SuperSport Schools Plus Photo: ESMedia.Paarl Gimnasium held their nerve to beat Herschel 3-2 in a penalty shootout to lift the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge trophy on home ground Paarl Gim also received the Girls Challenge Trophy which goes to the top-performing school across all three age groups: u19 while Affies finished first in the u14 competition The tournament was billed as a new chapter in schoolgirl hockey and it lived up to expectations with thrilling encounters over three days of intense competition the local crowd thoroughly enjoyed themselves the stakes weighed down on the shoulders of both teams and a cagey first few minutes unfolded and they seized the initiative and went on the offensive had been sound in defence throughout the tournament conceding only one goal on their path to the final and they showed why when Paarl Gim attacked The Cape Town school maintained a solid defensive structure to keep the hosts at bay When the home team’s forwards beat the defenders they were met by the immovable titan that is goalkeeper Hailey Lewis She pulled off multiple saves to stave off Paarl Gim’s attacking forays coach Danelle van Zyl’s girls came close to breaking the deadlock beating both the Herschel defence and goalkeeper but both shots were only millimetres wide of the mark Herschel had their moments in attack in the first two chukkas but they didn’t produce anything to write home about as had been the case in the first two chukkas their excursions into the Herschel half were met by an organised defence which also affected their ability to counter when they turned over possession The game opened up more in the final chukka and Herschel made more runs into the Paarl Gim half Hailey Lewis kept denying the home team’s efforts and the match finished 0-0 after regulation time Sarah Ashbolt stepped up to take the first one for Herschel and she didn’t make a mistake Herschel thought they were in business when Hailey Lewis denied Joné de Winnaar a goal from Paarl Gim’s first attempt Herschel offered the hosts a way back into the shootout when their second effort exceeded the eight-second time limit Minke Botha converted her penalty to level the scores at 1-1 Another Herschel miss and the advantage tilted Paarl Gim’s way Alanda Rademeyer took on the responsibility of the third attempt for the home team she was the leading goal-scorer in the tournament and she demonstrated her goal-scoring chops once more by converting her chance to put Gim 2-1 up and supporters watched the title slipping from their hands They needed Paarl Gim to miss their fourth attempt The hosts didn’t and the title was theirs the umpires decreed that the last two penalties be taken Herschel converted and Paarl Gim missed theirs and it ended 3-2 to the home side It might have finished goalless in regulation time There were moments of brilliance and superb skills from both teams which underlined why they had made it through to the title-deciding contest 3rd/4th: Pearson 2-1 St Mary’s DSG Kloof 5th/6th: Collegiate (4) 1-1 (3) Waterkloof 7th/8th: Durban Girls College (4) 1-1 (1) Rustenburg 9th/10th: Oranje (3) 1-1 (1) Stellenberg 11th/12th: St Mary’s Waverley 1-0 Reddam Constantia 13th/14th: St Cyprian’s 1-0 Garsfontein 15th/16th: Fairmont 2-0 Springfield 17th/18th: Durbanville 2-1 Somerset College 19th/20th: St Stithians 6-0 Cornwall Hill Related News Dominant Jeppe u16A claims Alan Monk Top 10 title Vuyo Ndudane 2025-05-05 Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament Four goals by Reece Theunis highlighted a comprehensive 6-3 victory by South African College High School (SACS) over Paarl Gimnasium Paarl Gimnasium held their nerve to beat Herschel 3-2 in a penalty shootout to lift the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls and elation highlighted day three’s action of the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield Herschel and Pearson will go head-to-head in the semifinals of the Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge on Saturday Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament on Friday as South African College High School (SACS) and Paarl Gimnasium booked places in the final Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools On a day filled with anticipation and nerves and put themselves in pole position to clinch the prestigious title SACS, after defeating Durban High School (DHS) 6-2 in the quarterfinals, met their rivals, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) in the final four while Paarl Gim faced off against Hoërskool Garsfontein Paarl Gim had claimed a 3-2 victory over Clifton College while Garsfontein had stunned Grey College 2-0 Gim asserted their dominance against the Pretoria school courtesy of goals by Mikal Janse van Rensburg and Martin Ferreira and a brace from their dangerman SACS was made to sweat in their semifinal clash with Paul Roos In a repeat of last year’s final which drew a big crowd to the Rectory AstroTurf despite the unwelcoming so high it could’ve been sliced with a knife anticipation and nervousness flittered among the parents about to watch their sons in action That relentless pressure was soon rewarded when Caleb Cilliers and Matthew Cardoza partnered to set up Callum van Oudtshoorn who was unmarked and tapped in to make it 1-0 SACS warmed to the task and they netted four minutes into the second chukka to level the scores after Reece Theunis picked up the scraps from a PC but Litha Kraai put his side into the lead two minutes before halftime with a thunderbolt of a drag flick The scoreline remained unchanged in the third chukka but the fourth chukka delivered goals and drama as both teams felt the pressure with some allowing their discipline to slip and their tempers to flare Two SACS players, Mohlodi Maseko and Theunis, were shown yellow cards, while PRG skipper, Christo Swanepoel joined them in the naughty seat the Stellenbosch boys pulled one back when after some brilliant play by Matthew Lassen inside the circle and beat goalkeeper Josh Boden to regain the lead PRG was awarded another penalty corner after Kraai and Aiden Hughes were controversially adjudged to have wasted time by the umpire after the ball hit their feet while being hit out of the D by a PRG player for a long corner to level the match at 3-3 and send it to a penalty shootout and Van Oudtshoorn converted for PRG while their skipper while Theunis’s attempt resulted in a penalty stroke who had earlier missed his eight-second attempt They’ll have an opportunity to go one step further than 2024 when they meet Paarl Gimnasium for the title at 18:45 on Saturday evening SACS 6-2 DHS (Quarterfinal 1) Paul Roos (3) 1-1 (2) St Stithians College (Quarterfinal 2) Grey College 0-2 Garsfontein (Quarterfinal 3) Clifton College 2-3  Paarl Gimnasium (Quarterfinal 4) St Stithians College 3-1 DHS (Loser of quarterfinal 1) Grey College 2-1 Clifton College Loser of quarterfinal 2 SACS (5) 3-3 (4) Paul Roos (Semifinal 1) Garsfontein 2-4 Paarl Gimnasium (Semifinal 2) St Alban’s College 2-1 Bishops Maritzburg College 0-1 Westville Boys’ High Pearson 2-3 Parel Vallei Selborne College 0-4 Grey High School Bishops 2-2 Maritzburg College Pearson High 3-1 Selborne College St Alban’s College 1-1 Westville Boys’ High Grey High 4-1 Parel Vallei Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)  With the lead changing hands on multiple occasions Bere flyhalf Joshua Gouws slotted his third penalty of the match to level the scores at 30-30 In addition to his accurate goal-kicking – three penalties and two conversions – Gouws delivered a commanding all-round performance His incisive attacking play consistently tested Oakdale’s defence and provided Garsfontein with crucial momentum throughout the contest Oakdale’s forward pack