerste bloed getrek in Bethlehem deur hul kranige loskopstut, Zaine van Zyl, maar die ervare Trekkers-span het koelkop gebly en geduldig aanhou verdedig.
Kort voor halftyd het die tuisspan se blitsige buitesenter, Frederik Fourie, ‘n gaping gewaar op die teenaanval en, teen die verloop van spel, ‘n pragdrie uit sy eie helfte afgerond. Skrumskakel, Christiaan van der Sandt, het aan hulle die voorsprong besorg deur die ekstras by te voeg.
Dit was al wat die span van Bethlehem nodig gehad het om die momentum na hul kant toe te laat swaai, en na die breuk het hulle behoorlik die tempo gelig.
Die sluise het van meet af in die tweede skof oopgemaak, met Francois Maree wat binne 30 sekondes na rustyd oorgeduik het, en 10 minute later het Kaneng Komane nog ‘n skitterende drie bygevoeg.
Die Trekkers se kaptein, Arnold Ras, en sy groot Cravenweek-stut, Cecil Parsons, het die veld vol gespeel, terwyl Kamohelo Moses en die res van die agterlyn aangedui het hóé vernietigend hulle kan wees wanneer hulle toegelaat word om hul spelpatrone uit te voer.
Moses het twee drieë tot sy naam gevoeg, terwyl heelagter, Tumi Khoza, ook weer deurlopend betrokke was vir Voortrekker. Dit is die derde jaar wat Khoza die eerstespantrui oor die kop trek.
Fichardtpark-flank, Janel du Plessis, het nog een keer oor die doellyn gebeur vir ‘n troosdrie, maar die Bloemfonteiners sal die geleentheid moet benut om hul spel te verfyn by hierdie naweek se Danie Rossouw-rugbyweek in Witriver, voordat die Wesgrow-reeks weer in April hervat.
Intussen moes Diamantveld sweet om in Kroonstad teen Trio deur te skraap.
Nadat die tuisspan goed teruggeveg het om van agter te kom en Diamantveld se telling verby te steek, danksy ‘n pragdrie deur hul ster losskakel, Byron Biennas, moes die Diamonds staatmaak op die stewel van Charl Swanepoel, nadat Carel Viljoen se drie in die doodsnikke die spanne gelyk laat trek het, om naelskraaps met 29-27 te seëvier.
Na hul sege oor Voortrekker in die eerste ronde van vanjaar se kompetisie, is die Diamonds van die vroeë aanspraakmakers op die Wesgrow-titel, met twee welverdiende seges reeds agter hul naam.
Goudveld is die enigste ander span wat ook met twee oorwinnings kan spog na die afgelope naweek.
Die Gouties het verlede week vir Fichardtpark geklop, en Saterdag het hulle vir nog ‘n span uit die Rosestad afgestof deur vir Jim Fouché met leë hande huistoe te stuur. Die eindtelling was 20-13 in die span van Welkom se guns.
Witteberg het hul spiere gebult teen Sentraal, met losskakel Sydwell Sethi wat 21 punte kon aanteken in hul eensydige oorwinning van 51-8.
Puntemakers:
Voortrekker 33 (7) – Drieë: Kamohelo Moses (2), Frederik Fourie, Kaneng Komane, Francois Maree. Doelskoppe: Christiaan van der Sandt (4). Hoërskool Fichardtpark 10 (5) – Drieë: Zaine van Zyl, Janel du Plessis.
Goudveld-Hoërskool 20 (3) – Drieë: Jan Coetzee, Hannes Fouche, Ru-Bran Kock. Doelskop: JM Rensburg. Strafdoel: Ruben Crous. Hoërskool Jim Fouché 13 (6) – Drie: Bendré Vermaak. Doelskop: Alldrick Johnson. Strafdoelle: Johnson, Christian Strydom.
