Greg Beling Festival: Oranje looks like SA’s best, St Anne’s and Rhenish impress

Sunday brought an end to another successful edition of the Greg Beling Festival after a four-day run, which alongside the Tony Godding Festival, filled hockey turfs all around East London.

Matches were played on six different Astros at Cambridge High, Stirling High School, Clarendon High School for Girls, Selborne College, Merrifield College and Bunkers Hill.

Some of the top schools in the country were on show, with Oranje and St Anne’s, like they had at the Balling Hockey Festival in Bethlehem, finishing the event with spotless records. Rhenish, too, sported an unblemished record.

The ease with which Oranje won their matches, however, suggests they might just be the team to beat in South Africa this season, which is far from an unusual position for the school. In fact, it’s more the norm.

On the first day of the event, Eunice, Cambridge, Rhenish and Stirling enjoyed opening victories with Cambridge outplaying Montana 3-0 on their home Astro. Rhenish impressed with 4-1 win over Clarendon, while Stirling High School topped Curro Waterstone 2-1.

With teams hitting their stride, day two was vibrant, with some big scores being recorded.

Eunice, the country’s best in 2023, just ahead of Oranje, overwhelmed Cambridge High 6-0. The Bloemfontein school went on to on an impressive four wins, a draw and a surprisingly comprehensive 1-5 defeat against Rhenish.

Oranje overran Woodridge College 9-0 on day three and then powered their way to a 6-0 victory over Clarendon. On Sunday, Oranje was at it again, this time making it into double figures as they cruised past Hudson Park 10-2.

Alexander Road wrapped up their festival in style, crushing Krugersdorp 8–1, while Clarendon Invitational beat Brandwag 6-0.

Fixtures

Sunday, 17 March 2024

Cambridge High School Astro

07:00 – Alexander Road 8-1 Krugersdorp
10:45 – Clarendon Inv 6-0 Brandwag
13:15 – Clarendon 3-0 Curro Waterstone

Clarendon College Astro
07:00 – Collegiate 0-1 St Anne’s
08:15 – Oranje 10-2 Hudson Park
09:30 – Eunice 3-1 Affies
12:00 – Clarendon 0-1 Woodridge
 09:30 – Kingswood College 0-1 Sasolburg High

Merrifield College Astro

07:00 – Brandwag 1-1 Lilyfontein
09:30 – Union High 2-1 Witteberg
12:00 – Merrifield 1-1  Volkskool

Selborne College Astro

07:00 – Framesby 1-2 Montana
07:00 – DSG 5-0 Linden
10:45 – Stirling v Voortrekker

Stirling Astro
12:00 – GHS 2-3 Duineveld
13:15 – Westering 4-0 Cradock

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Vuyo Ndudane

Vuyo Ndudane is a Sport Management and Journalism graduate from the Vaal University of Technology and the University of South Africa. She has experience as a content producer for Mhlobo Wenene FM sport show, currently working as a Sport Multimedia Controller, Researcher and multiple sport freelance writer under the wings of Sport Journalist. She admires Kyle Walker and Vinicius Jnr. She's just a lover of sport and trying to change the perception of Women's Sport in South Africa - one article a time.

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