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• The Buffalo City u19 team has an opportunity to defy the odds and cause an upset when they contest this year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in Gqeberha.

The action in the pool kicks off on Saturday. 9 December, and concludes with the last round of matches to determine the final placings on Wednesday, 13 December.

Buffalo City, formally known as Border, will make the short trip to Gqeberha with upsets on their collective mind, particularly when they face their provincial rivals, Nelson Mandela Bay.

The East London side is drawn in the same pool as the hosts, alongside Western Province A, Central Gauteng B, and Western Province B.

They begin their campaign against Central Gauteng B before ending day one with a highly anticipated showdown against Nelson Mandela Bay in the last match of the opening day. Day two will be no easier for the Eastern Cape team. They first face Western Province B in the early afternoon before taking on the Western Province A side in an evening game.

Unsurprisingly, the team features 10 players from Eastern London’s sporting factory, Selborne College, while there are two representatives from Merrifield College, and one from Hudson Park High School.

Head coach, Khanyisa Mpumlwana, who is also a rugby coach, and the Director of Water Polo at Hudson Park, is adamant that his side is fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead.

“I’m looking forward to IPTs. Being so close to home means less traveling, which does help a lot, mentally and physically,” he told SuperSport Schools in an exclusive interview.

“This year we have a very difficult pool, and the structure of our u19 section is a do-or-die situation.

“I’m pleased with the squad we have. It’s a well-balanced team. We have school representation from three East London schools, and all the boys are well suited for their positional roles.”

The Buffalo City side has also had the opportunity to train with last year’s IPT winners, Central Gauteng, in preparation for the inter-provincial tournament.

The defending champions have once again named a strong team as they aim to go back-to-back.

Mpumlwana believes the sessions his team had in the pool with the Gauteng side will help them as they seek to improve on the seventh place, which they achieved in 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal.

“This year, the aim is to make it to the semi-finals, which establishes your province as being in the top four best water polo-playing provinces in your age group.

“This year is also the first time in Buffalo City history where we got to collaborate and have a four-day training camp with the Central Gauteng u19A and B, as well as their u16A, teams.

“It was a massive step in the right direction for water polo and Buffalo City. Central Gauteng u19A won the Nationals last year, and this year we got to train with the champions for four days. That has given us a good measure of our goals and ambitions for these IPTs, and how far behind or on par we are with the best.”

Despite the tough draw, Mpumlwana and his troops know that matches will be determined in the pool and not on paper. He will, however, need some of his top players – including Devinito Jafta, Josh Carr, Charlie Caswell, Reece Miles, Anthony van Hermelen, and Phillip Wagner – to fire on all cylinders from the outset.

The coach said he is optimistic that his charges’ opening game against the hosts will set them up nicely for a gruelling week in “the Windy City”.

“Nelson Mandela Bay is always a massive challenge. They play good water polo,” he said.

“Their team is normally made up of Makhanda and Gqberha schools, and they have a never-say-die attitude, so it becomes a massive dogfight between our two provinces. I feel it will be a massive challenge as they are the hosts and are playing for the pride and hearts of Gqberha.”

BUFFALO CITY u19

Sean Audie (Selborne College), Daniel Breetzke (Selborne College), Joshua Carr (Selborne College), Charles Caswell (Selborne College), Sandon Grotjohn (Selborne College), David Hall (Merrifield College), Devinito Jafta (Hudson Park High School), Matt Johnson (Selborne College), Reece Miles (Selborne College), Kairon Roux (Selborne College), Anthony van Hermelen (Merrifield College), Philip Wagner (Selborne College), Micah-Jay Whittam (Selborne College).

Group B Fixtures

Saturday, 9 December

13:05 – Buffalo City vs Central Gauteng B
19:35 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Buffalo City

Sunday, 10 December

13:30 – Buffalo City vs Western Province B
18:55 – Buffalo City vs Western Province A

The 23^rd annual Standard Bank Schools Boat Race takes place on Friday and Saturday, 8 and 9 December, on the Kowie River at Port Alfred.

The race is for 1^st Eight (boys) and 1^st Quad (girls) crews and it is unique in a number of ways. It’s the longest race on the calendar. The boys’ course is 5.4km long, while the girls’ race is over 4km.

It takes place on a river, with bends, bridges and sand banks, and it’s close enough to the sea for the tidal conditions to play a major role.

