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The annual South African Hockey Senior Inter-Provincial tournament, which kicks off this coming week in Johannesburg, will see some of the country’s best battling it out for the title.

The event is being hosted at St Stithians College and it runs through until Saturday, with the final happening at 16:20.

The action will be LIVE on DSTV Channel 207 and SuperSport Schools.

Among the many talented players set to take to the turf are four schoolboys who have delivered exceptional performances this season and excited hockey enthusiasts around the country.

They are Litha Kraai, from SACS, Paul Roos Gimnasium‘s Reuben Sendzul, Lumi Matwele, from Durban High School (DHS), and Matthew De Oliveira, from Kearsney College. They’ll be representing the South African u21 team.

The quartet secured their places in the squad after impressing recently appointed head coach, Guy Elliot, and the u21 selectors at a training camp held at St Alban’s College in July.

They’re no strangers to the competitive and intense level of senior hockey, having represented their clubs from a young age.

Kraai and Sendzul, both from the Western Cape, have been two of the standout players this year and helped their teams to massive success, often garnering the spotlight despite playing on very talented squads.

Kraai, who was a member of an exceptional SACS team last season, once again helped his school finish the season as the top side in the country. He’s been in prolific goalscoring form, both from the field and at penalty corner time. He’s also an imaginative player, with the ability to make something out of nothing, capable of turning the tide in a match with his skill and finishing.

Sendzul also enjoyed a magnificent season. It started slightly slowly, but once he hit his straps he slotted plenty of goals, helping Paul Roos to once again battle SACS for the number one position in South Africa. He’s quick, strong, aggressive, never gives up, and plays with what could be described as the “mamba mentality”. Sendzul is also blessed with big match temperament (BMT), which is a valuable asset for any coach.

The two KZN boys, Matwele and De Oliveira, also enjoyed superb seasons. DHS star Matwele operates in the midfield, although he, too, can play up front. He is remarkably composed on the ball, with superb individual skills and the ability to execute difficult skills seamlessly.

He was at the forefront of another strong season from DHS, which has become the primary contributor to KZN Coastal provincial teams.

Matthew De Oliveira was selected for SA Schools for a second year in succession and captained Kearsney College to an excellent season. He’s a workhorse in the midfield, effective on both ends of the park, and his engine is second to none. De Oliveira is also a tough tackler, a good distributor, and a regular goal-scorer.

He provides good leadership, too, and captained the KZN Coastal A side to a third-place finish at the SASHOC National Week. That leadership on the field stems from the example he sets as a player.

The SA u21 men’s team has been drawn in Pool B along with Southern Gauteng, Eastern Province, and Northern Blues.

They will open their challenge in the final match on Monday when they face the hosts, Southern Gauteng, at 19:30.

Curro Holdings is organising and sponsoring two International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior tennis tournaments, which run from 9-14 September and 16-21 September at Curro Hillcrest.

Sanctioned by Tennis South Africa (TSA), the events will showcase elite junior boys and girls under the age of 18 from across the world.

They follow the successful Curro Centre Court Series tournaments, which were held in Hillcrest in June and July, and they will feature some of the leading junior players in the world.

The first tournament, taking place from 9 to 14 September, is a J200 event, while the tournament which takes place from 16 to 21 September is a J300 event, a further step up the ladder.

They’re a continuation of past events hosted by Curro, which have been aimed at the top young tennis talent in the world.

“Tennis is a major sport in most of our schools and our involvement in promoting the sport at the international level allows many South African players the opportunity and stage to participate and be noticed,” Curro CEO Cobus Loubser said. “Several Curro learners have gone on to make that step into the professional ranks.”

Loubser said the high standard of tennis should attract a healthy flow of spectators over the two weeks.

“These junior players deliver an incredible level of high-class tennis and entertainment. People must realise that the big names in today’s world of tennis all started by playing in tournaments like these. Who knows what gems will be uncovered at Curro Hillcrest for future stardom on the courts of the world,” he added.

Leading the way in the girls’ division is Ada Kumru from Turkey, who occupies 85th place in the world junior rankings.

South Africa’s Danielle Chapman, ranked 195th globally, is the 20th seed in the main draw. Three other South African girls are competing in the qualifiers, among them 14-year-old Jahnie van Zyl, who garnered significant support from the crowds during the Curro Centre Court Series.

In the boys’ category, Petr Brunclik, from Czechia, is ranked an impressive 22nd in the world. He’s the top seed.

Four South African players, including John Bothma and Connor Doig, will participate in the main draw, with several others competing in the qualifying rounds.

The tournaments are set to deliver rich entertainment. For those seeing top juniors in action for the first time, it will be a surprising and exciting experience. The talent and skill in the junior ranks is immense.

Note: Selected matches at the tournaments will be aired on the Curro Sport YouTube channel.

The South African u17 men’s national team, known as “Amajimbos”, secured their second win in the FIFA u17 TDS Tournament on Thursday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, by overcoming Tanzania 4-3 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Amajimbos were also victorious on Tuesday when they won a high-scoring, fiercely contested clash with Algeria 7-4 in which both teams were pushed to their limits.

