The very best chase silverware at the KES Water Polo Tournament
Sixteen of the best water polo-playing boys’ schools in South Africa will go head-to-head this weekend for the KES Water Polo Tournament title in Johannesburg.
The prestigious annual tournament, hosted by King Edward VII (KES) in Houghton, runs from 27 February to 1 March, and all the action will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.
In 2025, new champions were crowned after Bishops edged out Hilton College in a penalty shootout to win the trophy for the first time in the school’s history.
The boys from Cape Town will return to the tournament oozing with confidence after recently claiming their third SACS Nite Series title in a row.
Led by Jabulani Sibiya, they also won the SAC Shield in Makhanda earlier this year, and they are undeniably one of the title favourites.
Bishops are in Pool A and will face Clifton College and the Gauteng duo of St David’s Marist Inanda and Jeppe High School for Boys.
Clifton is the only side that’s managed to topple Bishops in a tournament this year. The Durban school produced an outstanding performance to claim an 11-7 win during the SAC Shield, so they’ll back themselves at KES.
St David’s won’t be pushovers either. Coach Dean Whyte‘s side has played some entertaining water polo of late, and they retained the Vides Water Polo Tournament title in East London a fortnight ago.
They did, however, go down to St John’s College 8-9 in the final of the KES Night League.
Pool B is arguably the group of death and should deliver cracking matchups from the outset. It features Rondebosch Boys’ High, St John’s College, Hilton College, and Pretoria Boys High.
‘Bosch and St John’s will be the two favoured to progress, but a resilient Hilton side will try to pull off a surprise.
The hosts, KES, will battle South African College High School (SACS), Selborne College, and Westville Boys’ High in Pool C.
After falling in the semi-finals of the SAC Shield in January, SACS has been steadily improving. They enjoyed a good run in their Nite Series, and they will be eager to ride that momentum to bigger and better things at KES.
Pool D also features a juicy line-up, with St Stithians College, Kearsney College, St Andrew’s College, and Paul Roos going toe-to-toe.
There will be very little room for error in the group, with all the teams posing threats. Kearsney hasn’t played the tournaments that some of the other sides have played, but they have been working very hard to prepare for the event. They will back themselves to go far after finishing in fifth place last year.
Coach Nic Rodda‘s men have been in winning form this year, and they recently claimed the Kearsney Night League title after beating Hilton 11-6 in the final.
Paul Roos, meanwhile, will be aiming to emulate their performances at the Vides Water Polo Tournament.
There, coach Vaughn Marlow’s troops reached the final and just missed out on the trophy after going down to St David’s by a single goal in the title game.
St Andrew’s and St Stithians will bring their respective A-games, which makes Pool D a highly competitive group.
The action kicks off bright and early on Friday with a Gauteng derby between St David’s Marist Inanda and Jeppe High School for Boys at 07:00.
POOLS
Pool A: Bishops, St David’s Marist Inanda, Clifton College, Jeppe High School for Boys
Pool B: Rondebosch, St John’s College, Hilton College, Pretoria Boys High
Pool C: SACS, KES, Selborne, Westville Boys High
Pool D: St Stithian College, Kearsney College, St Andrew’s College, Paul Roos
FIXTURES
Friday, 27 February
07:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Jeppe High School for Boys
07:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs Pretoria Boys High School
08:40 – King Edward VII School vs Westville Boys’ High School
09:30 – St Stithians College vs St Andrew’s College
10:20 – Bishops Diocesan College vs Clifton College
11:10 – St John’s College vs Hilton College
12:00 – South African College High School vs Selborne College
12:50 – Kearsney College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium
13:40 – Jeppe High School For Boys vs Bishops Diocesan College
14:30 – St John’s College vs Pretoria Boys High School
15:20 – South African College High School vs King Edward VII School
16:10 – Kearsney College vs St Andrew’s College
17:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Clifton College
17:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs Hilton College
18:40 – Westville Boys’ High School vs Selborne College
19:30 – St Stithians College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium
Saturday, 28 February
07:00 – Clifton College vs Jeppe High School For Boys
07:50 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School vs St John’s College
08:40 – King Edward VII School vs Selborne College
09:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Paul Roos Gymnasium
10:20 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Bishops Diocesan College
11:10 – Pretoria Boys High School vs Hilton College
12:00 – South African College High School vs Westville Boys’ High School
12:50 – Kearsney College vs St Stithians College
Playoffs
13:40 – Pool 1 Third vs Pool 2 Fourth
14:10 – Pool 2 Third vs Pool 1 Fourth
14:40 – Pool 3 Third vs Pool 4 Fourth
15:10 – Pool 4 Third vs Pool 3 Fourth
15:40 – Pool 1 First vs Pool 2 Second
16:30 – Pool 2 First vs Pool 1 Second
17:20 – Pool 3 First vs Pool 4 Second
18:10 – Pool 4 First vs Pool 3 Second
19:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27
19:30 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28
20:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31
20:30 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32
Sunday, 1 March
07:00 – Winner Plate QF 1 vs Winner Plate QF 3
07:30 – Winner Plate QF 2 vs Winner Plate QF 4
08:00 – Cup QF 1 winner – Cup QF 3 winner
08:50 – Cup QF 2 winner – Cup QF 4 winner
09:40 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34
10:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34
10:40 – Loser Plate Semi 1 – Loser Plate Semi 2
11:10 – Winner Plate Semi 1 – Winner Plate Semi 2
11:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36
12:10 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36
12:40 – Loser Cup Semi 1 vs Loser Cup Semi 2
13:30 – Final
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