dominated early proceedings providing quality possession for fullback Reinhart Viljoen and company to launch attacking movements with freedom Garsfontein responded through their talismanic tighthead prop whose powerful carries have been a hallmark of their season He was ably supported by the “Tower from Namibia” bringing energy and dynamism to broken play The much-anticipated clash between Van den Berg and Oakdale’s Kai Pratt materialised but through some sizzling handling and impressive running lines from both front-rowers that captivated the crowd Paarl Gimnasium opened their Wildeklawer campaign with a commanding 46–20 victory over Northwood further bolstering his claim for the SA Schools no 13 jersey by scoring his fourth hat-trick of the season blindside flank Hendré van Zyl delivered a fine performance helping to set the tone for Gim with his boundless energy and relentless work rate Northwood can take pride from their performance after putting 20 points on a side that many consider to be the finest team in the country Northwood’s refusal to back down was commendable most notably from outside centre Bongane Khumalo Outeniqua and Hoërskool Monument played out a thriller Outeniqua fullback Jade Peterson lit up the A-field at Hoërskool Diamantveld with his scintillating counter-attacks one of which caught the Krugersdorp side completely off-guard delivered arguably his best performance of the season giving his team the ascendancy for the better part of 60 minutes Paarl Gimnasium 46 (24) – Tries: Markus Muller (4) Northwood 20 (13) – Tries: Aphiwe Maphisa Oakdale Landbou 30 (15) – Tries: Jakobus de Villiers (2) Garsfontein 30 (10) – Tries: JJ Fourie Outeniqua 21 (0) – Tries: Henru Nell (2) Monument 20 (6) – Tries: Dean Hartman Related News Junior Springboks rotate team for Australia clash SA Rugby 2025-05-05 Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players who played Hilton College captured a hard-fought 25-20 victory over their arch-rivals Glenwood fullback Joshua Kopp kicked the Durban side to a tense one-point victory over Marlow Landbou in a low-scoring thriller Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool se Wit Bulle is vanjaar van stoetgehalte Affies het vir Boland Landbou met 74-14 gekarnuffel The third and final day of the 2025 Absa Wildeklawer kicked off with three emphatic victories on the B-field at Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players who played The Western Cape girls journeyed to Bloemfontein on a mission to bounce back after their last outing, which they lost 1-2 to Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Two clinical performances by coach Danelle van Zyl’s side silenced the home supporters in Bloemfontein On Thursday night, they took on Eunice and scored a 2-0 victory courtesy of strikes by the experienced Isabella Nel The visitors returned to action the following day in a Friday Nite Lights clash with Oranje, and it was Gim who opened the scoring in the first chukka from a tap-in at the far post from captain Joné de Winnaar Oranje responded with two goals in the third and fourth chukkas before Gim responded to level matters at 2-2 It seemed that the clash would end in a draw until a late goal by the visitors with only 30 seconds remaining in the game ““Our focus on this Bloem tour was to be more clinical and process driven and to connect as a team and enjoy the game that we love so much,” coach Van Zyl told SuperSport Schools Plus They ran hard and played together as a team in the Eunice game but we showed some real character after being down 1-2 and coming back to win the game 3-2.” Gimmies are gearing up to host the Girls Hockey Challenge The exciting new tournament will see some of the country’s top sides assemble in Paarl for three days of hard and competitive hockey The hosts have been drawn in Pool B along with St Mary’s Waverley, Fairmont High School “We can never be too confident because we have a massive target on our back,” coach Van Zyl said “Every game from now on is important and the main focus is to still improve and to be consistent in our processes.” Paarl Gim fixtures for Girls Hockey Challenge 10:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St Mary’s Waverley 15:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Springfield Convent School 11:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Fairmont High School SACS controlled most of the clash and kept Paarl Gim at arms’ length on their way to lifting the title The build-up to the title game featured exhilarating u14 and u16 finals Paul Roos Gimnasium beat SACS 5-4 in a shootout for the u14 crown while the Stellenbosch school emphatically overran Grey High School 4-0  to claim u16 gold and the Hibbert Cup it was time for a highly anticipated 1st XI final and the stands at Grey High School’s Rectory AstroTurf were filled to the rafters SACS and Paarl Gim had produced similarly dominant runs to the title decider. Gim went unbeaten in Pool C after thumping Grey High School and Westville Boys’ High before playing to a 1-1 draw with St Stithians College they edged out Clifton College 3-2 before outplaying Hoërskool Garsfontein 4-2 in the semis SACS, meanwhile, was untouchable in Pool A. They dominated St Alban’s College and Pearson High, and produced a thrilling performance in a high-scoring match against Grey College In the last eight, they rolled to a 6-2 win over Durban High School (DHS). However, in the semi-finals, they were made to sweat for a 5-4 victory on penalties against Paul Roos Gimnasium after a high-quality match ended tied 3-3 Past results counted for nothing with the title on the line stood between the finalists and the prestigious shield Reece Theunis had logged his first goal after some silky skill by Mohlodi Maseko set him up and Theunis did the rest Their midfield bossed Paarl Gim and they find each other with relative ease it was a well-executed strike to make it 2-0 which was the score at the end of the opening chukka A midfield battle developed in the second chukka and Gim grew into the game with skipper Juan Swanepoel and Rikus de Kock inspiring their side to go forward The first came from a goal by Adam Thompson They weren’t going down without a fight and they pulled one back through Ryan van der Merwe after a solo run into the circle by Swanepoel caught SACS napping and Van der Merwe pounced to provide the tap-in and his side’s first goal The message from coach Sam Holmes to his team was simple – keep applying pressure and avoid falling into the two-goal trap The boys from Cape Town had an opportunity to extend their advantage early in the third chukka but a PC drag flick by Theunis was well saved by Joe van Coller and the scoreboard remained static until the closing minutes of the quarter extended the SACS lead to 4-1 with a thunderbolt drag flick that whistled past Van Coller With their passionate and vocal supporters cheering them on Paarl Gim made inroads in the fourth quarter Coetzee returned from the sidelines with a bandage wrapped around his head and converted a penalty stroke to up the tension on the Rectory AstroTurf and that’s exactly what they got when Ebert Sabbagha collected a superb overhead pass from Swanepoel and wiggled his way past a couple of SACS defenders to slide one past Ethan October but SACS was not about to allow the contest to go to a shootout and Theunis made sure of that by netting twice to make it 6-3 and put some space between the boys in blue and white and their yellow and green-clad opponents His third goal came after he got his stick onto a shot from Aiden Hughes teed him up with a goal against the run of play Gim had an opportunity to pull one back with a late PC but Stefan Wiehahn‘s flick was kept out was crowned the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield champion the winners of the previous two editions of the event clinched a tight 2-1 victory over Garsfontein to finish in third place St Stithians College thumped Grey College 5-2 to finish in fifth while Clifton College beat DHS 2-1 in an all-KZN clash to claim seventh Grey High edged out Westville Boys’ High 3-2 to end in ninth place Clifton College 2-1 DHS St Stithians College 5-2 Grey College Maritzburg College 2-1 Selborne College Parel Vallei 3-0 St Alban’s College Bishops 5-2 Pearson High School Grey High 3-2 Westville Boys’ High Paul Roos 2-1 Garsfontein SACS 6-3 Paarl Gimnasium SACS Paarl Gimnasium Paul Roos Gimnasium Garsfontein St Stithians College Grey College Clifton College DHS Grey High School Westville Boys’ High Parel Vallei High School St Alban’s College Bishops Pearson High Maritzburg College Selborne College Paarl Boys’ High steamrolled Monument 85-0 on the final day of the Absa Wildeklawer-tournament in Kimberley Boishaai was in a devastating mood as they ran in 13 tries to hand the Wit Bulle Monnas‘ previous biggest defeat was handed to them last year in Bloemfontein when Grey College smashed them 87-19 The team from Paarl’s Christiaan Grundlingh (hooker) and Jayden Joubert (flanker) both recorded first-half hat-tricks Grundlingh also scored a fourth try in the second half was outstanding on the side of the scrum before his coach He was also named Man of the Match for his effort in the first 35 minutes also produced the goods as he scored a brace of tries in the second half contributed 20 points to his side’s victory via ten conversions Monnas lost both matches in Kimberley and will face EG Jansen in Boksburg in their next clash This match is part of the SDC Noordvaal Cup Boishaai’s next clash is against Grey College in the Brugstreet Stadium in Paarl Diamantveld‘s captain and inside centre was back in top form as his side defeated Maritzburg College by 38-31 Harding scored a hat-trick in the match that saw the two teams exchange the lead a couple of times He also received the Man of the Match honour for his efforts scored the match-winning try as he crashed over was his team’s best player on the day He is difficult to bring down and scored a brace of tries Paarl Boys’ High 85 (52) – Tries: Christiaan Grundlingh (4) Diamantveld 38 (17) – Tries: Jonathan Harding (3) Maritzburg College 31 (24) – Tries: Theo Boshoff (2) Photo: ESMediaPaarl Gimnasium and St Mary’s DSG Kloof have been on a collision course and will finally go head-to-head in the semifinals of the Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge on Saturday Both headed into the tournament among the favourites to go all the way and they proved those sentiments right by sweeping their group matches on their way to the final four St Mary’s DSG was the first of the two to book their semi-final slot with a thrilling 1-0 win over Hoërskool Waterkloof in their quarterfinal encounter scoring a comfortable 3-0 win over Rustenburg Girls’ High Their reward is a showdown with St Mary’s DSG at 12:20 on Saturday for a place in the final A belligerent Waterkloof side gave the KZN side all they could handle in the quarterfinals, going toe-to-toe with the St Mary’s Waverley Festival champions before succumbing to a dramatic last-second winner Waterkloof went into the match with a solid plan on how to repel the St Mary’s attack and it worked well That was the difference between them conceding a single goal and several and that disciplined approach kept St Mary’s at bay in the final five minutes of the match after coach Nolwazi Nkabinde‘s charges had set up camp in Waterkloof’s final third St Mary’s was seemingly unable to find a way through the defensive wall erected by Waterkloof had been enjoying a good tournament in the middle of the park but without being able to find the back of the net in what turned out to be the final move of the game she received the ball to the left of the castle and fired a shot hard into the backboard to secure a last-gasp victory for her side Matters were more straightforward earlier in the day for the KwaZulu-Natalians who booked their semi-final spot after a 4-2 win over St Stithians College who has been prolific in front of goal and is St Mary’s leading scorer at the tournament while Georgia Short and Jamie da Silva added a goal each In their quarterfinal clash with Rustenburg Paarl Gim was forced to wait for almost 34 minutes before they broke the deadlock The hosts have worked well as a unit throughout the tournament and it took more good teamwork to conjure up their opener They attacked Rustenburg down the left flank before a pass was laid off for Imke Koegelenberg to slot the ball into the back of the goalbox but Paarl Gim doubled their advantage six minutes from time they found a path into the circle down the left flank The Rustenburg girls were still trying to compose themselves when they conceded a third goal from a penalty corner and she made the opportunity count from close range Paarl Gim sauntered to a 4-0 triumph over Fairmont to claim a quarterfinal slot while Minke Botha and Anya Swanepoel scored one each A thrilling semi-final between two in-form teams awaits St Mary’s DSG Kloof 1-0 Waterkloof Paarl Gim 3-0 Rustenburg Pearson 3-2 Collegiate Herschel 3-1 Durban Girls’ College Durban Girls’ College 9-0 Cornwall Hill Herschel 2-0 Oranje St Mary’s Waverley 1-0 Springfield Paarl Gim 4-0 Fairmont Pool C Pearson 4-1 Somerset College Waterkloof 4-0 Stellenberg St Cyprian’s 1-1 Reddam Constantia St Mary’s DSG 4-2 St Stithians Rustenburg 2-0 Durbanville Collegiate 1-1 Garsfontein Photo: ESMedia.Paarl Gimnasium put on a good show in front of their home crowd with back-to-back wins propelling them to the summit of Pool B while Stellenberg recorded a win and a draw on their way to the top of Pool C on Thursday the first day of the Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge Those results leave Paarl Gim and Stellenberg in healthy positions to advance to the next stage of the 20-team tournament The competition continues through until Saturday Paarl Gim beat St Mary’s Waverley 2-0 and Springfield Convent School 3-1 “We were pressing really well in both games, putting the other teams under a lot of pressure and then creating good opportunities from the turnover,” Danelle Van Zyl, the Paarl Gim coach, told Supersport Schools Plus The hosts’ supporters had to wait until seconds before the halftime break to celebrate the first of the five goals Gim scored on Thursday as Van Zyl’s charges found St Mary’s Waverley to be a tricky opponent in their opening encounter With mere seconds remaining in the opening stanza the home team Izelle Fourie converted a short corner for a morale-boosting halftime lead The third chukka looked a lot like the opening half Rademeyer was again on the scoresheet in the hosts’ second match along with Karea de Ridder and Marili Walters Unlike in the first match where they kept fans waiting for a breakthrough Paarl Gim had their supporters on their feet early when they converted a long corner eight minutes into the game Springfield kept things interesting when they pulled one back through Mackenzie Cathcart-Gates who struck from a goal-mouth scramble off a short corner six minutes into the final chukka That goal gave Springfield hope for a dramatic comeback Gim fired in their third goal to drive the final nail into the coffin Stellenberg scored five goals across their two matches and conceded one They romped to a 4-0 win over Somerset College in their first match and were then held to a 1-1 draw by second-placed Pearson Bea van den Berg led the scoring for Stellenberg with a brace against Somerset while Juane Meiring and Ilke van der Merwe added a goal each Stellenberg kept the Somerset College goalkeeper busy in the first chukka by