SASHOC announces SA Schools girls’ u18 team
Reabitswe Phume, Ruby Kraus, and Georgia Pollock were among the 18 players selected by SASHOC to represent the SA Schools u18A girls’ side, which was announced in Bloemfontein on Friday during the closing ceremony of the SASHOC National Week.
“We were looking at more than just a player’s ability in a certain position,” Rob Pullen, the convenor of selectors, said.
“The week helped us to evaluate each player’s skill and temperament. It is important that we look at all these things because there is cross-pollination between the u18 and u21 sides.”
Pullen and the rest of the selection panel, including the side’s head coach Nolwazi Nkabinde, spent the six-day event not only analysing the players’ on-field abilities and temperament but how they relate towards other players off of the field.
Phume, who led Southern Gauteng A to the title, is one of the more experienced players in the side. The St Stithians’ learner has already been a part of the SA Women’s Olympic squad.
She was one of the midfielders selected, along with the KZN Coastal duo of Georgia Pollock and Emily Macquet.
One of the things we were looking for was whether a player is comfortable on the ball and their work rate. We wanted players with a high work rate on and off the ball,” Pullen explained.
Southern Free State A‘s Bianca Rees Gibbs was the joint leading goal-scorer of the National Week, with six goals, despite her side missing out on a semi-final place. The Eunice learner didn’t just excel at the National Week. She has in great form throughout the season and won the Player of the Tournament award at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, where she was also the leading goal scorer.
The 17-year-old will join, among others, Ruby Kraus and Tara Pakendorf, up front.
Southern Gauteng A not only scored the most goals at the National Week, but they also conceded the least. Their defence was breached only twice in seven games and part of the reason for that was the quality of their defenders, one of whom was Ifeoma Ndubeze. Her partners in defence will include Caprice Bengston and Lize Classens.
Goalkeeper Luané Janssen played some of the best hockey of her young career as she helped her side, Northern Gauteng A, reach the final of the National Week. The teenager pulled off incredible saves and performed heroics in their semifinal tie against KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A. That clash went to a penalty shootout and then sudden death. Janssen is one of the two goal-minders selected for the side.
Four members of the squad are from Durban Girls’ College: Caprice Bengtson, Ruby Kraus, Emily Macquet and Tara Pakendorf.
The team will undergo a three-day training and orientation camp in Bloemfontein from 22-25 June.
SA Schools U18 team
Jehan Abrahams (Western Province A), Alulutho Adams (Eastern Province A), Caprice Bengtson (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A), Lize Classens (Northern Gauteng A), Luané Janssen (Northern Gauteng A), Ruby Kraus (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A), Emily Macquet (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A), Logan Marthinus (Boland A), Thabelani Metu (Border A), Thatohatsi Mokhele (Northern Gauteng A), Ifeoma Ndubueze (Southern Gauteng A), Tara Pakendorf (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Reabetswe Phume (Southern Gauteng A), Tanya Pieterse (Boland A), Georgia Pollock (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A), Hannah Quinton (Southern Gauteng A), Bianca Rees-Gibbs (Southern Free State A), Amy Smith (Southern Gauteng A).
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