In Tanzania, Amajiombos faced a formidable adversary, with the Tanzanians employing aggressive tactics and a robust defensive strategy, which left little room for the South African players, who are recognised for their fluid and pressing style, characterised by two-touch play, to express themselves.

With only 10 minutes remaining in the match, Tanzania took the lead and, with the strike coming so late in the game, it appeared that they were on their way to victory. South Africa struck back, however, through Neo Bohloko, which sent the contest to the penalty spot after the final whistle sounded.

South African goalkeeper, Lehlohonolo Mosia, who earned his first international cap, stood tall in the shootout, pulling off three remarkable saves to snatch the win for Amajimbos.

Amajimbos’ Head Coach Vela Khumalo told South African Football Association (Safa) Media, that the match was a challenging one, which he had anticipated it would be.

He explained: “We had to see how we respond to physical teams with very solid defenders and we tried a new formation today that still needs work. We don’t see this as a victory because it was a draw in our books. But we are meeting our targets, so we are satisfied for today.”

Hugenote, in Wellington, is the venue for the High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota‘s Cape Schools Sevens on Saturday. The event features 12 teams in both the u17 and u15 age groups.

Paul Roos (PRG), who made the u17 semi-finals of the Marius Schoeman Sevens last weekend in Paarl, would probably be most people’s favourite to take out the u17 and u15 titles.

Their u15 side laid waste to their pool in Paarl, but were shocked by HTS Drostdy in the Cup quarterfinals. The Donkeys went on to lose by seven points in the final against Paarl Boys’ High.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In Wellington, there’s no Paarl Gimnasium or Paarl Boys’ High to deal with and Boland Landbou will be competing in the u15 competition only, although they have two teams entered.

The hosts, Hugenote gave PRG a tough game in the playoffs of the u15 event at the Marius Schoeman Sevens, but they face a difficullt challenge against Durbanville in their pool.

In the u17 event, Pool B, featuring Durbanville, Worcester Gim, and the Forward Foundation, looks interesting. Worcester Gim’s traditional running game is particularly well suited to Sevens. Pool C, with Parel Vallei, Hugenote, and the JAG Foundation is another that appears to be up for grabs.

At the Marius Schoeman Sevens, Hugenote held Durbanville to a draw in pool action, but they were well beaten by Paul Roos. Parel Vallei, meanwhile, performed strongly, beating Porterville and Garsfontein in their pool games and losing narrowly to Stellenberg.

U17 Pools

Pool A: Paul Roos, Porterville, Langenhoven Gim
Pool B: Durbanville, Worcester Gim, Forward Foundation
Pool C: Parel Vallei, Hugenote, JAG Foundation
Pool D: Milnerton, Augsburg Landbou, Wellington Jaguars

Fixtures

08:00 – Augsburg Landbou (D2) vs Wellington Jaguars (D3)
08:20 – Hugenote (C2) vs JAG Foundation (C3)
08:40 – Worcester Gim (B2) vs Forward Foundation (B3)
09:00 – Porterville (A2) vs Langenhoven Gim (A3)
09:20 – Parel Vallei (C1) vs JAG Foundation (C3)
09:40 – Milnerton (D1) vs Wellington Jaguars (D3)
10:00 – Paul Roos (A1) vs Langenhoven Gim (A3)
10:20 – Durbanville (B1) vs Forward Foundation (B3)
10:40 – Milnerton (D1) vs Augsburg Landbou (D2)
11:00 – Parel Vallei (C1) vs Hugenote (C2)
11:20 – Durbanville (B1) vs Worcester Gim (B2)
11:40 – Paul Roos (A1) vs Porterville (A2)

Lunch

Quarterfinals

12:20 – Cup QF1 – 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
12:40 – Cup QF2 – 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A
13:00 – Cup QF3 – 1st Pool C vs 2nd Pool D
13:20 – Cup QF4 – 1st Pool D vs 2nd Pool C

Semi-finals

13:40 – Bowl SF1 – 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
14:00 – Bowl SF2 – 3rd Pool C vs 3rd Pool D

14:20 – Plate SF1 – Loser Cup QF 1 vs Loser Cup QF2
14:40 – Plate SF2 – Loser Cup QF 3 vs Loser Cup QF4

15:00 – Cup SF1 – Winner Cup QF1 vs Winner Cup QF2
15:20 – Cup SF2 – Winner Cup QF3 vs Winner Cup QF4

Finals

15:40 – Bowl final – Winner Bowl semi 1 vs Winner Bowl semi 2
16:00 – Plate final – Winner Plate semi 1 vs Winner Plate semi 2
16:20 – Cup final – Winner Cup semi 1 vs Winner Cup semi 2

U15 Pools

Pool A: Boland Landbou, Worcester Gim, Augsburg Landbou
Pool B: Milnerton, Porterville, Parel Vallei
Pool C: Paul Roos, Boland Landbou 2, Langenhoven Gim
Pool D: Durbanville, Hugenote, Forward Foundation