creating several chances but they had to wait until the second chukka to be rewarded for their attacking forays Their first came from a short corner eight minutes in and their second doubled their advantage two minutes later Stellenberg did not rest on their laurels in the second half They peppered the Somerset College goal with more attempts and added two more goals to complete a comfortable victory Juane Meiring fired a rocket into the right corner to give her side the lead eight minutes in Pool C action continues with Pearson facing Somerset College at 08:00 Springfield takes on St Mary’s Waverley in the first Pool B match of the day Oranje 1-1 Durban Girls’ College Herschel 11-0 Cornwall Hill Oranje 8-0 Cornwall Hill Herschel 1-0 Durban Girls’ College Fairmont 0-0 Springfield Paarl Gim 2-0 St Mary’s Waverley Fairmont 1-1 St Mary’s Waverley Paarl Gim 3-1 Springfield Stellenberg 4-0 Somerset College Pearson 2-1 Waterkloof Waterkloof 3-1 Somerset College Pearson 1-1 Stellenberg Reddam Constantia 2-0 St Stithians St Mary’s DSG Kloof 2-0 St Cyprian’s St Mary’s DSG Kloof 3-1 Reddam Constantia St Cyprian’s 2-0 St Stithians Rustenburg 2-1 Garsfontein Collegiate 3-2 Durbanville Collegiate 1-0 Rustenburg Garsfontein 1-0 Durbanville Photo: Frans Lombard/Actionpix.Grey College flyhalf Darius Erwee produced a flawless performance on a thrilling day of schoolboy rugby to bring down the curtain in style after 11 1st XV matches at the Absa Wildeklawer tournament Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) The giants from Bloemfontein ran rampant in the closing fixture crossing the try-line eight times in a 56–14 dismantling of Helpmekaar Erwee converted all eight Grey tries – including one of his own – as he contributed 21 points to his team’s big total but he also delivered a commanding all-round display behind a dominant Grey pack The famed Grey College driving maul proved too much for Helpies and consistently forced the Johannesburg side onto the back foot Grey’s thunderous forwards excelled in broken play This allowed their dynamic fullback Lamla Mgedezi and lethal left-wing Eddie Mabena ample space to showcase their attacking flair with both capitalising on the momentum provided by the big boys up front Despite entering the contest as the underdogs Helpmekaar took on the challenge with spirit and intensity A major highlight for Helpies was the performance of their captain He stood tall in defence and frequently joined the attacking line forcing Grey to scramble on more than one occasion Ax also linked up well with the speedsters out wide who thrived when given space and looked dangerous with the ball in hand In the match that preceded the Grey College versus Helpmekaar clash Jeppe High School for Boys hit form with a 37–24 victory over Maritzburg College The Johannesburg outfit looked like their old confident selves as they racked up points with clinical precision ignited Jeppe’s backline with his electric play which earned him the man of the match honour Loosehead prop Joshua Hamman was one of Jeppe’s four try scorers in what was arguably his best outing of the season College’s centre pairing of Olwethu Kosani and Amahle Hadebe created some exciting moments Hadebe’s flashy footwork lit up the field while Kosani troubled Jeppe’s defence with his hard Flyhalf Nehemia Hollenbach provided consistency from the tee slotting four conversions and three penalties to complement Jeppe’s attacking dominance Paarl Boys’ High asserted their class with a 42–14 win over Hoërskool Noordheuwel Loosehead prop Jordan Jooste delivered a standout performance in open play despite not getting on the scoreboard himself helped unlock Noordheuwel’s defence and directly contributed to the final try Noordheuwel’s top performer was their fullback Tidi Moeketsane dishing out several thumping tackles while showing commendable resolve at the back Grey College 56 (28) – Tries: Prestan Bennett Helpmekaar College 14 (7) – Tries: Wian Strom Jeppe High School for Boys 37 (20) – Tries: Ayanda Funeka Maritzburg College 24 (7) – Tries: Olwethu Kosani Paarl Boys’ High 42 (13): Tries: Cole Moultrie (2) In another high-profile game played in Bloemfontein on Thursday evening Paarl Gimnasium won by an identical scoreline against Eunice Good brands of hockey were exemplified from both schools,” Gys van Schalkwyk The teams were on an even keel for more than half of the encounter but neither could deliver a goal in the first half of the contest the hosts drew first blood over 40 minutes after the match had started Oranje maintained a high press on the opposition for most of the game and the hosts forced a turnover in the Paarl Girls’ High half Van Schalkwyk’s charges raced towards the goal and a final pass found Kayla du Preez‘s stick and she fired a shot into the back of the net Just over three minutes remained in the third chukka “We did really well in keeping the intensity of the game really high and kept them under pressure when we lost the ball We also made good connections going forward,” Van Schalkwyk commented The sustained pressure on the Paarl Girls’ High circle paid dividends when the visitors were forced into an infringement that resulted in a penalty stroke Nika Joubert made no mistake from the P-spot doubling Oranje’s lead two minutes after their opening goal Oranje’s defence held firm as they repelled the visitors’ attempts at a comeback It wasn’t just a case of sitting on their lead Oranje continued to make forays into the Paarl Girls’ High half seeking a third goal that would bury the visitors Imke Koegelenberg and Isabella Nel scored for Paarl Gim to propel them to a big win The first goal was the outcome of four perfect passes that originated close to the halfway line the visitors made use of the spaces between the Eunice players on their way into the hosts’ D where Koegelenberg netted just over seven minutes into the second quarter “The girls really ran hard. We were solid on defence, and we moved the ball well. We created good opportunities. All the girls played their hearts out and that, for me, is Gim hockey,” Danelle van Zyl, the Paarl Gim coach, told Supersport Schools Plus They strung passes together and set up camp in the visitors’ half Unfortunately for coach Nika Coertzen and her charges Paarl Gim absorbed the pressure before launching counters into Eunice’s half They looked especially menacing when they made runs down the left-hand flank and it was on one of those that they grabbed their second goal of the match with nine minutes left on the clock The contest continued to entertain in the remaining eight minutes Oranje 2-0 Paarl Girls’ High Paarl Gimnasium 2-0 Eunice The boys from the Western Cape made the trip to Bloem, eyeing a confidence-boosting victory against Grey just a couple of days before the Hibbert Shield kicks off in Gqeberha It was a clinical performance by coach Grobler’s troops who dominated ball possession for the majority of the match and clamped down on the hosts when it mattered They scored early in the first half through Philip du Preez who positioned himself in the right place to tap in after the ball was slapped inside the circle Grey responded through the dangerous Matthias Visser the visitors took the lead once more through skipper Juan Swanepoel Swanepoel wasn’t done and added a field goal before Visser pulled one back for Grey Gim closed out the game in the final chukka with a super-charged drag flick from Stefan Wiehahn “It was a fantastic game. I’m proud of the boys for the character they showed,” Grobler told SuperSport Schools Plus “They showed great character in tough circumstances and I truly believe this team can be one of the great Gim teams if they can stay humble and keep growing and developing as a group.” Among the positives Paarl Gim will take out of the