Hoërskool Witteberg 51 (22) – Drieë: Sydwell Sethi (3), Sakkie Brits, Lesego Mosikidi, Colin van der Merwe, Jacques van der Merwe, Tshepo Motloung, Kenyon Morat. Doelskoppe: Sethi (3), Motloung (2). Hoërskool Sentraal 8 (0) – Drie: Steven Smith. Strafdoel: SJ Coetzee.
Hoërskool Diamantveld 29 (17) – Drieë: De Wet du Plooy, Jayden de Klerk, Kyle Taute, Simon Liversage, Carel Viljoen. Doelskoppe: Simon Liversage, Charl Swanepoel. Hoërskool Trio 27 (8) – Drieë: Strafdrie, Killian Kriek, Aaron Kriek, Byron Bienas. Doelskop: Bienas. Strafdoel: Biennas.
Ander tellings:
o. 19 – Voortrekker II 41, Fichardtpark II 14; Witteberg II 43, Sentraal II 19; Goudveld II 15, Jim Fouché II 12; Diamantveld II 41, Trio II 10; Diamantveld III 54, Trio III 0; Jim Fouché III 26, Goudveld III 12; Voortrekker III 70, Fichardtpark III 8; Witteberg III 47, Sentraal III 19.
o. 16 – Voortrekker A 32, Fichardtpark A 17; Sentraal A 8, Witteberg A 7; Jim Fouché A 27, Goudveld A 26; Diamantveld A 31, Trio A 14; Diamantveld B 33, Trio B 0; Voortrekker B 50, Fichardtpark B 10; Sentraal B 26, Witteberg B 0.
o. 15 – Voortrekker A 36, Fichardtpark A 0; Witteberg A 12, Sentraal A 0; Jim Fouché A 46, Goudveld A 0; Trio A 50, Diamantveld A 0; Trio B 48, Diamantveld B 0; Jim Fouché B 56, Goudveld B 5; Voortrekker B 32, Fichardtpark B 22; Sentraal B 34, Witteberg B 14.
o. 14 – Voortrekker A 52, Fichardtpark A 7; Jim Fouché A 52, Goudveld A 5; Diamantveld A 42, Trio A 5; Diamantveld B 29, Trio B 0; Goudveld B 25, Jim Fouché B 5; Voortrekker B 29, Fichardtpark B 10; Witteberg B 19, Sentraal B 19.
PHOTO: Peter Catzavelos (Courtesy of Wynberg Boys’ High)
The new schoolboy rugby season was welcomed in style in the Western Cape as teams gathered at Wynberg Boys’ High for five action-packed days from Friday.
The four big rivals from the southern suburbs all kicked off their seasons at the event, with Wynberg and SACS registering wins. Bishops Diocesan College tacked two wins onto their record, and Rondebosch Boys’ High came up just short against Oakdale Landbou.
On Saturday, Wynberg flexed their muscles against the visiting side from Windhoek High School, blasting the visitors 84-3.
The 9/10 combo of Yaqeen Ahmed and Tyronn Gomb devastated the Namibians’ defensive lines. Both crossed the whitewash three times, and Brandon Asburner scored a brace of tries, as the hosts romped to a decisive win, scoring 14 tries in all.
It was a tough ask for Windhoek High, who had little turnaround time after playing in the final match against Bishops on Friday. Bishops controlled the tempo of that game with a well-drilled attack as they rolled to 43-8 victory in their opener.
Alejandro Morkel got one back against the locals, finishing off with some clever support play after an interception.
Bishops also took on St Charles College from Pietermaritzburg on Sunday. Saints had beaten Milnerton 25-19 in a thrilling encounter under lights on Friday evening.
The Bishops’ 1st XV has been preparing to defend their school’s honour at their 175th Year Festival next weekend, and they stormed out of the blocks on Sunday.
Two intercept-tries gave the Capetonians a commanding lead early on. Kashief Joseph scored twice and captain, James le Feuvre, added another for a 21-0 head-start, but St Charles kept their heads up, kept fighting, and clawed their way back into the contest just before half time.