Follow the Standard Bank Schools Boat Race live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

It’s a “head race“, which means that, instead of the crews lining up six- or eight-deep and racing against each other, they go off in pairs on the final day. Before that, in the preliminary rounds, they race on their own in individual time trials, 20 seconds apart, to determine which final they will row in on the last day.

The Friday starting order is based on the final placings from the 2022 race, and the pairings for day two are based on their times – the two fastest boats go through to the A final, the next two to the B final, and so on, all the way down to the two slowest crews facing off for the last two places in the early final on Saturday.

There are no river courses that are perfectly straight for those sorts of distances, so the races typically have to navigate multiple bends, making the role of the coxswains who steer the boats, crucial. That makes for exciting racing as choosing the best line and executing the tactics correctly can be the difference between winning and losing.

The best-known river race is, of course, the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge, over 6.8km on the Thames in London. It’s been going since 1926 and this year 270 000 spectators watched the race live, and over 15 million saw it on TV. The SA Schools Boat Race consciously follows many of the processes and traditions of that event.

As far as tactics are concerned, the crews all arrive in Port Alfred on Monday or Tuesday and they spend the next three or four days getting used to the conditions, with one eye on the Tidal App, training at a time that will match the tide when they go off on Friday.

And in the time trial, according to Lebo Mashiga, coach of the Jeppe crew, everyone goes flat out all the way. “It’s the most important race,” he says. “You can’t win a medal if you don’t make the A or B final. On the second day it’s more tactical as you are going head-to-head with your direct opponent, and the time doesn’t matter.”

There are 20 boys’ and 14 girls’ crews in this year’s race and the defending champions are St Benedict’s College and St Mary’s Waverley, respectively.

St Mary’s have won the girls race for the last eight years in a row and 15 times in its 21-year history. St Andrew’s of Bedfordview have been their closest rivals for most of those years, but Holy Rosary Convent of Edenvale have emerged as a major force in recent times.

Holy Rosary came second in last year’s Boat Race, and they beat St Mary’s in the 1^st Quad at the Schools Championships in March, although that was over a shorter, 2km distance, on a straight course. St Mary’s avenged that defeat at the Gauteng Championships in October.

St Benedict’s have won the boys event seven times, including the 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 races – there was no race in 2020 because of Covid-19. St Stithians College came second on the Kowie in 2022, and they went on to beat St Benedict’s at SA Schools in March. Bennies beat them at the Gauteng Champs in October, however.

Both defending champions have shown, over many years, that they are masters of the river conditions and of the head race format. It’s going to take a massive effort to dethrone them this year.

Graeme College have tweaked the format of their annual rugby festival for 2024, but it, as always, still offers up a series of mouth-watering clashes to herald the start of the schools season next year.

What was once the Graeme Rugby Day, played over a Saturday in mid-March, has become a multi-day festival of the sport, providing the perfect platform for Eastern Cape teams to gauge their status for the forthcoming season.

The 2024 festival takes place from 14-16 March in Makhanda, but the region’s first teams will be in action only on Friday and Saturday (15-16 March).

Graeme 1st XV coach and festival organiser Jonty van der Meulen explained the format in a statement on Monday.

“Initially we planned to run the festival on the same lines as 2023, where we split the first team matches over three days, and some teams played twice,” he said.

“But it then came to light that Bishops are holding a festival to celebrate their 175th anniversary, the next weekend, and there is also the North-South Tournament that weekend.

“That is followed by the annual Easter festivals around the country and many of the teams were a little concerned at having too heavy a workload at this stage of the season.

“So, what we have done, is to provide the first teams with just one game each, playing on the Friday and Saturday.

“But we will still have three days of rugby because the age-group matches (from u14 to u16) will take place on Thursday and Friday on the Somerset and Marais fields.

“We have done this because of the u13 festival on the Saturday, which will take place on the Marais fields.”

Even with a slightly abbreviated programme, the festival will still deliver an exciting start to the season, with all of the Eastern Cape’s top schools in action. A number of fascinating contests catch the eye.

As is their way, Graeme have not shied away from setting themselves a proper challenge and they will wind up the festival against the always powerful Selborne College on the Saturday afternoon.

In fact, that match is a repeat of the finale to the 2022 Rugby Day, when the teams played to a 7-7 stalemate. No doubt, both will be motivated to complete unfinished business when their March date rolls around.

