All set for the 30th edition of the Saints Water Polo Invitational
St Stithians College plays host to the 30th edition of one of South Africa’s biggest water polo tournaments, the Saints Invitational, from Thursday, 24 October, to Sunday, 27 October.
Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools
The four-day tournament will welcome 40 schools from across South Africa and Zimbabwe, with over 500 players in action in 144 top-class water polo games in front of hundreds of supporters.
The event is evenly divided into 20 boys’ and 20 girls’ sides, and each competition features four pools of five teams.
The girls’ 2023 champions, Herschel Girls School, are in Pool D and are pitted against Zimbabwe’s Chisipite Senior School, Kingswood College, Crawford Lonehill, and the hosts, St Stithians Girls’ College.
Last year’s runner-up, Roedean School is in Pool A, where they will face Diocesan School for Girls (DSG Makhanda), Rand Park High, St Mary’s Waverley, and Kingsmead College, who will be their first obstacle on Thursday morning.
The recent winner of the Roedean Prestige Cup, Reddam House Bedfordview, is in Pool C, along with Beaulieu College, Clarendon High School for Girls, Pearson High, and St Anne’s Diocesan College, who showed they are a team to be reckoned with at their home tournament at the end of September.
Pool D should be very interesting. It includes last year’s bronze medallists, Reddam House Constantia, the winner of two tournaments in late 2024, including the MacKenzie Cup and the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament. They’re opposed by Collegiate Girls’ High School, Durban Girls’ College (DGC), St Dominic’s, and St Peter’s College.
In Pool A of the boys’ competition, Rondebosch Boys’ High appears to be the team to beat. They’ll face a stiff challenge from Affies, while Woodridge Stayers‘ winners, St Andrew’s College, will carry confidence into the event. Durban High School (DHS) and Grey High complete the lineup.
Two of the hottest teams in the country, St John’s College and Bishops are in Pool B. Bishops won the SACS Water Polo Tournament, but finished only third in their pool there, while St John’s topped Pool A. Bishops, however, beat them in the final. King Edward VII (KES), Pearson High, and Michaelhouse will be hard-pressed to challenge those two sides.
Pool C features the 2023 Saints Invitational champions, South African College High School (SACS), who claimed the honours in the Clifton Water Polo Tournament at the end of last month. They’re going to be challenged, however. Hilton College and Kearsney College met in the final of the KZN Top 10 recently and they’re playing well.
As luck would have it, they’re drawn to face one another in their opening matches. Hilton showed they’re a top side at the SACS Water Polo Tournament, while Kearsney is an emerging power and they won the Northwood Stayers tournament on the past weekend. They have a young but very experienced lineup. Jeppe High School for Boys and Pretoria Boys High will have their hands full against the other three teams.
The hosts, St Stithians, who performed well at the SACS Water Polo Tournament, where they made the semifinals, will be confident of handling the challenges posed by their Pool D opposition. St David’s Marist Inanda, a local rival, could be their toughest opponent. They’ll also take on St Alban’s College, Reddam House Constantia, and Grey College.
It’s hard to name a favourite, but SACS will be aiming to capture the title for a fourth year in succession.
St Andrew’s College faces Gqeberha’s Grey High School in the opening game of the boys’ tournament, with title contenders, St John’s College, doing battle with their neighbours, King Edward VII (KES), in the following game.
Jeppe will hope to catch SACS cold in the day’s third clash.
The action concludes on Sunday.