Halfback, Matthew Fick, who made the Sharks’ Craven Week team last year, was immense for Saints, along with his flyhalf, Ukhanyo Ntsangani, but a perfect conversion record by Lucca Mynhardt gave Bishops the edge.
The home side was forced to defend in the second half but showed character to keep St Charles at bay, which bodes well as they aim to add another strong season to the school’s proud rugby history in its 175th anniversary year.
Windhoek High finally got a taste of success on Monday, when they beat Bellville THS in a gruelling 7-0 slugfest.
Just like in the game against Bishops, it was the winger, Morkel, who scored the only try for the Namibians, which his fullback, William Beukes converted. That proved enough to secure a victory before they took the long drive back to Windhoek.
SACS put themselves under pressure against Hoërskool Durbanville by missing all six of their attempts at goal and conceding a penalty try, but, ultimately, they outmuscled the Durbies, scoring five tries to win by three points.
Oakdale Landbou were the only visitors to have success against one of the southern suburbs’ powerhouses, beating Rondebosch 17-13.
After a closely contested first half, the farmers from Riversdal trailed by three points and David Simon doubled Bosch’s lead with a penalty shortly after the break.
Oakdale stuck to their structures, however, and Reinhardt Viljoen and Kai Pratt crossed the whitewash to add to Lohan Gerber‘s first half try to seal a big victory for the visitors ahead of their Klein Karoo Saadproduksie Rugby Week next weekend.
Scorers
Wynberg Boys’ High 84 – Tries: Yaqeen Ahmed (3), Tyron Gombe (3), Brandon Ashburner (2) Xabiso Mkiva, Luqobo Makwedini, Aden da Costa, Torren February, Morné Noble, Theripo Karuhumba. Conversions: Ahmed (6), Ashburner. Windhoek High 3 – Penalty: William Beukes.
Diocesan College 43 (24) – Tries: Gareth Mckinon, Alex Smith, Iviwe Dadmasi, Alex Newton, Wa-keem Fortuin, Jordan Petersen, Fouke Wagener. Conversions: Lucca Mynhardt (2), Ammar Laatoe (2). Windhoek High 8 (3) – Try: Alejandro Morkel. Penalty: William Beukes.
Bishops Diocesan College 28 (21) – Tries: Kashief Joseph (2), James le Feuvre, Cole Robyntjies. Conversions: Lucca Mynhardt (4). St Charles College 24 (14) – Tries: Matthew Fick, Chris Allardyce, Ukhanyo Ntsangani, Matthew Ludick, Rashied Isaacs. Conversions: Ntsangani (2).
Oakdale Landbou 17 (7) – Tries: Lohan Gerber, Reinhardt Viljoen, Kai Pratt. Conversions: Kurt Coetzee. Rondebosch Boys’ High 13 (10) – Tries: Randall John Davids, Dylan Miller. Penalty: David Simon.
Windhoek High School 7 (7) – Try: Alejandro Morkel. Conversion: William Beukes. Bellville THS 0.
All the results:
u19 – Jan van Riebeeck 11, Bergvliet 6; Kaytomas Academy 28, Langa RFC 0; Porterville 17, Hoërskool Durbanville II 10; Dream Hunters 24, Wynberg Boys’ High II 22; Wynberg Boys’ High III 17, Bergvliet 10; SACS III 17, Kaytomas Academy 12; Hoërskool Durbanville III 31, Langa RFC 5; SACS II 21, Jan van Riebeeck 0; Oakdale Landbou III 25, Porterville II 0; Oakdale II 17, Rondebosch Boys’ High 12; Wynberg Boys’ High II 17, St Charles College II 0.