The first team matches on Friday throw up some intriguing encounters, finishing off with a clash between Grey High and East London’s Hudson Park, which was also on the 2022 programme.

On that occasion, the Gqeberha school enjoyed a 27-7 win, but the rematch presents a golden opportunity for Hudson Park to make a statement against one of the region’s perennial powers.

In the build-up to that match, Kingswood and Marlow have all the ingredients for a serious showdown, while running rugby will be the main drawcard of the clash between Dale and Nico Malan.

After a good 2023 season, Queen’s will be aiming for a positive start to 2024 against Pearson in a Saturday clash, while St Andrew’s and Brandwag should deliver a proper arm-wrestle in the main curtain-raiser.

FIXTURES

15 March, Somerset Field

09:00: Graeme 2nd v Port Alfred High 1st; 10.30: Port Rex v Mary Waters; 11.45: Union High v
Daniel Pienaar; 13:00: Kingswood v Marlow; 14:15: Dale v Nico Malan; 15:30: Grey High v
Hudson Park

16 March, Somerset Field
10.30: Cambridge v Muir; 11.45: Stirling v Framesby; 13:00: Queen’s v Pearson; 14:15: St Andrew’s v Brandwag; 15:30: Graeme v Selborne

Age-Group Fixtures

14 March, Somerset Field

09:00: Graeme u14A v Selborne; 10:00: Mary Waters u15A v Port Alfred; 11:00: Graeme u15A
v Selborne; 12.00: Pearson u16A v Port Rex; 13:00: Brandwag u16A v Cambridge; 14:00: Stirling u16A v Muir; 15:00: Graeme u16A v Selborne

14 March, Marais A Field

10am: Brandwag u14A v Cambridge; 11:00: Stirling u14A v Muir; 12:00: Stirling u15A v Muir; 13:00: Pearson u14A v Port Rex; 14:00: Brandwag u15A v Cambridge; 15:00: Pearson u15A v Port Rex

15 March, Marais A Field

09:00: Nico Malan u14A v Dale; 10:00: Kingswood u15A v Marlow; 11:00: Nico Malan u16A v
Dale; 12:00: Union High u16A v Daniel Pienaar; 13:00: Queen’s u14A v Framesby; 14:00:
Queen’s u16A v Framesby

15 March, Marais B Field

09:00: Union High u14A v Daniel Pienaar; 10:00: Nico Malan u15A v Dale; 11:00: Kingswood
u14A v Marlow; 12:00: Union High u15A v Daniel Pienaar; 13:00: Queen’s u15A v Framesby;
14:00: Kingswood u16A v Marlow

Discussing where his love for cricket began, Selborne College‘s Ben van der Merwe shared his fond memories of going down to the beach in East London to play cricket with his father, Cassie van der Merwe.

“I first fell in love with the game when my dad used to take us to the beach to play on our holidays,” Van der Merwe recalled.

He also grew up watching his father excel in the game, playing at a provincial level for the Free State and Border, before earning selection for the South African Indoor Cricket side.

Ben has been a standout performer for Selborne for the past four years, and from the outset he made himself known to the Selbornian community when, at just 14 years of age, he smashed a stunning 202 not out against Stirling High School. That remains his favourite memory in the Selborne kit, he said, with a scintillating 122 versus Dale College in his Grade 10 year coming in a close second.

Ben could’ve boasted an unique accolade this year but Border has named him their vice-captain for this year’s Khaya Majola Week hosted in Makhanda. If he was the named the captain it would’ve been his third year in a row captaining the side at the prestigious tournament. He lead the team to the tournament in 2021 (Potchefstroom) and 2022 (Cape Town).

His younger brother Jacques is also part of this year’s Border team who will be in action in Makhanda. Ben also represented Amathole for two year’s during SASHOC’s u19 hockey tournament and made the SA Schools B-side earlier this year.

Since that attention-grabbing double-century, Van der Merwe’s confidence in his game has blossomed. He’s been an integral part of Selborne’s success, making telling contributions as a wicketkeeper-batsman, who every now and then gets the opportunity to send down some off-spin to bamboozle opponents, as well.

His aggressive nature with the willow in hand has seen him pile on the runs for Selborne over the last couple of years, which resulted in him receiving a call-up to the Eastern Cape Iinyati Colts side in February 2022 for the Cubs Week, even though he was just 17 years of age.

