2026 SACS Nite Series promises to thrill
The first term on the school calendar is jam-packed, filled with festivals, tournaments, and, for the Western Cape boys’ teams, the SACS Nite Series.
The annual weekly event runs from 20 January to 24 February at the SACS Aquatic Centre in Cape Town.
It’s the usual suspects – South African College High School (SACS), Bishops, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, Reddam House Constantia, and Paul Roos Gimnasium – in action.
Bishops, under the guidance of coach Jabulani Sibiya, won the last two editions of the competition.
In 2024, they defeated SACS 14-11 in a dramatic final before outplaying ‘Bosch 14-9 a year later to retain the silverware.
Can Bishops claim a third straight title? That’s the question on people’s minds.
They have a strong and talented team filled with some X-factor players, who can quickly change the tide of a game.
In goal, vice-captain Michael Mafunda will return for his final season, as will the skipper James Malan. SA Schools’ players, Timothy Young and Matt Fenn, need no introduction, and they’ll be deadly in front of the goal.
The team that pushed Bishops hard last year was Rondebosch. The side, led by coach Jared Wingate-Pearse, started the season on a high by winning the Bishops Festival over the past weekend.
They’re not short of talented players either, with the likes of Noah Reiback, Kieran Bennewith, and captain James Pinnock back in the mix.
SACS will aim to bounce back after last year’s disappointing campaign. The hosts made a slow start and were unable to recover in time. They had to settle for a fifth-place finish.
Coach Devon Card will look to experienced campaigners like Benjamin Bigara, Harry Oldham, Luca Orgill, and Aidan Turrell to restore pride in the jersey.
Reddam will also fancy their chances, despite having a youthful team. Adam Brown starred in last year’s tournament, and he’ll be key to the team’s success.
Meanwhile, coach Vaugh Marlow’s Paul Roos side made big strides in 2025 and reached the semi-finals. They and Wynberg will have their sights set on going at least one step further.
FIXTURES
Round 1
17:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Reddam House
17:50 – SACS vs Wynberg
18:40 – Paul Roos vs Bishops