u16 – Hoërskool Durbanville A 26, Bellville THS A 14; Wynberg Boys’ High A 53, St Charles College A 15; Oakdale Landbou A 18, Rondebosch Boys’ High A 17; Hoërskool Durbanville A 29, SACS A 19; Wynberg Boys’ High B 50, Porterville A 19; SACS B 67, Kaytomas Academy A 0; Hoërskool Durbanville B 12, Oakdale Landbou B 5.
u15 – Hoërskool Durbanville A 66, Windhoek High A 0; Wynberg Boys’ High A 36, St Charles College A 0; Wynberg Boys’ High A 56, Windhoek High 7; SACS A 27, Hoërskool Durbanville A 17; Rondebosch Boys’ High A 17, Oakdale Landbou A 7; Windhoek High A 14, Hamiltons A 14; SACS B 42, Jan van Riebeeck A 0; Wynberg Boys’ High B 5, Jan van Riebeeck A 3; Langa RFC A 29, Porterville B 12; Hoërskool Durbanville B 12, Oakdale Landbou B 5; Rondebosch Boys’ High B 10, Porterville A 7; Wynberg Boys’ High C 7, Langa RFC A 0; Hamiltons A 15, Hoërskool Durbanville B 14; Jan van Riebeeck A 19, Bellville THS A 15.
u14 – Wynberg Boys’ High 59, Windhoek High 0; SACS B 52, Jan van Riebeeck A 5; Wynberg Boys’ High B 28, Reds Academy 26; Wynberg Boys’ High C 25, SACS C 0; Hoërskool Durbanville A 62, Hamiltons A 14; Jan van Riebeeck A 32, Kaytomas Academy 0; Oakdale Landbou A 20, Wynberg Boys’ High A 12; Rondebosch Boys’ High A 72, Windhoek High A 0; Hoërskool Durbanville B 48, Reds Academy A 7; Oakdale Landbou B 5, Wynberg Boys’ High B 0; Rondebosch Boys’ High B 14, Jan van Riebeeck A 0; Oakdale Landbou C 17, Wynberg Boys’ High C 12; Wynberg Boys’ High C 17, Kaytomas Academy A 0; SACS A 41, Langa RFC 0; SACS B 42, Kaytomas Academy A 14; Hoërskool Durbanville A 55, Windhoek High A 0; Hoërskool Durbanville B 12, Bellville THS A 7; Wynberg Boys’ High A 25, Hamiltons A 0; Bellville THS A 15, Jan van Riebeeck A 0; Hoërskool Durbanville B 12, Jan van Riebeeck A 3.
u13 – SSDP A 29, Hamiltons A 29; SSDP B 12, Marvin Park A 19; Bastion A 26, Wynberg Boys’ Junior A 19; Bastion B 24, Marvin Park A 5; Bastion 22, SSDP B 5; Reds Academy A 17, SSDP B 10; Hamiltons A 60, Marvin Park A 12; Bastion A 48, Porterville A 0; Wynberg Boys’ Junior A 17, SSDP A 14; Bastion B 12, Wynberg Boys’ Junior B 0; Langa RFC A 34, Wynberg Boys’ Junior B 17; Bastion B 21, Langa RFC A 7; Langa RFC A 31, SSDP B 10; SSDP A 62, Marvin Park A 10; Hamiltons A 41, Wynberg Boys’ Junior A 7; Wynberg Boys’ Junior B 41, Reds Academy A 14.
KZN u18 boys during the Water Polo Currie Cup in East London. Photo: Shot by Shani Photography
Head coach of the u18 KwaZulu-Natal boys Water Polo team, Rob Ambler has urged his side to take lessons from their 8-6 defeat against Central Gauteng in the final of the Junior Water Polo Championships that were hosted in East London over the past weekend.
KZN was one of the standout teams during the weekend, winning all six of their matches leading up to the final.
It was however lapses of concentration and inaccuracy in the final match that saw them stumble to their first defeat of the tournament and in the process take home the silver medal.