When asked about the format he likes most, the young batsman answered, without hesitation, that he prefers a 50-overs-a-side match. He added, however, that competing in a hard-fought multi-day game is at the top of the list of things he would like to achieve in the near future.

Questioned about the primary influences on his cricketing career, Van der Merwe said: “Someone who has played the biggest role in my cricketing career thus far must be my dad. All the times we have worked together behind the scenes, and all the motivation and equipment he has supplied me with, will not go unnoticed.

“Another person would be our Head of Sport at Selborne College, Murray Spence. He has worked with me since my high school career started.

“Selborne’s phenomenal coaching staff and facilities have led me to gain the knowledge and experience I have within the game thus far and to prepare myself for my future in the sport.”

Supremely talented, hard-working and humble, Ben van der Merwe appears on track to realise his aspirations of playing senior provincial cricket one day.

He’s also hoping to realise his biggest dream of all, to pull on the green and gold of the Proteas, to represent South Africa.

Gqeberha’s Grey High School has appointed Andrew Beynon the school’s Director of Hockey from 2024

An Old Grey, he joins the school from their neighbours, Collegiate Girls’ High School, and will add a wealth of experience to the already well-established and thriving Grey hockey programme.

Apart from being accustomed to the traditions of Grey and having represented the school at first team level during his playing days, a statement from Grey said Beynon stood out during the application process and was a good fit for the criteria they had for the position.

“Grey High School is proud to announce the appointment of Andrew Beynon as our new Head of Hockey,” the school announced via social media platforms.

“Andrew’s wealth of knowledge and experience shone through during a lengthy and thorough interviewing process. He has excelled in his position of Director of Hockey at Collegiate Girls’ High School.”

During his time at the Gqeberha girls’ school, Beynon transformed Collegiate into a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Cape. He also led the school to finish near the top of the national rankings every season he was in charge.

Under Beynon, Collegiate won numerous titles, and they went up against the best in South Africa when participating in tournaments such as the Spar Hockey Challenge, and the Super 12.

He was present, too, during the challenging times of the Bio-Bubble Hockey Festival, which was hosted in Makhanda under strict conditions in 2021. Collegiate came away the champions on that occasion, beating Diocesan Girls 1-0 in the final.

Beynon, who is a SAHA level 3 accredited coach, was also previously the Head Coach of the Eastern Province men’s team and served as a trainer with the SA u16 and u17 teams. He currently coaches the Nelson Mandela University Ladies‘ side in the Premier League and has won several medals as an indoor hockey coach.

“As an Old Grey, Andrew understands what it means to represent the Grey and understands both the ethos and culture of our school,” the press release read.

“His experiences will aid him in building upon the existing hockey structures at Grey High School.

“There is undoubtedly a very strong talent pool of hockey players at Grey High School, and we look forward to seeing our new Head of Hockey maximise their potential while also growing our hockey programme, thereby keeping us competitive with our country’s best hockey-playing schools.”

Grey confirmed, too, that not only will Beynon take over as the Director of Hockey from Corbyn Dolley, but he will also take over the coaching reins of the 1st XI from Mazan Dos Santos.

In preparation for the 2024 rugby season, Paul Roos Gimnasium sets off for Ireland on Tuesday with a large squad of 43 players. It’s an opportunity for the renowned rugby school to measure itself against international opposition.

The squad departs on the 5th of December and flies into Dublin on the 6th. The very next day they’ll have to try to shake off any jet lag because they’ll be in action against Terenure College.

During their time in Ireland, the touring party will get to experience European club rugby at its finest when they attend the Connacht vs Bordeaux game on the 8th of December, and Munster vs Bayonne the next day.

They will return to Thomond Park Stadium on the 11th for a special guided tour of the home of Munster Rugby, which will make their final match even more special when they face the Irish juggernauts at the Shannon Rugby Club.

The touring group includes familiar names like Sam Badenhorst, Oliver Reid, Keenan Stoffels and Reuben Kruger, who have contributed to the 1st XV this year. Talented youngsters, like Gert Kemp and Altus Rabe, who stood out at the 2023 u16 Grant Khomo Week, are also included in the squad.

The Stellenbosch boys will be split into two playing squads, which will help the coaches extract as much as they can from the trip.

Apart from playing four exciting matches, and taking in the two European Rugby Champions Cup matches, the boys will also have the opportunity to experience the foreign cultures and landscapes as they make time for the Gaelic Games and explore the Cliffs of Moher in between their busy playing and training schedule.