Fixtures

08:00 – Hugenote (D2) vs Forward Foundation (D3)
08:20 – Boland Landbou 2 (C2) vs Langenhoven Gim (D3)
08:40 – Porterville (B2) vs Parel Vallei (B3)
09:00 – Worcester Gim (A2) vs Augsburg Landbou (A3)
09:20 – Paul Roos (C1) vs Langenhoven Gim (C3)
09:40 – Durbanville (D1) vs Forward Foundation (D3)
10:00 – Boland Landbou (A1) vs Augsburg Landbou (A3)
10:20 – Milnerton (B1) vs Parel Vallei (B3)
10:40 – Durbanville (D1) vs Hugenote (D2)
11:00 – Paul Roos (C1) vs Boland Landbou (C2)
11:20 – Milnerton (B1) vs Porterville (B2)
11:40 – Boland Landbou (A1) vs Worcester Gim (A1)

Lunch

Quarterfinals

12:20 – Cup QF1 – 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
12:40 – Cup QF2 – 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A
13:00 – Cup QF3 – 1st Pool C vs 2nd Pool D
13:20 – Cup QF4 – 1st Pool D vs 2nd Pool C

Semi-finals

13:40 – Bowl SF1 – 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
14:00 – Bowl SF2 – 3rd Pool C vs 3rd Pool D

14:20 – Plate SF1 – Loser Cup QF 1 vs Loser Cup QF2
14:40 – Plate SF2 – Loser Cup QF 3 vs Loser Cup QF4

15:00 – Cup SF1 – Winner Cup QF1 vs Winner Cup QF2
15:20 – Cup SF2 – Winner Cup QF3 vs Winner Cup QF4

Finals

15:40 – Bowl final – Winner Bowl semi 1 vs Winner Bowl semi 2
16:00 – Plate final – Winner Plate semi 1 vs Winner Plate semi 2
16:20 – Cup final – Winner Cup semi 1 vs Winner Cup semi 2

Monument hosts a smaller but high-quality High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota, event on Saturday in Krugersdorp.

The u17 and u15 competitions feature only 10 teams each, but there are some established rugby powers among them.

Monument, the hosts, are among the potential title contenders, as is Helpmekaar, who made the Cup semi-finals of the Heidelberg Sevens this past weekend.

Jeppe, who it should be remembered beat Monnas at Monument when the teams met in the 15-man game this season, will be a team to keep an eye on.

Noordheuwel has an Invitation side in action, so they’re a bit of an unknown.

Dinamika narrowly lost 17-19 to the eventual runners-up, Noordheuwel, in the playoffs at the Heidelberg Sevens, and beat Helpmekaar 26-24, so they should not be underestimated.

Noordheuwel has two teams in the u15 competition and their A side cruised to the u15 title in Heidelberg. Their Krugersdorp rivals, Monument, would love nothing more than to prevent Noordheuwel from making it two in a row.

Marais Viljoen, the winners of the Pionier Sevens title, finished as the runners-up in the Plate in Heidelberg. Dinamika, again, could play the role of spoiler, and the Garsfontein Invitation side is another team that could pull off an upset or two.

U17 Pools

Pool A: Monument, Noordheuwel Inv, Marais Viljoen, Eye of the Tiger, Alberton
Pool B: Helpmekaar, Jeppe, Dinamika, Westridge, Springs Boys’ High

Fixtures

08:00 – Monument vs Alberton
08:20 – Helpmekaar vs Springs Boys
08:40 – Noordheuwel Invitation vs Eye of the Tiger
09:00 – Jeppe vs Westridge
09:20 – Monument vs Marais Viljoen
09:40 – Helpmekaar vs Dinamika
10:00 – Westridge vs Springs Boys
10:20 – Eye of the Tiger vs Alberton
10:40 – Jeppe vs Dinamika
11:00 – Noordheuwel Invitation vs Marais Viljoen
11:20 – Helpmekaar vs Westridge
11:40 – Monument vs Eye of the Tiger
12:00 – Marais Viljoen vs Alberton
12:20 – Jeppe vs Springs Boys
12:40 – Dinamika vs Westridge
13:00 – Monument vs Noordheuwel Invitation
13:20 – Helpmekaar vs Jeppe
13:40 – Marais Viljoen vs Eye of the Tiger
14:00 – Dinamika vs Springs Boys
14:20 – Noordheuwel Invitation vs Alberton

Lunch

15:00 – Cup semi-final 1 – Winner Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
15:20 – Cup semi-final 2 – Winner Pool B vs 2nd Pool A

Finals

15:40 – Bowl final – 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
16:00 – Plate final – Loser Cup semi 1 vs Loser Cup semi 2
16:20 – Cup final – Winner Cup semi 1 vs Winner Cup semi 2

U15 Pools

Pool A: Monument, Noordheuwel 2, Garsfontein Invitation, Dinamika, Alberton
Pool B: Helpmekaar, Noordheuwel, Eye of the Tiger, Springs Boys, Marais Viljoen