game is the manner in which they bossed the midfield and how well their midfielders linked well with their wings and forwards Grobler credited his players for executing well: “I believe we strangled their midfield and we had excellent movement off the ball to create space from our midfield and forwards the game could have been slightly more in our favour earlier on.” Paarl Gim will celebrate the massive win for a couple of hours before shifting their attention to the Hibbert Shield They have been drawn in Pool C and will face St Stithians Boys’ College “This is a fantastic confidence booster going into Hibbert as we have a tough pool and will need to be at our best to make the quarterfinals,” Grobler reckoned we always thoroughly enjoy that tournament we will give it our best and enjoy the competitive environment.” Paarl Gim opens their Hibbert Shield campaign with a matchup against Grey High at 10:15 on the opening day Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools scoring an eye-opening 5-0 victory over the hosts dismantling the home side and restricting them from scoring at the Rectory AstroTurf It was their third outing in quick succession after they beat Grey College 4-2 and St Andrew’s School 4-1 “It was a really good game. We set a couple of goals before the game, and we achieved them,” Swanepoel told SuperSport Schools Plus “There’s a lot we still need to work on but it’s always hard coming to Grey and playing them at home so I think we did exceptionally well today.” Gim sealed the win by capitalising on their opportunities at penalty corner time while their creative players pulled the strings in the midfield along with Phillip Barnard and Reinhardt Honiball while Stefan Wiehahn and Josh Smit netted field goals the skipper insisted that Paarl Gim is far from a finished product “We set the standard for the tournament and we’re going to go out of our way to maintain that standard,” he explained “We focus on counterattacking hockey but I think we need to be able to keep the ball for the majority of the game but I’m happy with how we’re playing at the moment.” Gim had only one fixture on the opening day but they’ll return on Thursday with matches against Westville Boys’ High and St Stithians College with both being played at the Collegiate Girls’ AstroTurf “The most important thing now for us is to be humble and stay grounded we want to take every game as it comes,” Swanepoel said Paarl Gim will face Westville at 08:00 before taking on Saints at 14:00 For all the results, match reports, and highlights, follow SuperSport Schools Hockey will be one of the leading contenders at the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge.Paarl will come alive when 20 of the nation’s top hockey-playing schools descend on Paarl Gimnasium for the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge The tournament springs into action on 1 May and culminates with the final on 3 May “This highly anticipated tournament will bring together some of the top girls’ hockey teams from across the country for a weekend of thrilling competition and sportsmanship,” the event organisers said in a press release and u19 – will take to the field at the hockey extravaganza The teams in the u19 tier have been placed into five groups Free State powerhouse C & N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje (Oranje) is in Pool A along with Durban Girls College (DGC) recently winning against both Oranje and Eunice in Bloemfontein and they will be keen to bring joy to their home fans by clinching the trophy on home soil They are in Pool B where they will compete with St Mary’s Waverley Waterkloof produced a good showing at the St Stithians Easter Festival recently and they will be keen to carry that form forward when they meet Pearson St Mary’s DSG Kloof has already added prestigious silverware to their cabinet this season winning the St Mary’s Waverley title and they will be eager to embrace the opportunity of adding the Girls Challenge trophy to their collection at the expense of another strong field but they will have to get past St Cyprian’s Garsfontein has enjoyed a good start to the season and will have to contend with a dangerous Collegiate side and Rustenburg in Pool E for a shot at the title “This event marks an exciting milestone in the growth of women’s sports and reflects the increasing investment in providing more opportunities for young female athletes to shine “The Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge offers a chance for these talented players to perform at the highest level and make their mark on the national stage,” the organisers stated said spectators should look forward to three days of fast-paced showcasing individual skill and team strategy “The Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge is more than just a tournament It is an event that will inspire the next generation of female athletes encourage community support for women’s sports and create lasting memories for everyone involved,” the organising team said Oranje and DGC will get the tournament underway in a mouthwatering opener on Thursday morning Despite not going all the way at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival Oranje showed glimpses of what they are capable of producing Herschel and Cornwall Hill will also go head-to-head at the same time on the other field The curtain will come down on the first day of the competition after Collegiate plays Rustenburg while Garsfontein and Durbanville will cross swords on the other Astro is headed towards the business end of matters with the eight quarterfinalists having been confirmed after Thursday’s action in Gqeberha After a cracking opening day that produced 42 goals the 16 teams returned to the turf with their sights set on securing play-off places teams were left to make calculations and consider permutations parents and other spectators were swathed in winter jackets and blankets on the sidelines the focus had shifted to other teams chasing places in the last eight Joining SACS and PRG in the quarterfinals were Clifton College, from Pool A, and Grey College, from Pool B. Clifton scored a gritty 3-1 victory over Selborne College in the morning, while Grey bounced back from the SACS defeat with a 2-0 win over St Alban’s College, courtesy of strikes by Warena Legaiwa and Matthias Visser Visser has been Grey’s dangerman all season long with his fiery drag flicks from the top of the D and he said he wants to bring his A-game in their knockout game on Friday “It’s been a great tour, but I think we haven’t had the best of games,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus we want to come out with more energy and play our hearts out I have to bring everything I’ve got.” Clifton had to wait on the result of the contest between Maritzburg College and Selborne College before knowing whether or not they had made it through to the quarterfinals but it was a nail-biting time for the Durban school’s players Clifton’s victory over Selborne meant Maritzburg College needed to win by five goals against the East London side if they were to surpass their provincial rivals on goal difference and Clifton booked their place in the quarterfinals Before a ball had been played in the Hibbert Shield Pools C and D looked as if they were going to be highly contested Paarl Gimnasium, who fired on all cylinders on day one, beating Grey High 5-0 scored four against Westville Boys’ High before being held to a 1-1 draw by St Stithians College The Western Cape side conceded late in the game with Liam O’Flaherty providing the finish for Saints but Gim struck back through a Stefan Wiehahn PC drag flick “That was probably the most important flick since we played Saints at the Founders Festival and lost 3-4 to them,” he reckoned but this time