SAINTS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
GIRLS
POOL A: Diocesan School For Girls (DSG) (Makhanda); Kingsmead College (Johannesburg); Rand Park High (Johannesburg); Roedean School (Johannesburg); St Mary’s School (Waverley) (Johannesburg)
POOL B: Collegiate Girls’ High School (Gqeberha); Durban Girls’ College (Durban); Reddam House Constantia (Girls) (Cape Town); St Dominic’s Catholic School For Girls (Boksburg); St Peter’s College (Johannesburg)
POOL C: Beaulieu College (Johannesburg); Clarendon High School for Girls (East London); Pearson High (Gqeberha); Reddam House Bedfordview (Johannesburg); St Anne’s Diocesan College (Hilton)
POOL D: Chisipite Senior School (Zimbabwe); Crawford Lonehill (Johannesburg); Herschel Girls School (Cape Town); Kingswood College (Makhanda); St Stithians Girls’ College (Johannesburg)
FIXTURES
Thursday, 24 October
07:50 (1) – Roedean vs Kingsmead (Olympic South); 07:50 (2) – Reddam Constantia vs DGC (Main Polo Pool); 08:40 (3) – Clarendon vs Beaulieu (Olympic North); 08:40 (4) – Herschel vs Crawford Lonehill (Olympic South); 10:20 (5) – DSG Makhanda vs St Mary’s Waverley (Main Polo Pool); 10:20 (6) – St Dominic’s vs Collegiate (Olympic South); 10:20 (7) – Reddam Bedfordview vs St Anne’s (Olympic North); 11:10 – St Stithians vs Kingswood (Main Polo Pool); 12:00 (9) – Kingsmead vs Rand Park (Olympic North); 12:50 (10) – DGC vs St Peter’s (Main Polo Pool); 12:50 (11) – Beaulieu vs Pearson (Olympic South); 12:50 (12) – Crawford Lonehill vs Chisipite (Olympic North); 14:30 (13) – Roedean vs St Mary’s Waverley (Olympic South); 14:30 (14) – Reddam Constantia vs Collegiate (Olympic North); 15:20 (15) – Clarendon vs St Anne’s (Main Polo Pool); 15:20 (16) – Herschel vs Kingswood (Olympic South); :(17) – DSG Makhanda vs Rand Park (Olympic North); 17:00 (18)- St Dominic’s vs St Peter’s (Olympic South); 17h00 (19) – Reddam Bedfordview vs Pearson (Main Polo Pool); 17:50 (20) – St Stithians vs Chisipite (Main Polo Pool)
Friday, 25 October
07:50 (21) – St Mary’s Waverley vs Rand Park (Olympic South); 07:50 (22) – Collegiate vs St Peter’s (Main Polo Pool); 08:40 (23) – St Anne’s vs Pearson (Olympic North); 08:40 (24) – Kingswood vs Chisipite (Olympic South); 10:20 (25) – DSG Makhanda vs Kingsmead (Main Polo Pool); 10:20 (26) – St Dominic’s vs DGC (Olympic South); 10:20 (27) – Reddam Bedfordview vs Beaulieu (Olympic North); 11:10 (28) – St Stithians vs Crawford Lonehill (Main Polo Pool); 12:00 (29) – Roedean vs Rand Park (Main Polo Pool); 12:50 (30) – Reddam Constantia vs St Peter’s (Main Polo Pool); 12:50 (31) – Clarendon vs Pearson (Olympic South); 12h50 (32) – Herschel vs Chisipite (Olympic North); 14:30 (33) St Mary’s Waverley vs Kingsmead (Olympic South); 14:30 (34) – Collegiate vs DGC (Olympic North); 15:20 (35) – St Anne’s vs Beaulieu (Olympic North); 15:20 (36) – Kingswood vs Crawford Lonehill ( Olympic South); 17:00 (37) – Roedean vs DSG Makhanda (Olympic North); 17:00 (38) – Reddam Constantia vs St Dominic’s (Olympic South); 17:00 (39) – Clarendon vs Reddam Bedfordview (Main Polo Pool);
Saturday, 26 October
07:50 (40) – St Stithians vs Herschel (Main Polo Pool); 07:50 (41) – A2 vs B3 (Olympic North); 07:50 (42) – B2 vs A3 (Olympic South); 08:40 (43) – C2 vs D3 (Olympic North); 08:40 (44) – D2 vs C3 (Main Polo Pool) 10:20 (45) – A5 vs B4 (Main Polo Pool); 10:20 (46) – A4 vs B5 (Olympic North); 10:20 (47) – C5 vs D4 (Olympic South); 11:10 (48) – C4 vs D5 (Olympic South);