Looking back at their campaign, Coach Ambler’s side was dominant in the round-robin matches, playing an appealing brand of water polo, which saw them become ruthless on the attack while minimizing the number of goals they conceded.
They beat every team that came across them and cemented the top spot when they edged out Western Province by 4-3 on penalties after the clash ended tied at 8-8 early on day two.
They followed that win with a 13-4 emphatic victory against the hosts, Buffalo City in the semi-finals to set themselves a date against Central Gauteng in the final.
The final was a hotly contested affair, with very little to separate the two sides, especially in the opening two chukkas. KZN stayed in the game courtesy of goals by James Pohl, Tristan Uys, and Oliver Ditz.
They were, however, outscored in the final two chukkas when Gauteng’s Karabo Mamaregane scored two late goals to seal an 8-6 win for the Gauteng side.
Reacting to his side’s performance from the weekend, Ambler said as much as it was disappointing losing the final, he was proud of how his side carried themselves throughout the weekend.
“I think our execution and communication was not good in the final,” he told SuperSport Schools at the venue.
“We kept pushing on the one side when the other side was our strongest side- and the better team won on the day, that’s sports, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
“The lead-up wasn’t great but the boys put in their graft, and we heard we were the underdogs so we love the underdogs tag – we will always come sneaking somewhere along the line.”
KZN’s Max Scully on the attack during his side’s 8-8 draw with Western Province at the Currie Cup in East London. Photo: Shot by Shani Photography
Despite the two-point defeat in the final, Ambler still praised his side for showing true determination, and commitment in their matches, emphasizing how they exceeded his expectations.
“If you told me we would win six from six, last Friday I would’ve laughed,” he added.
“We pushed hard, I’m chuffed for my boys, and proud of them. They put in big shifts every game and had calm heads most of the time except for the final
“Otherwise, to go through like we did, and lose one game the whole tournament I’m so happy and proud of the boys.”
The KZN side will be back in action later this year during the Inter-provincial tournament set to be hosted in the same East London.
Looking ahead, Ambler says he’s happy with the depth they’ve built over the past few years in both the young, and senior ranks in the province.
“Our trails for the Currie Cup were massive, and we could’ve brought a B-side here,” the coach said.
“There is nice depth in the KZN, in both the u18 and u16 levels at the moment.
“It’s up, and onwards from here – the guys just need to put in the work, put in the effort and the success will come,” he concluded.
KwaZulu Natal’s results from the South African Junior Water Polo Championships:
KwaZulu-Natal 14-11 Buffalo City
KwaZulu-Natal 18-10 Nelson Mandela Bay
KwaZulu-Natal 12-8 Central Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal 8(4)-8(3) Western Province
KwaZulu-Natal 22-9 Northern Tigers
KwaZulu-Natal 14-3 Buffalo City
KwaZulu-Natal 6-8 Central Gauteng
The annual Frans Malherbe u15 Rugby Festival hosted by Paarl Boys’ High kicks off this evening with the hosts taking on Hoërskool Rustenburg in the opening match.
The inaugural week was held back in 2005 and the festival has grown to become the premier u15 schoolboy week in South Africa.
Boishaai will face HTS Drostdy in the main game on Saturday, while their final clash against Monument of Krugersdorp on Monday also promises to be one of the highlights of the festival.
Paarl Gimnasium will take on Monument, Windhoek Gimnasium, and Die Brandwag from Uitenhage in their three matches.
Grey College of Bloemfontein has appointments with Boland Landbou, Hoërskool Durbanville, and HTS Drostdy during the festival. The encounter against Boland Landbou will be the main match on Thursday.