I knew it was an important one for me and the team.” skipper Liam O’Flaherty was pleased with his team’s display “It’s our first time getting into the quarters “I think we have momentum on our side now We want to take our opportunities in the quarterfinal and reward ourselves when we do get opportunities.” Gim and St Stithians were confirmed as the top two sides in Pool C on Thursday afternoon but Pool D was far from done and it went down to the wire Durban High School (DHS) didn’t do themselves any favours when they drew 1-1 with Parel Vallei and Duardt Tollig lifted Hoërskool Garsfontein to an impressive 4-2 win over Bishops between Parel Vallei and Bishops would determine who would finish first and who would finish second with DHS in with a chance at ending in first place if the result went their way Parel Vallei powered their way to a big 7-2 win over Bishops That meant Garsfontein finished atop Pool D with DHS in second place Commenting on his team’s progress to the quarterfinals DHS captain Josh Mungherera said: “We had a slow start to the tournament I feel like we are leaving games we should be winning but hopefully we come alive in the quarterfinals “It means a lot going to the last eight You can’t win games without scoring.” While the eight that remain in with a shout of winning the Hibbert Shield celebrated that feat it continued to be a tough time for teams like Selborne Grey High ended the day with a 1-0 victory over Westville but that wasn’t enough and the hosts bowed out of contention Friday’s action kicks off with a cracking clash between SACS and DHS at 07:30 SACS 6-4 Grey College Grey College 2-0 St Alban’s College Pearson High 1-1 St Alban’s College Paul Roos Gimnasium 6-2 Maritzburg College Clifton College 3-1 Selborne College Maritzburg College 2-0 Selborne College Paarl Gimnasium 4-0 Westville Boys’ High Paarl Gimnasium 1-1 St Stithians College Grey High 1-0 Westville Boys’ High DHS 1-1 Parel Vallei Garsfontein 4-2 Bishops Parel Vallei 1-1 Bishops 07:30 – SACS vs DHS (Quarterfinal 1) 08:45 – Paul Roos vs St Stithians College (Quarterfinal 2) 10:15 – Grey College vs Garsfontein (Quarterfinal 3) 11:30 – Clifton College vs Paarl Gimnasium (Quarterfinal 4) 15:00 – Loser of quarterfinal 1 16:15 – Loser of quarterfinal 2 17:45 – Semifinal 1 19:00 – Semifinal 2 Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Students are seldom censured for pouring plonk down their throats but mass-produced wine becomes socially stigmatising Paarl Perlé is the sort of stuff that adults with elegant aspirations are encouraged to set aside Design snobs sneer at the thick glass, one and two-litre bottles with screw caps and (horror of horrors) a handle. I do not dispute carrying container ugliness but surely what we find within the belittled bottles ought to be assessed independently? advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads but the formal wine press seldom mentions Paarl Perlé the tone always implies that people like “us” don’t drink rotgut like that I knew nothing about Paarl Perlé beyond its use as the punchline in jokes about undergraduate excess My Damascene conversion came about as the result of unseasonably unpleasant weather that left me longing for risotto alla sbirraglia chicken-laden Italian culinary classic can be roughly translated as occupier’s or policeman’s chicken — sbirraglia being an archaic derogatory slang term used about Austro-Hungarian soldiers who occupied the Veneto region in the late 19th century Having spent more than I meant to on Parmesan cheese and risotto rice I was wandering along the aisles of my local bottle store looking for an inexpensive white wine with which to deglaze my pot For anyone unfamiliar with the risotto making method tostatura (the toasting of the rice) is the moment that matters most It is essential for both the taste and texture of the finished dish Wine is added once the grains are almost popping hot I noticed that a two-litre jug of Paarl Perlé could be mine for a remarkably reasonable R66 but the bargain hunter in me was intrigued They say never drink wine with a handle — but what if everyone is wrong The toasted rice positively trilled in response to a generous glug of budget booze Gentle froth lifted lovely little nuggets of stuck celery and rosemary fond from the bottom of the pot Not even I need 2 litres of liquid to deglaze a pot Which is why I poured the remaining plonk into my guests’ glasses It is one thing to boil it up with bacon, but drinking is different. So, I waited for comments with breath that was bated. Perhaps I need fancier friends because, while it was not prize-winningly wonderful, we all thought that the Paarl Perlé was perfectly pleasant. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads I feel foolish spouting wine anorak speak about this deeply déclassé drink, but having come this far I may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. So, here goes… advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads nutty notes (definitely almond and I thought perhaps toasted hazelnut too) The wine’s rounded edges complemented those qualities in the risotto while its (dare I say it) elegant acidity brought balance almost imperceptible bubbles created a mild-mannered mouth tingle and the sense of slight specialness on an otherwise ordinary evening I found the overall effect to be strikingly similar in taste and texture to most Prosecco While Champagne and MCC bubbles are assertive and persistent They are bigger than those of Paarl Perlé but they engender an equivalent glittery glow The parallels with Prosecco should not come as a surprise since almost all of the aforementioned Italian fizz is also created as cheap Often it is only the exchange rate that makes some South Africans think that Prosecco is posh My made-up word becomes even more apt when one considers that Paarl Perlé plays a part in ibhavu rituals undertaken by some South African sangomas In isiZulu the word ibhavu means bath — not only the vessel in which people splash about but also a particular type of spiritual cleansing It often (but not always) involves mixing the wine with water and salt (as well as other ingredients) Those in need of purification are washed in Paarl Perlé Infused into the nation’s spiritual sense of self It is not the only alcohol involved in South African spirituality While sorghum beer has been essential to ancestral libations since time immemorial brands such as Old Buck Gin and Commando Brandy have been incorporated into life stage transition ceremonies (such as baby naming initiation and weddings) for more than a century They are infused into the nation’s spiritual sense of self goes together is increasingly used to promote local food and wine pairings but the definition of what “goes” means in our context is wider most of us have negative energies that we would like to wash off The generous volume of liquid in each bottle (and the helpful pouring handle) certainly makes paddling about in Paarl Perlé possible Serves 6-8 (if none of you are greedy or drunk but with 2 litres of Paarl Perle floating about the kitchen 1 litre warm chicken stock (from the poached chicken) onions and carrots in olive oil over a low heat When the onions are soft and beginning to caramelise rosemary and pancetta/bacon and cook for a further 10 minutes remove and discard the chicken skin and bones I of course mean call your dog and allow him/her to feast in the garden Ignore all petitioning from the aforementioned pooch for pieces of chicken flesh Add the rice to the vegetable pan and turn up the heat When the rice is piping hot add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan The wine will boil and be absorbed/evaporate Reduce the heat and gradually add the warm chicken stock (one ladle at a