Quarterfinals
12:00 (49) – A1 vs Winner Game 43 (87) (Olympic South); 12:50 (50) – Winner Game 44 (88) vs B1 (Olympic North); 12:50 (51) – Winner Game 41 (85) vs C1 (Olympic South); 12:50 (52) – D1 vs Winner Game 42 (86)
Bottom Qualifier
13:40 (53) – Loser 45 (93) vs Loser 47 (95) (Main Polo Pool); 14:30 (54) – Loser 46 (94) vs Loser 48 (96) (Olympic South); 15:20 (55) – Loser 43 (87) vs Loser 41 (85) (Olympic South); 15:20 (56) – Loser 44 (88) vs Loser 42 (86) (Main Polo Pool)
Middle Qualifier
16:10 (57) – Winner 47 (95) vs Winner 45 (93) (Olympic South); 17:00 (58) – Winner 46 (94) vs Winner 48 (96) (Olympic South); 17:50 (59) – Winner 50 (QF2) (102) vs Winner 49 (QF1) (101) (Main Polo Pool); 17:50 (60) – Loser 50 (QF2) (102) vs Loser 49 (QF1) (101) (Olympic South); 17:50 (61) – Loser 52 (QF4) (104) vs Loser 51 (QF3) (103) (Olympic North); 18:40 (62) – Winner 52 (QF4) (104) vs Winner 51 (QF3) (103) (Main Polo Pool)
Sunday, 27 October
07:50 (63) – 19th/20th – Loser 53 (107) vs Loser 54 (108) (Olympic South)
07:50 (64) – 17th/18th – Winner 53 (107) vs Winner 54 (108) (Olympic North)
07:50 (65) – 15th/16th – Loser 57 (116) vs Loser 58 (118) (Main Polo Pool)
09:30 (66) – 13th/14th – Winner 57 (116) vs Winner 58 (118) (Olympic South)
09:30 (67) – 11th/12th – Loser 55 (111) vs Loser 56 (112) (Olympic North)
09:30 (68) – 9th/10th – Winner 55 (111) vs Winner 56 (112) (Main Polo Pool)
11:10 (69) – 7th/8th – Loser 61 (122) vs Loser 60 (121) (Olympic South)
11:10 (70) – 5th/6th – Winner 61 (122) vs Winner 60 (121) (Olympic North)
11:10 (71) – 3rd/4th – Loser 62 (123) vs Loser 59 (SF1) (120) (Main Polo Pool)
12:30 (72) – 1st/2nd – Winner 62 (123) vs Winner 59 (120) (Olympic Pool)
BOYS
POOL A: Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) (Pretoria); Durban High School (DHS) (KZN); Grey High (Gqeberha); Rondebosch Boys’ High (Cape Town); St Andrew’s College (Makhanda)
POOL B: Bishops Diocesan College (Cape Town); King Edward VII School (Johannesburg); Michaelhouse (KZN); Pearson High (Gqeberha); St John’s College (Johannesburg)
POOL C: Hilton College (KZN); Jeppe High School for Boys (Johannesburg); Kearsney College (KZN); Pretoria Boys High (Pretoria); South African College High School (SACS) (Cape Town)
POOL D: Grey College (Bloemfontein); Reddam House Constantia (Cape Town); St Alban’s College (Pretoria); St David’s Marist Inanda (Johannesburg); St Stithians Boys’ College (Johannesburg)
FIXTURES
Thursday, 24 October
07:00 (1) – St Andrew’s vs Grey High (Olympic North); 07:00 (2) – St John’s vs KES (Olympic South); 07:00 (3) – SACS vs Jeppe (Main Polo Pool); 07:50 (4) – St David’s vs St Alban’s (Olympic North); 08:40 (5) – Rondebosch vs Affies (Main Polo Pool); 09:30 (6) – Bishops vs Michaelhouse (Olympic North) 09:30 (7) – Kearsney vs Hilton (Olympic South); 09:30 (8) – St Stithians vs Grey College (Main Polo Pool); 11:10 (9) – Grey High vs DHS (Olympic South); 11:10 (10) – KES vs Pearson (Olympic North); 12:00 (11) – Jeppe vs Pretoria Boys (Main Polo Pool); 12:00 (12) – St Alban’s vs Reddam Constantia (Olympic South); 13:40 (13) – St Andrew’s vs Affies (Main Polo Pool); 13:40 (14) – St John’s vs Michaelhouse (Olympic South); 13:40 (15) – SACS vs Hilton (Olympic North); 14:30 (16) – St David’s vs Grey College (Main Polo Pool); 15:20 (17) – Rondebosch vs DHS (Olympic North); 16:10 (18) – Bishops vs Pearson (Olympic North); 16:10 (19) – Kearsney vs Pretoria Boys (Olympic South); 16:10 (20) – St Stithians vs Reddam Constantia (Main Polo Pool)