“What I’m looking forward to personally is just the camaraderie on a trip like this”, said Corné Uys, Head of Rugby at Paul Roos. “I’m sure there are many of the boys who have never travelled as far in their lives, so it will be an experience for them.”

FIXTURES

Thursday, 07 December: vs Terenure College
Saturday, 09 December: vs Methody & Wallace High
Monday, 11 December: vs UCC Freshmen
Wednesday, 13 December: vs Munster Rugby

Paul Roos Gimnasium touring group: Jordan Africa, Sam Badenhorst, Adeeb Boraine, Hugo Coetzee, Joshua Dampies, Marquin de Klerk, Robert Doubell, Henry du Plessis, Malan Erasmus, Reece Heaton, Brent Heyens, Zac Hickman, Kaleb Holmes, Charl Holwill, Gert Kemp, Matthew Kleyn, Conrad Koegelenberg, Christian Kolbe, Luan Krige, Reuben Kruger, Derek Kuhn, Pierre Labuschagne, Divan Lambrecht, Jacques Loubser, Christiano Luizinho, Luchwayito Baliswana, Christiaan Moolman, Reinhardt Nel, Michael Potgieter, Altus Rabé, Oliver Reid, Truspe Schoeman, Ian Smith, Jordan Steenkamp, Jesse Stegehuis, Keenan Stoffels, Alec Toll, Dylan van Wyk, Dawid van Niekerk, Luke van Schoor, Gerrit van Vuuren, Luke Wilmot.

In anticipation of the forthcoming season, Boland Landbou and Parel Vallei met in a friendly three-day match over the weekend. After back-to-back-to-back days of exciting action, with the advantage regularly shifting from one side to the other, Boland Landbou mastered the ageing pitch well on the final day to claim an impressive 137-run victory.

While the two teams usually meet in February, it was decided to organise a match very late in the 2023 season to give the boys an extra day of playing time, which would allow the coaches an opportunity to assess their squads before the new school year’s fixtures for both teams begin at the annual Paarl Boys’ High Cricket Festival on the 11th of January.

Don’t miss a moment of the 2024 season, watch the games live on SuperSport Schools – Register now

On day one, Parel Vallei put the hosts under early pressure, limiting Boland Landbou to just 86/7 as the skilful Sibulele Makaleni captured 3/33, including the wickets of both opening batsmen.

Makaleni is in the Boland squad for the 2023 Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week, which takes place from the 16th to the 20th of this month in Makhanda. In 2021, he was named in the u17 Boland Rural team, and he has also earned his regional colours in hockey.

Kobus Conradie steadied the ship for the hosts at the tail end of their innings, adding 40 runs to his team’s total and weathering 73 deliveries to take the sting out of the visitors’ attack before Landbou’s innings was ended with their total on 148.

In response, Parel Vallei batted patiently, led by a dogged effort from Christopher Hughes. He set the tone, facing 234 deliveries to finish as the top scorer for the visitors before falling victim to Boland Landbou’s Francois Prins for 49.

Prins continued his fine form with the ball in Parel Vallei’s second innings, securing the final wicket to finish with figures of 2/15 and 2/6. His selection for the Boland u16 team positions him as an exciting prospect for the future.

Despite Parel Vallei’s hard graft, Boland Landbou’s bowlers – including Prins, Marius du Plessis, and Lyle Lewis – did just enough to give their team a narrow first innings advantage after bowling out the visitors for 145. At one stage, on 120/4, Parel Vallei looked destined for a much higher total.

The Boland Landbou top order found some momentum in their second innings, with their captain, Stefan Conradie, redeeming himself after being sent packing for a duck on the first day by playing fluently for an exhilarating 45 off 63 balls. He will be in action alongside Makaleni at the Khaya Majola Week.

Rynhard van der Schyff and Marius du Plessis also made telling contributions to help the hosts to a respectable second innings total of 215.

Boland Landbou’s bowlers dominated on the final day, making good use of the weathered pitch. Gunther Schmidt, who took 1/22 in the first innings, spearheaded their attack with 2/15 the second time around, dismissing both of Parel Vallei’s opening batsmen.

Lyle Lewis, who took four wickets over the three days, played a crucial role in restricting Parel Vallei to just 81 all out as Boland Landbou secured a convincing 137-run win after a hard-fought three-day battle.