Fixtures

08:00 – Monument vs Alberton
08:20 – Helpmekaar vs Marais Viljoen
08:40 – Noordheuwel 2 vs Dinamika
09:00 – Noordheuwel vs Springs Boys
09:20 – Monument vs Garsfontein Invitation
09:40 – Helpmekaar vs Eye of the Tiger
10:00 – Springs Boys vs Marais Viljoen
10:20 – Dinamika vs Alberton
10:40 – Noordheuwel vs Eye of the Tiger
11:00 – Noordheuwel 2 vs Garsfontein Invitation
11:20 – Helpmekaar vs Springs Boys
11:40 – Monument vs Dinamika
12:00 – Garsfontein Invitation vs Alberton
12:20 – Noordheuwel vs Marais Viljoen
12:40 – Eye of the Tiger vs Springs Boys
13:00 – Monument vs Noordheuwel 2
13:20 – Helpmekaar vs Noordheuwel
13:40 – Garsfontein Inv vs Dinamika
14:00 – Eye of the Tiger vs Marais Viljoen
14:20 – Noordhweuwel 2 vs Alberton

Lunch

15:00 – Cup semi 1 – Winner Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
15:20 – Cup semi 2 – Winner Pool B vs 2nd Pool A

Finals

15:40 – Bowl final – 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
16:00 – Plate final – Loser Cup semi 1 vs Loser Cup semi 2
16:20 – Cup final – Winner Cup semi 1 vs Winner Cup semi 2

Fresh from captaining the Central Samurais to a 3-1 win over the Griffins in the Johannesburg Hockey League (JHL) final, meet the trailblazing high school hockey star, Reabetswe Phume, from St Stithians Girls College.

Phume, who is in grade 12, has dominated at the high school level and has already represented the South African Hockey 5s team in senior competition and she has been in the national to the Paris Olympics Games 2024.

She began playing hockey six years ago out of curiosity, when she was in grade six at Brescia House School. Little did she know how much that decision would impact her life. Once she got a stick in her hands, she found a purpose and she chased greatness with unwavering determination.

“I wasn’t competitively playing the sport. It was more socially, until I gradually started to fall in love with it and came to the realisation that I wanted to play it seriously,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.

The 17-year-old has transformed from being a social player into one who has designs on playing hockey professionally.

“I chose hockey because, funnily enough, I never knew what the sport was. I saw a bunch of students playing it and they were holding hockey sticks, but I never really understood the game or the excitement around it. That is until I signed up socially just to play for fun, and that was when I understood the hype around it because the sport opened up my competitive side and I always wanted to be challenged.

“That’s what hockey was about – many challenges – and hockey is one of the sports that challenges you mentally and physically as a player, and it gets you out of your comfort zone.

“I later developed a huge passion for the sport and realised that this is what I wanted to continue to do and to take it further through the years,” she revealed.

Phume very quickly made massive strides to improve her game and it blossomed at St Stithians College, which she lauded for the support she has received on and off the field. In 2022, she made her junior international debut when she represented South Africa in Hockey 5s.

In the winter holidays, she achieved another memorable milestone when she led the Southern Gauteng A team to the u18 SASHOC National Week title in Bloemfontein.

In a tension-filled final, Phume and her teammates edged out Northern Gauteng A 4-3 from the penalty spot after they had finished regulation time level at 2-2.

Southerns shone throughout the tournament, scoring 19 goals and keeping a clean sheet in every match until the final.

After the tournament, she was chosen as the Player of the Tournament and selected for the SA U18 A squad.

Another highlight followed shortly after in July when, with her club team, Crusaders, which is based at St Stithians, she won the Belgotex Elite Club Challenge, hosted at the Riverside Hockey Club in Durban.

Phume’s electric year began in January with a call-up to the South African  Team for the inaugural Women’s Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman. There were 16 teams in action and the South Africans did their country proud by finishing in fourth place overall.

SA topped their pool, ahead of Ukraine, Australia, and Zambia, which secured them a place in the quarterfinals against Malaysia. South Africa won that match 6-4, which put them into the semi-finals against India. The Indians took a 6-3 win there to advance to the final. South Africa, meanwhile, played Poland for third and went down 2-4.

It was, nonetheless, a hugely successful tournament for South Africa, and for Phume personally. Toni Marks led the goal-scoring for the team, with 11 goals. Dirkie Chamberlain netted eight times, and Phume was South Africa’s third-highest scorer, with five goals.

In a short space of time, she has represented her school, her province, and the country at the top level, and playing in different teams with different individuals stands out to Phume as something special.

“My special moments on the field will be playing alongside different people and different players and learning from every single one of them how I can better and improve my skill set and my abilities on the field,” she said.

“I think, also, of the special moments that you make, whether it be winning tournaments, scoring goals, or the little special celebrations in the game, which always drives me to want to do better, not just for myself but for the badge that I wear.

“The most important special moments on the field for me would be when I am having fun, and when I have fun I normally play at my best, where I can showcase my talents and my abilities and what I bring to the game, where I can create a lot of special and memorable moments,” she added

Phume revealed that she draws inspiration from the legendary tennis player Serena Williams. “I love tennis because it is a sport that challenges your individuality as a person and as a player,” she explained. “I used to play it, so I understand the level of commitment, time, and effort that tennis requires to become the best.

“I love tennis because of my idol and role model, Serena Williams, who is responsible and famous for revolutionizing women in sport and has won many titles in her career despite her being a woman of colour and facing many challenges on the sporting field.”