The Fixtures:
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
20:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
Thursday, 21 March 2024
20:00 – Boland Landbou vs Grey College 19:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Monument 18:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Waterkloof 17:00 – HTS Drostdy vs Curro Windhoek Gimnasium 16:00 – Nico Malan vs Noord-Kaap 15:00 – u13 – Laerskool Park vs Laerskool Garsfontein 14:00 – Vredendal vs Charlie Hofmeyr 13:00 – Hoërskool Durbanville vs Punt 12:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Die Brandwag (Uitenhage)
Saturday, 23 March 2024
19:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs HTS Drostdy 18:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Vredendal 17:00 – Monument vs Noord-Kaap 16:00 – Grey College vs Hoërskool Durbanville 15:00 – u13 – Laerskool Vredendal vs TBC 14:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Curro Windhoek Gimnasium 13:00 – Boland Landbou vs Hoërskool Punt 12:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) 11:00 – Nico Malan vs Waterkloof 10:00 – Hoërskool Rustenburg vs Charlie Hofmeyr
Monday, 25 March 2024
BRUGSTRAAT A
12:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Monument 11:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) 10:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Hoërskool Durbanville 09:00 – Grey College vs HTS Drostdy 08:00 – Vredendal vs Hoërskool Punt
BRUGSTRAAT B
11:00 – Boland Landbou vs Hoërskool Rustenburg 10:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Waterkloof 09:00 – Charlie Hofmeyr vs Noord-Kaap 08:00 – Nico Malan vs Curro Windhoek Gimnasium
DANIEL FELLINGHAM of St David’s Marist on the rampage against St John’s College. PHOTO: Frans Lombard/Actionpix
The start of the rugby season was marked by a barrage of points in three early season fixtures featuring some of South Africa’s premier all-boys’ schools.
St Stithians started off their season by making amends for last year’s two defeats to St Benedict’s by hammering the visitors by 59 points on Saturday.
With 20 minutes remaining, the score read 22-3, and Bennies might have thought they were still in with a chance, if they could string a few good plays together.
Saints, however, had other ideas, with side adding 40 points in a points-scoring frenzy, as the flood gates opened.
Seven different players scored tries, with three of them dotting down twice, while flyhalf Chris Anderson, one of those two-try scorers, produced a brilliant individual performance, and added a conversion to his tally.
Meanwhile, St John’s College claimed a 29-21 win over St David’s Marist Inanda in a scrappy contest.
Riley Elliot, Malan du Plessis and Jacob Smith crossed the whitewash for The Blues, before Kakuhle Tunguta made it four five-pointers for St John’s, right at the end.
Bryson Walker showed off his kicking abilities by slotting three conversions and a penalty.
St David’s would have felt they were within reach of a victory throughout. They ran in three tries of their own – by Theo Fonternel ,Kuzi Majuru and James Pearson – but some tight defence when it mattered kept them just out of reach of the St John’s total.
In the final match of the day, St Alban’s dampened the Old Boys’ celebrations of Parktown Boys’ High School by beating the hosts 37-20.
The Pretoria side scored seven tries through seven different players, but their goal kicking was not as impressive, with only one of the five-pointers being turned into a seven-point play.
Lethoko Mallane ran in a double for the home team, but that was not enough to put Parktown in with an opportunity to overcome the large deficit created by a rampant St Alban’s.
Scorers
St John’s College 29 (19) – Tries: Riley Elliot, Malan du Plessis, Jacob Smith, Kakuhle Tunguta. Penalties: Bryson Walker, Conversions: Bryson Walker (3). St David’s Marist Inanda 21 (14) – Tries: Theo Fonternel ,Kuzi Majuru, James Pearson. Conversions: Diego Ferreira (3).
St Stithians College 62 (22) – Tries: Sicelo Sakawuli (2), Chris Anderson (2), Keabetswe Mapukana (2), Ross Turner, Josh Meyer, Hlelo Ngwenya, Nthabeleng Mafole. Conversions: Joshua Meyer (2), Chris Anderson. Penalties: Joshua Meyer (x2).
St Benedicts College 3 (3) – Penalty: Braeden le Roux.