Despite his side’s defeat, Parel Vallei’s Josua Smit finished the weekend with the most impressive bowling figures. He kept the hosts in check in their first innings, picking up 2/23 before following up with 3/31 in their second innings.

While the match was organised with an intention to use it as preparation for the coming season, after the successful trial, plans are in place to play a return fixture in Somerset West next year.

Summarised scorecard

Boland Landbou first innings 148 (Kobus Conradie 40, Rynhard van der Schyff 29, Marius du Plessis 21; Sibulele Makaleni 3/33, Josua Smit 2/23, Henry Jones 2/42); Parel Vallei first innings 145 (Christopher Hughes 49, Migael van Schaik 28, Sevi Barlow 27; Francois Prins 2/15, Marius du Plessis 2/21, Lyle Lewis 2/29); Boland Landbou second innings 215 (Stefan Conradie 45, Rynhard van der Schyff 41, Marius du Plessis 33, Francois Prins 21; Josua Smit 3/31, Jameel Ismail 2/11, Henry Jones 2/43); Parel Vallei second innings 81 (Luka Meets 25, Josua Smit 21; Francois Prins 2/6, Gunther Schmidt 2/15, Lyle Lewis 2/18). Boland Landbou won by 137 runs.

South Africa’s longest running youth development league’s 2023 competitions came to an end at Marks Park in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, on Sunday, with Kaizer Chiefs and Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School claiming silverware.

Chiefs asserted their supremacy by collecting three of the four trophies on offer in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) Youth Cup. With Kaizer Motaung junior in attendance, the club’s former player and current sporting director, the Kaizer Chiefs u13, u17, and u19 sides all won to make it a banner day for the organisation.

U19 Final Kaizer Chiefs vs NWU Vaal

Chiefs proved too much for a plucky NWU Vaal outfit in the u19 final as they thumped the newly promoted side, which had been on a giant-killing run, 4-1, to lift the title.

NWU Vaal had sent league runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns packing in the semi-finals, but in the final, Chiefs, who finished third in the league, charged to a one-sided victory.

The Amakhosi dominated the game and took the lead through their freekick specialist, Duane Bennet, who slotted a spectacular goal from a set piece to put his side on the front foot. He was subsequently joined on the scoresheet by Phakamani Jwara, Manqoba Ozoemena, and Mfundo Vilakazi.

U15 Final: Tshwane Derby

Perhaps the biggest story of the day came in the only final that did not involve Kaizer Chiefs, with Rosina Sedibane Modiba and Mamelodi Sundowns meeting in an all-Pretoria clash for the u15 title. It finished in a penalty shootout, with Rosina triumphing over the Brazilians.

It was a trying weekend for Sundowns. Their u13s also lost against the Amakhosi in the gold medal match, going down 2-3, while their u19 side was ousted in the semi-finals by NWU Vaal on Saturday.

The u15 finalists produced an entertaining title-decider, but the game started slowly as both teams worked to get into the flow of the game. Rosina took an early lead when Sundowns stopped playing, mistakenly thinking they had heard a whistle. It hadn’t been blown and Rosina took advantage of ‘Downs’ hesitation by slotting the ball into the back of the net. The decision to award the goal infuriated the Sundowns’ bench and fans, but it stood, leaving the team in yellow and blue to chase the game.

The Brazilians pursued an equaliser by employing their trademark “Shoeshine and piano” attack and their industry was eventually rewarded through Mosa, which led to the teams heading into the half-time break level at 1-1.

In the second half, Rosina again stuck their noses in front, but Sundowns, once more, pulled level. After regulation time ended at 2-2, the game was decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Despite Sundowns’ goalkeeper making the first stop, Rosina’s Leremo Otanganedzwa stole the show by saving three spot kicks. Thanks to his heroic effort, they clinched the penalty shootout victory by a 3-1 margin and were crowned the u15 champions of the GDL Youth Cup for a first time.

 

International schools’ representation in sports such as rugby, cricket, and hockey has incrementally grown and become a norm in South Africa in recent years.

Last year, the Grey College rugby side represented the country at the World Schools Festival. Meanwhile, the SA u17 hockey team has just returned from the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia, and the South African surfing team is currently battling the waves at the World Junior Surfing Championship in Brazil.

However, it has become apparent that it’s not only the so-called “major” sporting codes that are capturing the spotlight for South Africa abroad. Cape Town teenager Holly Smith is excellent evidence of that.