With her career having reached great heights already, it’s not a stretch to imagine Phume starring at the highest level of hockey and she’s committed to giving it her best shot.

“I plan on playing hockey for quite some further along in my future and my career. Alongside my studies, I would love to play hockey competitively and professionally and travel around the globe where I will have many opportunities to learn and grow in the sport,” she said.

As her school career draws towards its conclusion, she spoke glowingly about the impact her coaches and teammates have had on her. “All of my teammates and coaches that I have played alongside and been coached by have been different. However, they all have been amazing and very supportive of me and my career,” she said.

“Whether it was in school, nationally, provincially, or even club, I have been surrounded by a lot of great talent and experience, and I have been able to apply myself in many ways and learn a lot in the hockey and sporting community through my coaches, as well as my teammates.”

The High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota, visits Pretoria on Friday and Saturday for two days of all-out action at the Montana Sevens, with 24 u17 teams and 24 u15 sides in action, eight of them – four u15 and four u17 – in a Small Schools group.

A number of the u17 sides will have an advantage of having recently been in action, with Affies and Garsfontein participating in the Marius Schoeman Sevens last weekend in Paarl, where Affies reached the Cup semi-finals and Garsfontein won the Bowl. They’ll be among the title favourites.

Zayo Rhinos, meanwhile, will be playing in their third High School Sevens Series event. They’ve contested the Pionier and Heidelberg Sevens previously, reaching the Cup semi-finals at Pionier and the Plate semi-finals at Heidelberg.

Pretoria Boys’ High, blessed with pace and coming from a background of exciting running rugby, could be a dark horse contender.

Waterkloof won’t be in action in the u17 tournament, but they’ll be a team to watch out for in the u15 competition, where Affies and Garsies will also be tough to beat.

Catch the action LIVE from Montana with SuperSport Schools

POOLS

u17

Pool A: Oos Moot, Affies, Overkruin, HTS John Vorster
Pool B: Garsfontein, Zayo Rhinos, Curro Hazeldean, Erasmus
Pool C: Bos Blitze, Zwartkop, Wonderboom, Rietondale
Pool D: Montana, Centurion, Sutherland, Wilgers
Pool E: Menlopark, Pretoria Boys High (PBHS), Pretoria Noord, Affies B

Small Schools

Montana B, Rooi Katte, FH Odendaal, Wonderboom B

u15

Pool A: Oos Moot, Affies, Overkruin, HTS John Vorster
Pool B: Garsfontein, Waterkloof, Curro Hazeldean, Erasmus
Pool C: Eldoraigne, Zwartkop, Wonderboom, Rietondale
Pool D: Montana, Centurion, Sutherland, Wilgers
Pool E: Menlopark, PBHS, Pretoria Noord, Amberfield

Small Schools

Montana B, Centurion B, FH Odendaal, Wonderboom B

FIXTURES

Field A

Friday, 6 September

14:00 – Oos-Moot (u17-A1) vs Overkruin (u17-A3)
14:20 – Affies (u17-A2) vs HTS John Vorster (u17-A4)
14:40 – Zayo (u17-B2) vs Erasmus (u17-B4)
15:00 – Garsfontein (u17-B1) vs Curro Hazeldean (u17-B3)
15:20 – Eldoraigne (u17-C1) vs Wonderboom (u17-C3)
15:40 – Zwartkop (u17-C2) vs Rietondale (u17-C4)
16:00 – Montana (u17-D1) vs Sutherland (u17-D3)
16:20 – Centurion (u17-D2) vs Wilgers (u17-D4)
16:40 – Menlopark (u17-E1) vs Pretoria Noord (u17-E3)
17:00 – PBHS (u17-E2) vs Affies B (u17-E4)
17:20 – Oos-Moot (u17-A1) vs Affies (u17-A2)
17:40 – Overkruin (u17-A3) vs HTS John Vorster (u17-A4)
18:00 – Garsfontein (u17-B1) vs Zayo (u17-B2)
18:20 – Curro Hazeldean (u17-B3) vs Erasmus (u17-B4)
18:40 – Bos-Blitze (u17-C1) vs Zwartkop (u17-C2)
19:00 – Wonderboom (u17-C3) vs Rietondale (u17-C4)
19:20 – Montana (u17-C1) vs Centurion (u17-D2)
19:40 – Bos-Blitze (u17-C1) vs Rietondale (u17-C4)

Saturday, 7 September

07:00 – Menlopark (u17-E1) vs Affies B (u17-E4)
07:20 – Menlopark (u15-E1) vs PBHS (u15-E2)
07:40 – Waterkloof (u15-B2) vs Curro Hazeldean (u15-B3)
08:00 – Montana (u15-D1) vs Wilgers (u15-D4)
08:20 – Montana (u17-D1) vs Wilgers (u17-D4)
08:40 – Wonderboom (u15-C3) vs Rietondale (u15-C4)
09:00 – Montana (u15-D1) vs Centurion (u15-D2)

Playoffs

10:00 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 1
10:20 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 1
10:40 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 2
11:00 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 2
11:20 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 3
11:40 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 3
12:00 – Cup/Shield quarterfinal 4
12:20 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 4