St Albans College 37 (15) – Tries: Patrick Weir, Verster, Ward, JJ Steenkamp, Sema, Nelson, Gosling. Conversions: Patrick Weir. Parktown Boys’ High School 20 (15) – Tries: Lethoko Mallane (2), Calestin Felkers, Mundilu Emmeraude.
Die langverwagte Kloof-netbalfees vind hierdie week, van 21 tot 25 Maart, plaas by Hoërskool Waterkloof.
Die fees moes noodgedwonge vanjaar uitbrei om ‘n rekordgetal van nie minder nie as 107 netbalspanne te akkommodeer.
Nege-en-twintig topskole van regoor die land gaan aan die fees deelneem, waarvan sommige vir die 13de agtereenvolgende jaar terugkeer. Die Kloof-fees word beskou as die oudste fees in Pretoria.
René Straeuli, netbaldirekteur van Waterkloof, vertel dat sedert die fees se begin in 2011, met 21 rondes en 20 spanne (beperk tot o. 19), het die toernooi eksponensieel gegroei.
Weens oorweldigende belangstelling en ten spyte van die oorspronklike beplaning vir ‘n beperking van 90 spanne vir vanjaar se toernooi, was die organiseerders verplig om die fees uit te brei en die hoë aanvraag te akkommodeer. Dit beteken dat hulle uiteindelik ‘n rekordgetal van 107 spanne verwelkom om op 11 bane mee te ding.
Ten spyte van die groeiende aantal spanne, prioritiseer organiseerders steeds spelerwelstand, vernaam aangesien dit die begin van die seisoen is. Met wedstryde wat van sonop tot laataand geskeduleer is, is organiseerders bedag daarop om oormatige inspanning en moontlike beserings onder spelers te voorkom.
Die toename in navrae van nóg skole wat gretig is om deel te neem aan volgende jaar se fees, is ‘n bewys van die fees se sukses en reputasie.
Vir 2025 is die teiken selfs hoër gestel op 120 spanne, wat ‘n propvol skedule, van 7:30 tot 20:00 oor al 11 bane vir drie en ‘n half dae, sal vereis.
Die toernooi dien vroeg in die seisoen as ‘n voorbereidende platform, wat afrigters in staat stel om spankombinasies teen strawwe opposisie te evalueer en hul sterkste span van sewe spelers te finaliseer. Met 10 spelers wat per span toegelaat word, kan afrigters verskeie kombinasies en strategieë in werklike speeltoestande toets, wat help met finale spankeuses.
Soos die fees sy 13de jaar betree, is die fokus dus steeds op spanvoorbereiding – wat ‘n unieke gestalte gee aan die fees.
Boonop skep die fees waarlik ‘n feestelike familie-atmosfeer, met Sondagaand wat ‘n spesiale “Praise and Worship”-diens, gelei deur pastoor Jean Symons van Doxa Deo, Brooklyn, insluit. Dit bied ‘n geleentheid aan spelers, beamptes en ouers vir nadenke en dankbaarheid.
Die wedstryde word ook in ‘n feestelike atmosfeer gespeel, so dit is letterlik ‘n fees vir die spelers om aan deel te neem.
Die Kloof-netbalfees se akroniem vir 2024 is CHAMPION:
St Andrew’s School unveiled a first of its kind in South Africa artificial hockey field on Tuesday evening. The FIH-certified dry hockey surface, manufactured by Polytan and installed by Trompie, is the same one that will be used at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
Ten of the country’s top hockey-playing schools have converged on Pietermaritzburg and are preparing for the annual Nomads Festival, which begins on Thursday, 21 March.
The annual Frans Malherbe u15 Rugby Festival hosted by Paarl Boys’ High kicks off this evening with the hosts taking on Hoërskool Rustenburg in the opening match.
Die langverwagte Kloof-netbalfees vind hierdie week, van 21 tot 25 Maart, plaas by Hoërskool Waterkloof.