Smith, who is a grade 11 pupil at Camps Bay High School, participates in one of the more unusual sporting codes in South African schools, canoeing.

Her heroics have seen her light up the scene on the water and receive national recognition.

Earlier this year, the determined, resilient, and hard-working athlete as described by her school’s head of sport, Busi Ngcwama, wrote her name into the history books by claiming the u18 Junior Women’s K2 Doubles Marathon title in Denmark.

She and her companion, Georgia Singe, from Fish Hoek High School, held their nerves to stave off a strong challenge from the Spanish duo of Maria Martinez and Lidia Zornoza to claim gold and the titles of world champions.

Smith was not yet done. She was on a mission to end the year on a high note, and she achieved wonders at both the Shaw and Partners Western Australia Race Week, the biggest event on the Australian ocean paddling calendar, which was held from the 18th to the 25th of November in Perth, and the 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, which also took place off the coast of Perth, from the 30th of November to the 3rd of December.

During her time Down Under, Smith was phenomenal on the water. She started her campaign in the best way possible by claiming multiple titles at the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week.

She was crowned the overall Shaw and Partners Junior Girls Race Week champion after winning The Shaw and Partners Doctor and The Fenn West Coast Downwinder.

The Doctor is a 27-kilometre surf ski event, from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach, and Smith won the junior title in 2:13:33.1, finishing just under 38 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Kaitlin Rees.

The Fenn West Coast Downwinder, as the name suggests, is a downwind race, covering 24 km, from Fremantle to Sorrento Beach. Smith won by a similar margin to her victory in The Doctor, finishing 42 seconds ahead of her nearest challenger, Alyssa Bailey, for the junior girls’ honours in 1:40:49.2.

It was then time for the Camps Bay High pupil to showcase her skills at the World Championships.

In her first race, the single surf ski event, she was consistent, and dominant, taking the challenge to her opponents and racing away to first place in a fast 01:32:17.2, which put her well over a minute clear of runner-up Lara Cellier-Henriquez of Spain, and Australia’s Alyssa Bailey, who placed third, more than three minutes off the pace.

Looking to end the World Championships on a high, Smith also put her name up for the junior mixed doubles race alongside Heath Clarke this past weekend. This time, she had to settle for third place and a bronze medal.

Victory went to the Australian duo of Alyssa Bailey, and Ziko Vesely, with the Spanish team of Enrique Garcia Torres and Lara Cellier Henriquez claiming silver.

Reacting to his daughter’s superb performances, Holly’s father, Mike Smith, lauded her hard work and dedication as the reasons for her success.

“As a parent, it’s awesome to watch one’s child growing and living life to the full and being rewarded handsomely for the dedication, sacrifices, and commitment,” he told SuperSport Schools.

“Sometimes I worry that she misses out on her teenage years with the sacrifices one needs to get to this point, but it’s incredible watching her journey.”

Smith also says Holly’s top performances in big events are bringing financial relief for his daughter, as investors are starting to take notice.

“She has been given the tools, but it’s she who puts in the hard yards, and if she takes these life lessons through life the world can be her oyster.

“We are beyond proud and it’s also great to finally see a couple of sponsorships coming her way, which means the world to her.”

Holly returns to South Africa this week and will be due a rousing welcome from her family and school after making them proud on the global stage.

The NWU Vaal Soccer Academy has captured the spotlight after a giant-killing run, which has powered the team into the final of the Gauteng Development League Youth Cup following a 2-1 upset of Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-finals at Marks Park on Saturday.

NWU Vaal has bucked the typical expectations of recently promoted teams, with a determined collection of energetic and dynamic players who display an impressive unity and collective strength.

Merely a month after ascending from the GDPL to the GDL, NWU Vaal, “the so-called underdogs”, have already made their mark and achieved a great milestone by putting themselves in line for some GDL silverware.

Their youthful squad is led by a young, immensely passionate and committed coach, who isn’t afraid to employ inventive concepts as he seeks to drive his charges to greater heights.

After seeing his team take down Mamelodi Sundowns, coach Abiel Ganu Motaung described the final four clash as intense, adding that Sundowns had showed why they are one of the best teams in the country.

“We were fighting during the half-time break,” he admitted. “The players were questioning our decisions simply because they want nothing but to win, and that is the mentality we have adopted as a team. But, at the end, we managed to find a common ground to get the results.