12:40 – Cup semifinal 1 – Winner QF1 vs Winner QF3
13:00 – Plate semifinal 1 – Loser QF1 vs Loser QF3
13:20 – Cup semi-final 2 – Winner QF2 vs Winner QF4
13:40 – Plate semi-final – Loser QF 2 vs Loser QF 4

u15

14:00 – Cup semi-final 2 – Winner QF2 vs Winner QF 4
14:20 – Plate semi-final 2 – Loser QF2 vs Loser QF 4

Finals

14:40 – Bronze (u17) – Loser Cup semi-final 1 vs Loser Cup semi-final 2
15:00 – Shield (u17) – Winner Shield semi-final 1 vs Winner Shield semi-final 2
15:20 – Plate (u17) – Winner Plate semi-final 1 vs Winner Plate semi-final 2
15:40 – Bowl (u17) – Winner Bowl semi-final 1 vs Winner Bowl semi-final 2
16:00 – Cup final (u17) – Winner Cup semi-final 1 vs Winner Cup semi-final 2

Field B

u15

10:00 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 1
10:20 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 1
10:40 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 2
11:00 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 2
11:20 – Cup/Plate quarterfinal 3
11:40 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 3
12:00 – Cup/Shield quarterfinal 4
12:20 – Shield/Bowl quarterfinal 4

Semi-finals

12:40 – Shield SF1 (u17) – Loser Shield/Bowl QF1 vs Loser Shield/Bowl QF3
13:00 – Bowl SF1 (u17) – Winner Shield/Bowl QF1 vs Winner Shield/Bowl QF3
13:20 – Shield SF1 (u17) – Shield semi-final 2 – Loser Shield/Bowl QF2 vs Loser Shield/Bowl QF4
13:40 – Bowl SF2 (u17) – Winner Shield/Bowl QF2 vs Winner Shield/Bowl QF4
14:00 – Shield SF2 – Shield/Bowl QF2 vs Shield/Bowl QF4

Finals – u15

14:20 – Bronze – Loser Cup semi-final 1 vs Loser Cup semi-final 2
14:40 – Shield final – Winner Shield semi-final 1 vs Winner Shield semi-final 2
15:00 – Plate final – Winner Plate semi-final 1 vs Winner Plate semi-final 2
15:20 – Bowl final – Winner Bowl semi-final 1 vs Winner Bowl semi-final 2
15:40 – Cup final – Winner Cup semi-final 1 vs Winner Cup semi-final 2

C Field

u15

12:40 – Cup semi-final 1 – Winner QF1 vs Winner QF3
13:00 – Shield semi-final 1 – Loser Shield/Bowl QF1 vs Loser Shield/Bowl QF3
13:20 – Plate semi-final 1 – Loser QF1 vs Loser QF 3
13:40 – Bowl semi-final 1 – Winner Shield/Bowl QF1 vs Winner Shield/Bowl QF3
14:00 – Bowl semi-final 2 – Winner Shield/Bowl QF2 vs Winner Shield/Bowl QF4

Field B

Friday, 6 September

14:00 – Sutherland (u17-D3) vs Wilgers (u17-D4)
14:20 – Oos-Moot (u17-A1) vs HTS John Vorster (u17-A4)
14:40 – Oos-Moot (u15-A1) vs Overkruin (u15-A3)
15:00 – Pretoria Noord (u17-E3) vs Affies B (u17-E4)
15:20 – Menlopark (u17-E1) vs PBHS (u17-E2)
15:40 – Affies (u15-A2) vs HTS John Vorster (u15-A4)
16:00 – Affies (u17-A2) vs Overkruin (u17-A3)
16:20 – Garsfontein (u17-B1) vs Erasmus (u17-B4)
16:40 – Garsfontein (u15-B1) vs Waterkloof (u15-B2)
17:00 – Zayo (u17-B2) vs Curro Hazeldean (u17-B3)
17:20 – Curro Hazeldean (u15-B3) vs Erasmus (u15-B4)
17:40 – Zwartkop (u17-C2) vs Wonderboom (u17-C3)

Saturday, 7 September

07:00 – Centurion (u17-D2) vs Sutherland (u17-D3)
07:20 – Affies (u15-A2) vs Overkruin (u15-A3)
07:40 – Eldoraigne (u15-C1) vs Rietondale (u15-C4)
08:00 – Centurion (u15-D2) vs Sutherland (u15-D3)
08:20 – PBHS (u15-E2) vs Pretoria Noord (u15-E3)
08:40 – Sutherland (u15-D3) vs Wilgers (u15-D4)
09:00 – Menlopark (u15-E1) vs Amberfield (u15-E4)
09:20 – Garsfontein (u15-B1) vs Erasmus (u15-B4)