Friday, 25 October
07:00 (21) – Affies vs DHS (Olympic North) 07:00 (22) – Michaelhouse vs Pearson (Olympic South) 07:00 (23) –Hilton vs Pretoria Boys (Main Polo Pool); 07:50 (24) – Grey College vs Reddam Constantia (Olympic North); 08:40 (25) – Rondebosch vs Grey High (Main Polo Pool); 09:30 (26) – Bishops vs KES (Olympic North) 09:30 (27) – Kearsney vs Jeppe (Olympic South); 09:30 (28) – St Stithians vs St Alban’s (Main Polo Pool); 11:10 (29) – St Andrew’s vs DHS (Olympic South); 11:10 (30) – St John’s vs Pearson (Olympic North); 12:00 (31) – SACS vs Pretoria Boys (Olympic North); 12:00 (32) – St David’s vs Reddam Constantia (Olympic South); 13:40 (33) – Affies vs Grey High (Main Polo Pool); 13:40 (34) – Michaelhouse vs KES (Olympic South); 13:40 (35) – Hilton vs Jeppe (Olympic North) 14:30 (36) – Grey College vs St Alban’s (Main Polo Pool); 15:20 (37) –St Andrew’s vs Rondebosch (Main Polo Pool); 16:10 (38) – St John’s vs Bishops (Olympic North); 16:10 (39) – SACS vs Kearsney (Olympic South); 16:10 (40) – St Stithians vs St David’s (Main Polo Pool)
Saturday, 26 October
07:00 (41) – A2 vs B3 (Main Polo Pool); 07:00 (42) – B2 vs A3 (Olympic North); 07:00 (43) – C2 vs D3 (Olympic South); 07:50 (44) – D2 vs C3 (Main Polo Pool); 08:40 (45) – A5 vs B4 (Olympic South); 09:30 (46) – A4 vs B5 (Main Polo Pool) 09:30 (47) – C5 vs D4 (Olympic North); 09:30 (48) – C4 vs D5 (Olympic South)
Quarterfinals
11:10 (49) – A1 vs Winner 43 (83) (Olympic North); 11:10 (50) – Winner 44 (84) vs B1 (Main Polo Pool); 12:00 (51) – Winner 41 (81) vs C1 (Olympic North); 12:00 (52) – D1 vs Winner 42 (82) (Main Polo Pool)
Bottom Qualifier
13:40 (53) – Loser 45 (89) vs Loser 47 (91) (Olympic South); 13:40 (54) – Loser 46 (90) vs Loser 48 (92) (Olympic North); 14:30 (55) – Loser 43 (83) vs Loser 41 (81) (Olympic North); 14:30 (56) – Loser 44 (84) vs Loser 42 (82) (Main Polo Pool)
Middle Qualifier
15:20 (57) – Winner 47 (91) vs Winner 45 (89) (Olympic North); 16:10 (59) – Winner 46 (90) vs Winner 48 (92) (Olympic North)
Semi-finals
16:10 (58) – Winner 50 (98) vs Winner 49 (97) (Main Polo Pool); 17:00 (60) – Winner 52 (100) vs Winner 51 (99) (Main Polo Pool)
Placing Qualifiers
17:00 (61) – Loser 50 (98) vs Loser 49 (QF1) (97) (Olympic North); 18:40 (62) – Loser 52 (100) vs Loser 51 (99) (Olympic North)
Sunday, 27 October
07:00 (63) – 19th/20th – Loser 53 (105) vs Loser 54 (106) (Olympic South)
07:00 (64) – 17th/18th – Winner 53 (105) vs Winner 54 (106) (Olympic North)
07:00 (65) – 15th/16th – Loser 57 (113) vs Loser 59 (115) (Main Polo Pool)
08:40 (66) – 13th/14th – Winner 57 (113) vs Winner 59 (115) (Olympic South)
08:40 (67) – 11th/12th – Loser 55 (109) vs Loser 56 (110) (Olympic North)
08:40 (68) – 9th/10th – Winner 55 (109) vs Winner 56 (110) (Main Polo Pool)
10:20 (69) – 7th/8th – Loser 62 (124) vs Loser 61 (119) (Olympic South)
10:20 (70) – 5th/6th – Winner 62 (124) vs Winner 61 (119) (Olympic North)
10:20 (71) – 3rd/4th – Loser 60 (117) vs Loser 58 (Main Polo Pool)
13:40 (72) – 1st/2nd – Winner 60 (117) vs Winner 58 (114) (Olympic Pool)
