Jeppe faces an Affies’ acid test, KES and Saints return to action
Jeppe High School for Boys will be eager to pick up from where they left off when they travel to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria on Saturday. Pushback is at 11:30.
The side from Kensington enters the clash fresh from participating in the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, which took place in Gqeberha at Grey High School over a week ago.
There, Jeppe made their presence felt in their debut appearance in the tournament.
After narrowly missing out on making the final, they clinched the bronze medal by beating Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) 2-1 on the final day.
Besides that achievement, coach Gareth Heyns’s side has also shown promising growth during the season after a slow start, which included a defeat to their arch-rivals, King Edward VII (KES), last month.
They picked up the scalp of Westville Boys’ High before the Hibbert Shield and have produced solid performances against some of their Gauteng rivals.
The clash against Affies will be another test for Jeppe, with the boys from Pretoria, who are enjoying a solid season, eager to cause an upset.
Last year, Jeppe thumped Affies 6-0 as they strung together an unbeaten season. In 2024, the teams drew 2-2.
Affies is a different, much-improved side this year. They’ve played some high-octane hockey under the guidance of coach Jaydon Lincoln. That has brought them some notable wins, including a 2-1 victory over Garsfontein and a 3-1 win against Paarl Gimnasium.
They performed well at the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament, finishing in fourth place after going down 4-5 to Hilton College in a thrilling bronze medal match.
Jeppe will be wary of the threats coach Lincoln’s side poses, especially at set pieces and on the counterattack.
KES will also be on the road against Parktown Boys’ High at 12:30.
Under coach Siya Sityana, KES has started the season well, and their 1-0 win over Jeppe gave them immense confidence.
Surprisingly, though, they were subsequently held to a 1-1 draw by Hoërskool Noordheuwel. A scheduled clash with Pretoria Boys High was called off after illness swept through the Boys High ranks.
The Parktown clash will provide the Red Sticks with a chance to build their rhythm once more, with crucial fixtures against Westville Boys’ High and Affies lined up in the next two weeks.
Another clash to keep an eye out for will be that between St Stithians College and St Alban’s.
Saints hosts the Pretoria outfit, and both sides will be eager to bag a win after disappointing Hibbert Shield campaigns.
Saints finished in eighth place after going down to Bishops 1-3 on the final day, while St Alban’s propped up the standings.
They meet at 10:15 on Saturday morning. Both teams play an attractive game, so the supporters should be in for a treat.
Other matches include St Benedict’s College versus CBC Boksburg, a big Pretoria derby between Garsfontein and Waterkloof, and Helpmekaar College against Menlopark.