Field C

Friday, 6 September

14:00 – Garsfontein (u15-B1) vs Curro Hazeldean (u15-B3)
14:20 – Waterkloof (u15-B2) vs Erasmus (u15-B4)
14:40 – Eldoraigne (u15-C1) vs Wonderboom (u15-C3)
15:00 – Zwartkop (u15-C2) vs Rietondale (u15-C4)
15:20 – Montana (u15-D1) vs Sutherland (u15-D3)
15:40 – Centurion (u15-D2) vs Wilgers (u15-D4)
16:00 – Menlopark (u15-E1) vs Pretoria Noord ((u15-E3)
16:20 – PBHS (u15-E2) vs Amberfield (u15-E3)
16:40 – Oos-Moot (u15-A1) vs Affies (u15-A2)
17:00 – Overkruin (u15-A3) vs HTS John Vorster (u15-A4)
17:20 – Eldoraigne (u15-C1) vs Zwartop (u15-C2)

Saturday, 7 September

07:00 – PBHS (u17-E2) vs Pretoria Noord (u17E3)
07:20 – Pretoria Noord (u15-E3) vs Amberfield (u15-E4)
07:40 – Zwartkop (u15-C2) vs Wonderboom (u15-C3)
08:00 – Oos-Moot (u15-A1) vs HTS John Vorster (u15-A4)
08:20 – FH Odendaal (u17-F3) vs Wonderboom (u17-F4)
08:40 – Montana B (U17-F1) vs Rooi Katte (u17-F2)
09:00 – FH Odendaal (u15-F3) vs Wonderboom B (u15-F4)
09:20 – Montana B (u15-F1) vs Centurion B (u15-F2)
09:40 – Rooi Katte (u17-F2) vs FH Odendaal (u17-F3)
10:00 – Montana B (u17-F1) vs Wonderboom B (u17-F4)
10:20 – Centurion B (u15-F2) vs FH Odendaal (U15-F4)
10:40 – Montana B (u15-F1) vs Wonderboom B (u15-F4)
11:00 – Rooi Katte (u17-F2) vs Wonderboom B (u17-F4)
11:20 – Montana B (u17-F1) vs FH Odendaal (u17-F3)
11:40 – Centurion B (u15-F2) vs Wonderboom B (u15-F4)
12:00 – Montana B (u15-F1) vs FH Odendaal (u15-F3)

Hilton College and Maritzburg College delivered a thrilling clash in the Eston One Insurance High Schools’ T20 Night League on Wednesday, with a nail-biting contest coming down to the final ball.

With the fifth delivery of the last over, Hilton’s Kyle Christie had Brendon Senzere caught by Charles Swart, which left Maritzburg College requiring two runs to win. In a classic case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man”, Karl Dedekind pulled the last ball through mid-wicket for four to snatch a three-wicket win for the Red, Black and White.

Hilton won the toss and chose to bat first and they did a good job at the crease. It didn’t start well for them, however, with their SA Emerging u19 batsman Ben Hockly falling to the second ball of the innings for a duck. Robert Burman and Simon Steyn, though, did a fantastic job together of not only repairing the damage but taking charge as they shared in a 95-run stand for the second wicket in 11.4 overs.

Steyn bounded along, cracking 53 from only 37 deliveries, with seven fours and a six, before he was eventually dismissed, stumped by Tian van Niekerk off the bowling of College captain Chad Mason.

That brought Charles Swart to the wicket and he and opening batsman Burman added an unbroken 57 to take Hilton to 152/2 after their 20 overs. Burman was undefeated on 72 from 61 balls, which included eight fours, while Swart was 18 not out at the end of the innings.

Mason led the Maritzburg College attack, picking up 1/21 in four overs, but it was, in general, an expensive exercise for the remainder of the bowlers.

Needing to bat at 7.65 runs per over to win, College made a solid start, with Llewelyn Sutherland and Daniel Nadasan sharing an opening partnership of 25 in three overs before the in-form Sutherland was caught by Jayden Roux off the bowling of Netanzi Denenga for 12 after lifting the ball towards the leg-side boundary. All of his runs came from fours.

Nadasan followed in the next over when Stewart Falconer caught him off Ethan van Heerden‘s bowling for 18 and when Oliver Da Costa retired hurt with the total on 36, after being struck on the shoulder by Denenga, the pressure had shifted onto the College batsmen.

Coach Robbie Coutt‘s boys needed to keep cool heads and they had the right men at the crease, with Michael Gibson joining Chad Mason in the middle. They didn’t panic and instead set about methodically making inroads into Hilton’s challenging total. In 8.5 overs, they added 67 runs before Benoit Rey broke up the partnership when he had Gibson caught by David Hill for 27 from 28.

When College lost two more wickets cheaply, the match had tilted in Hilton’s favour. The batting side was on 118/5 after 15.3 overs, leaving them 27 balls to score 35 runs. Still, they had the composed Mason in the middle, and joining him at the crease was Julian Konigkramer, a player with the ability to take the fight to the bowlers. He duly delivered.

The duo added 27 runs in 3.2 overs, but Mason finally fell, caught by Hill off of Denenga for a crucial 41 from 39 balls, which included only three fours. That innings was exactly what had College needed. However, only seven deliveries remained and eight runs were required.

After the departure of Senzere in the final over, Dedekind won it for the Red, Black and White. His partner at the other end when victory was achieved, Julian Konigkramer, had played a decisive knock, finishing with an unbeaten 20 from 16 balls, with two fours and a six.