“Despite Sundowns putting an intense amount of pressure on us, we had to show why we are here and why deserve to play in the final.”

Reaching the title-decider was no walk in the park for NWU Vaal, who had to overcome a murderer’s row of tough opponents – the School of Excellence, SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns – to make it into Sunday’s final.

Coach Motaung said the School of Excellence was probably the most difficult side they had come up against, mentally and physically, because the School of Excellence had taken the game to NWU Vaal and made it difficult for them to play their usual ball.

“I’m happy. I’m over the moon that we have reached the final and that we will also be playing in the GDL. In the Vaal, the boys are struggling to get exposure, as talented as they are. This is also a good opportunity for us young coaches in the Vaal Triangle – Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark and Sasolburg.

“We are underdogs. We don’t have a professional team at Vaal. Playing in such a league will give us an opportunity to expose the young boys to fully functional structures, so that professional teams can also see the kind of talent we have in the region,” Motaung said.

After the match, a devastated Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach and club legend, Surprise Moriri, said: “We dominated the game, but that’s not enough. We created, and we should have buried those chances, at least three or four of them, but that’s football for you.

“If you don’t take your chances, it becomes difficult. It’s a learning curve for the boys… If you don’t take your chances, the chances of you winning the game become very slim.”

Talking points from Semi-finals of the GDL Youth Cup 

Kaizer Chiefs u19s defeated TS Galaxy 5-1 on penalties after regulation time finished at 1-1. 

Kaizer Chiefs’ coach David Mathebula commented after his team’s penalty shootout victory: “We lost two matches against them this season. Today, in the first half we played well. Second half, the energy level dropped. But I think the boys pushed and we brought some of the u17s boys in to bring up the energy.

Unfortunately, we conceded from a corner kick, which is something we work on defending. It was a tough game for both teams with the heat, but in the end, we managed to defeat them, and we are into the final.

Mathebula said his team would focus on recovery with the big game set to follow within 24 hours.

Mamelodi Sundowns u15 demolish Jomo Cosmos 6-0 

The u15 Brazilians cruised into the final in outstanding fashion by handing Ezenkosi a 6-0 thumping. At half-time, Sundowns already had one foot in Sunday’s game, up by four goals to nil.

Nkululeko Mabaso led the way with a hattrick, while Mpho Molepo, Musa Maloisane and Monanyane Kgaogelo also found the back of the net.

School of Excellence u17 seeks revenge against Kaizer Chiefs 

After his team had beaten Tuks 2-1 on Saturday, coach Mojalefa Mathebula said the School of Excellence boys will be out to avenge their loss in the semi-finals of the Easter Cup against Kaizer Chiefs, their opponents in Sunday’s final.

He commended the resilience and strong mentality of his young players for showing good character in a hard-fought win over AmaTuks.

Ntokozo Skhosana, the School of Excellence’s talented left-back, shared his thoughts on the game: “As a team, we knew Tuks are good with long balls. We had to work on our defence.

“Through our game plan, we had to use the strength of our wing-play, and they struggled, which gave us a great deal of advantage when attacking.”

Joburg City u17 fought a good fight against Kaizer Chiefs 

Despite losing out 2-3 to Kaizer Chiefs, Joburg City impressed. Most would surely have written off their chances before their semi-final showdown.

Joburg City rose to the occasion, however, and threw the kitchen sink at the Amakhosi. Twice, Chiefs had to come from behind before they finally found a match-winning third goal.

Despite bowing out in the semi-finals, Joburg City will surely be proud of their effort, which extended Chiefs to the limit just one week after the gold and black had ousted GDL champions, Highlands Park, in the quarterfinals.

Semifinal Results 

u13

Mamelodi Sundowns 4-0 Jomo Cosmos
Kaizer Chiefs 4-1 Joburg City

u15

Mamelodi Sundowns 6-0 Jomo Cosmos
Rosina Sedibane 3-1 TS Galaxy

u17

School of Excellence 2-1 Tuks
Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 Joburg City

u19

NWU Vaal 2-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Kaizer Chiefs 1 (5) – 1 (1) TS Galaxy

Final Fixtures: Sunday, 03 December 

u13

Kaizer Chiefs vs Mamelodi Sundowns

u15

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Rosina Sedibane

u17

School of Excellence vs Kaizer Chiefs

u19 

NWU Vaal Soccer Academy vs Kaizer Chiefs