time) into the rice mixture Each time the stock is absorbed add another ladle After about a litre of stock and about 30 minutes of stirring Tip in the fried chicken pieces and any meat juices and cook for a further 10 minutes by which time the rice should have a creamy consistency Take the pan off the heat and mix in the Parmesan and remaining butter Cover the pot and let it stand for a few minutes Season to taste and serve in warm bowls with a glass of chilled Paarl Perlé you can garnish with suring (aka Oxalis pes-caprae/ wild Cape sorrel) which would support the wine in cutting through the opulent creamy loveliness of the rice which I have shared with my family with mirth as we were joking with my budget-conscious pensioner uncle about this very wine on while on holiday recently We almost bought one as a joke at the bottle store Just what we need from our media chefs Anna Paarle Perlè was standard fare in my young days as an affordable drink during games of poker between 5 young guys intent on drinking themselves into oblivion on a Saturday night Never looked at since and now about to be revisited ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Photo: Frans Lombard/Actionpix.Paarl Gimnasium capped off a successful day for the South on the first day of the NMI Toyota North/South Tournament at Paul Roos Gimnasium Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) followed by a hat-trick of tries by captain and outside centre and doubles from Thomas Saunders and the replacement wing helped power Gim to an astonishing 102-0 win over beat King Edward VII School (KES) who is already enjoying a season to remember continued to stake his claim for the SA Schools number 13 jersey by scoring his second hat-trick of tries and his eighth try in only three matches so far this year who didn’t just have to run it in but had to work hard to score his four tries he deserved more for his high work rate and bullocking runs which set the KES defenders on the back foot That result certainly adds some spice to the clash between two of the giants of South African schoolboy rugby which came off the back of strong driving mauls Muller kept the Klofies busy with his energetic ball carries in broken play His example fired up the potent Boishaai pack which dominated the contest from start to finish and laid on a sound platform for Paarl Boys’ High’s dangerous backline Flyhalf Francois van der Merwe did an exceptional job in spreading the ball well with an abundance of possession His excellent distribution created opportunities for the speedsters on the outside running in tries that looked all too simple Paarl Gimnasium 102 (38) – Tries: Johan Kleynhans (4) Paarl Boys’ High 66 (29) – Tries: Tommie Muller (2) Hundreds of new jobs are to be created in and around Paarl following the opening of a new office and contact centre by one of the country’s leading offshore Global Business Services (GBS) companies which offers ‘white label’ contact centre services to UK clients across a variety of sectors including energy and financial services has opened the new facility in the Drakenstein Municipality as it looks to create 250 new jobs in phase one chosen for its easy transport links and accessibility for local people support and management positions already filled Country Manager for Sigma Connected Group said: “Our success story in South Africa is well known but our move into Paarl represents another exciting chapter in our expansion “We are keen to tap into a new pool of talent that’s available in Paarl and bring jobs directly into the local community and surrounding areas where there has been historic high unemployment means less of a commute for people in the area and the feedback so far has been exceptional as they are excited to be part of a rapidly growing business and industry “We’re extremely proud to be creating 250 new jobs in the initial phase but we are confident this will grow to around 1,000 roles in the coming years as we take on more clients who want to partner with us “We have a successful business model providing complex customer service collections and complaint support to a variety of industries in the UK and we want to build on that and not stand still Bringing jobs to areas like Paarl is important to us as we continue to positively impact people’s lives Mr Fourie added; “Any candidates who are successful in applying for the roles will be taken through a full training and development programme We are not only looking for experienced people but also people with the right attitude and keen to develop themselves and their careers with us.” We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again The Paarl Royals got their 2025 SA20 campaign off to the perfect start on Saturday by claiming a convincing ten-wicket win against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at a sold-out Boland Park in Paarl have now suffered their second consecutive heavy defeat in the competition after losing by 97 runs to MI Cape Town on Thursday at St George's Park in the series’ opening game Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat first in a hot Paarl His team managed to post a respectable 175/5 in their allotted 20 overs top-scoring for the Sunrisers with 82 off 49 balls an innings that included seven fours and two sixes while England international Zak Crawley added 27 to the total Mujeeb Ur Rahman of Afghanistan was the pick of the Royals’ bowlers finishing with figures of 2/27 in his four overs Teenage debutant Kwena Maphaka also impressed the Potchefstroom-born 18-year-old opening batter for the Royals as he put on a 132-run partnership for the first wicket with former England captain Joe Root it was another Potchefstroom-born player Marco Jansen who dismissed Pretorius who spent part of his youth in Bloemfontein and attended St Andrew’s School hit the winning runs with eight balls to spare He remained unbeaten on 62 off 44 deliveries Royals captain and former Knights batter David Miller was also unbeaten who also played for the Knights earlier in his career was the pick of the Sunrisers’ bowlers with figures of 1/35 in his four overs Pretorius expressed his delight at contributing to his team's success “I’m just glad we got over the line,” said the big-hitting teenager “Batting with Joe Root – he calmed me down I was getting annoyed facing a couple of dot balls but we’re not looking too far ahead into the future.” where the Joburg Super Kings will play their first game of the campaign against MI Cape Town at the Wanderers Play at the Bullring is scheduled to start at 17:30 on Saturday the Pretoria Capitals will face the Durban Super Giants at SuperSport Park in Centurion DSG beat the Capitals by two runs at Kingsmead in Durban OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg Adapting to the conditions remains key for the Proteas Women Rabada in hot water after positive drug test Proteas fall way short against Sri Lanka Dercksen embracing challenge as Proteas’ rising star South Africa seeks redemption after defeat to India Oekraïne vra Suid-Afrika om ontvoerde kinders te help terugbring Wyle pous Franciskus het begrafnisrituele vooraf vereenvoudig Mianmar-aardbewing: Hulp stroom in ná meer as 1 700 sterftes Suid-Afrikaners wen gesogte blommeskou-trofee in China the Hawks in the Western Cape pounced on what they believe to be an illegal steroid manufacturing lab in Paarl CAPE TOWN - The Hawks in the Western Cape have pounced on what they believe to be an illegal steroid manufacturing lab in Paarl The lab is situated at an Industrial Park on Old Paarl Road Forensic teams and Hawks officials were seen moving in and out of the suspected steroids manufacturing facility in Paarl ALSO READ: Performance-enhancing drug syndicate bust in Pretoria Police officials said Wednesday