Ethan van Heerden led the Hilton attack well, picking up 2/20 in four, while his new ball partner, Netanzi Denenga, captured 2/30 in his four, and Benoit Rey claimed 2/29 in three.

On Tuesday, Michaelhouse raced to an 82-run win over the KZN Inland Hub in their Eston One Insurance High Schools’ T20 Night League match, with Graydon Leslie starring. He blasted 15 fours in his 96 from only 57 balls as ‘House tallied 202/4.

Then, a neat bowling performance ensured the Hub side was unable to mount a challenge as they were restricted to 120/7 in their reply.

Scores

Hilton College 152/2 (Robert Burman 72*, Simon Steyn 53, Chad Mason 1/21); Maritzburg College 155/7 (Chad Mason 41, Michael Gibson 27, Julian Konigkramer 20*, Ethan van Heerden 2/20, Benoit Rey 2/29, Netanzi Denenga 2/30)

Maritzburg College won by three wickets

Michaelhouse 202/4 (Graydon Leslie 96); KZN Inland Hub 120/7

Michaelhouse won by 82 runs

Alakhe Mdluli made his debut for the AmaZulu Multichoice Diski Challenge team on Saturday, taking on Orlando Pirates at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi.

In a tight contest, neither team could find a way through, resulting in a goalless draw, but it was another step up the ladder for the talented Glenwood High football captain.

His teammates in the AmaZulu lineup include Aphiwe Buthelezi, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the FC Bayern International Youth Cup in 2023, which earned him an opportunity to join the FC Bayern World Squad in the United States to compete against other elite young footballers.  Mateo Horstead is also with AmaZulu. In 2023, he captained Maritzburg College to an unprecedented treble.

At Glenwood, Mdluli not only captains the side but is also the fulcrum around which it is built. He is a goal scorer and a goal provider and operates in various positions, including as a winger, an inverted winger, a central attacking midfielder, and as a striker. SuperSport Schools‘ commentator, Sibonelo Zulu, refers to him as “Joga Bonito” due to his flawless ball control and beautiful play.

Mdluli, nicknamed “Smiley”, has already appeared in youth internationals for Eswatini. He was called up to the national u17 team in 2021 and was recently selected for the Eswatini u20 team.

During 2024, he has led Glenwood to two titles, the u19 2nd Term KZNHSFA Coastal League and the Primo Big 10 Schools Cup. In both events, he was a standout performer, which included being named the man of the match in the league final against Westville Boys’ High School in which he provided an assist. He also played a pivotal role in his school’s triumph in the Primo Big 10, in which they defeated Durban High School 1-0 in the final.

In 2023, he helped the Green Machine to a runner-up finish in the Primo Big 10. This season, it was a case of third time lucky as Glenwood clinched the title for the first time, defeating Northwood, Maritzburg College and DHS twice each, on their way to the title.

As the hype around the newly launched Schools SA 20 grows, sides from the North West have already started fighting it out to see which school will be tasked with flying the union’s flag in the national finals.

Relive all the action SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

It was fitting that the first game, just after the reveal and launch of the revived schools’ T20 competition, was a clash of the North West Titans as Potchefstroom Gimnasium and their cross-town rivals, Potchefstroom Volkskool, met in a quarterfinal clash.

The day, very clearly, belonged to the Gimmies. They produced a scintillating bowling performance, which set them up for a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

Batting first, Volkskool struggled to construct any meaningful partnerships. Only Herman Hesse, who’s more often seen causing damage with the ball, was able to find any sort of rhythm with the bat. He led Volkies’ run-scoring, with 23 from 16 deliveries, while Ruan Smit, with 21, and Diaan van der Merwe, with 20, were the only other batsmen to move beyond the teens.

Bennet Keet led the Gimmies’ attack, capturing 2 for 14 from his four overs. He was well supported by Ruan Steenkamp, who kept Volkskool quiet through the middle overs on his wat to a superb return of 2 for 10 from his four overs. Henré Cronje and Jahndré Coetzee also bagged two wickets apiece, as Volkskool folded for 111.

Set a small victory target, Jahndré Coetzee took charge and cracked an unbeaten 53 to guide Gimnasium to victory. He received useful support from Divan van Eldik, who made 25, and Lukas Kotze, who was on 23 not out when Gim claimed the win.

Themba Sontjane was the only Volkies’ bowler able to make any inroads into the Potchefstroom Gimnasium batting lineup. He did a solid job, claiming two wickets while conceding only 14 runs from three overs, which included 11 dot balls.

Coetzee, for his 46-ball 53 not out and 2 for 24, was named the man of the match.

The reward for Gimnasium is a semi-final clash with the winners of the tie between Hoërskool Hartbeespoort and Rustenburg’s Fields College.

Scores

Potchefstroom Volkskool 111 (Herman Hesse 23, Ruan Smit 21, Dian van der Merwe 20; Ruan Steenkamp 2/10, Bennet Keet 2/13, Henré Cronje 2/23, Jahndré Coetzee 2/24); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 113/2 (Jahndré Coetzee 53*, Divan van Eldik 25, Lukas Kotze 23*; Themba Sontjane 2/14). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by eight wickets.