afternoon's raid was a result of a tip-off about alleged illegal activities at the two-storey building was that the establishment does have a licence to buy and resell steroids It is alleged that the first floor was used for legitimate business deals while the upper floor was allegedly used for the illegal manufacturing of steroids [JUST IN]The Hawks in the Western Cape have pounced on what they believe to be an illegal steroids manufacturing lab in Paarl @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/vMExTQSJjN Sections 88dFirdose MoondaSunrisers march into third SA20 final as Royals run their courseDefending champions take the long route to final after defeats in first three matches Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: @HemantBrar_ That's all from our side from tonight's game. We will back on Saturday for the final. Will SEC complete a hat-trick or will we have a new champion in MI Cape Town? Let's wait and watch. See you. Aiden Markram: Another good night. Like I said last night, we are in the right direction. I was quite happy with a sub-180b score at the halfway stage. Good to see the guys who weren't firing firing. A big lift for the guys. Tony and Jordan will feel completely different guys. Johannesburg is generally a really good wicket. Let's see. David Miller: Coming into the game with three losses... but it's a new game and everyone was up for it. T20 cricket does go like that. SEC lost their first three games and pulled it back. I expected us to do the same tonight. We lost the last four games but really proud of the unit. We had some really outstanding performances. We had great team spirit. A sad situation to end like this but it is what it is. All the best to Sunrisers. Tony de Zorzi is the Player of the Match: It's very, very cool. It hasn't set in yet. I am really grateful to Aiden for giving me this opportunity. It wasn't warranted but I am glad I could repay. I was a bit surprised I was playing but really happy that I got a chance. We do believe that one of the guys will stand up in the final. James : "So, if 19.1 had been the last ball, SEC would have lost due to umpire error? That can't be right." --- This has been a known issue for quite some time now. The sooner ICC fixes its playing conditions, the better. lunch: "Rubin outstruck and outscored his brother Jordan, but ended on the losing side. that's cricket i guess" 8.55pm For the third time in three seasons, SEC have made it to the finals of the SA20. MI Cape Town are waiting for them there. Meanwhile, Royals' campaign comes to an end. They posted a challenging 175 for 4 but it wasn't enough as Tony de Zorzi smashed 78 off 49. Jordan Hermann was slow to start but picked up pace later on to finish on 69 not out off 48. Three required from the final over. Maphaka to bowl Sunrisers march into third SA20 final as Royals run their courseDefending champions take the long route to final after defeats in first three matches believes his players have yet to hit their stride despite some positive results in recent weeks Gim will make the trip up to Pretoria to take part in the Founders Festival hosted by Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) features some of the country’s hockey powerhouses in action Grobler’s side has had adequate preparation for the festival including taking part in two pre-season tournaments They dominated their opposition at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival recording wins over Reddam House Constantia and Grobler believes there’s a lot of room for improvement “School hockey has its ups and downs, and the one thing I want to ensure is that we can adapt to the situations presented before us,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus it comes down to educating the players so they can make the correct decisions on the field but now the task is to maintain the excellence and standards we have set.” Gim has retained a huge chunk of their senior players from last season 10 players who turned out for the side last year Grobler said one of his priorities is to have his team keep their game as simple as possible “Our main priority is to stay humble and maintain a good attitude,” he added “Just because we enjoyed success in previous years does not mean this year will necessarily be the same we will find the solutions to the problems we’ll face together.” the boys from Paarl will be in action in the second week of April on their home turf against the Founders Festival hosts They’ll face Grey College later in the month before shifting their attention to the Hibbert Shield and Western Cape matches who has years of experience coaching schoolboy hockey is aware of the rapidly rising competition around the country the competition in the Cape and around the country is so tough,” he said “Teams are analysing you and making plans on how to negate your strengths “The best thing for us to do is to stick to our processes maintain composure and a belief in the plan.” Paarl Gim will be challenged by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal opposition that they don’t usually face at Founders and that provides them with a chance to test themselves and get out of their comfort zone On day one, they’ll open their campaign against Parktown Boys’ High at 11:50 before taking on St Stithians College later in the day When asked what fans might expect from his team Grobler said: “I think that the parents and Old Boys have been spoilt with some really exciting hockey the past few seasons “At the moment we have not hit our stride I believe everyone will be thoroughly entertained,” he concluded Paarl Gimnasium Founders Festival Fixtures 11:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Parktown Boys’ High 16:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St Stithians College 07:30 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St David’s Marist Inanda 14:05 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Northwood School 11:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Kearsney College MI Cape Town innings Paarl Royals innings MICT into SA20 final as controversial no-ball call hurts RoyalsBrevis reprieve helps table-topping MICT to get out of sight in Qualifier 1 Rashid Khan becomes T20 cricket's highest wicket-takerThe 26-year-old Afghanistan spinner went past Dwayne Bravo's tally of 631 Stats - Rashid Khan, T20 king in every phase and every leagueThe Afghanistan wristspinner gave no indication that he would become this good early on South Africa (08 January 2025) – Good news from Paarl has everyone talking about an extraordinary man making an ordinary day brighter Officer Tony Pietersen from the Paarl Daljosaphat Traffic Department has been celebrated on social media for his kindness Lorenzo Arendse Vice President of the Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation recently shared his experience with Officer Pietersen in a heartfelt post that has captured the attention of many while visiting the Paarl Daljosaphat Traffic Department/centre and talking to a few people whether young or old… Servant leadership at its best with many in the comments agreeing and sharing their own encounters with Officer Pietersen His ability to bring warmth and care into what can often be a stressful environment has clearly left a lasting impression on those he serves Officer Pietersen’s genuine smile lights up the frame Whether assisting someone with an enquiry or greeting visitors Stories like this remind us of the impact one person’s kindness can have Officer Tony Pietersen shows that respect and compassion for others not only make a difference but inspire others to do the same Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a33c10aa34a5a341e5bb151d6b9e39b8" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again.