The hosts, Clifton, delivered an assured performance, outplaying Durban High School (DHS) 16-6 on Thursday, the opening day of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, and laying down a marker.
The match was preceded by the first of five primary school exhibition matches, with Clifton Prep facing Umhlali Prep in front of a large, boisterous crowd, which created an electric atmosphere and an occasion neither side’s players will likely ever forget.
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Rain fell steadily throughout the day, but that big crowd ratcheted up the volume for Clifton College’s emphatic win in their opening match, which was Richie Port‘s 100th for the team.
Coach Pierre le Roux‘s charges started confidently and raced into a 3-1 lead. DHS, though, gained some traction and pulled it back to 3-4 before Clifton struck twice in quick succession just before halftime to take a 6-3 lead into the second half.
After the break, Clifton hit the afterburners and pulled clear to score an emphatic victory. Every time DHS scored, Clifton responded with a goal shortly after the restart.
While Clifton put DHS under heavy pressure with their suffocating defence, they will want to improve on the five penalties they conceded. Goalkeeper Caleb Malumbete saved one, and another struck the frame of the goal, leaving DHS with a conversion rate of only 60 percent.
In the match of the day, Northwood gave the defending champions, Hilton College, everything they could handle before succumbing 11-12 in a contest that went down to the final whistle.
Every time it seemed that Hilton was about to pull away, the Knights closed the gap, exhibiting outstanding resilience. They were, though, left to rue missing two penalties, which could have won them the game.
Based on their performance on Thursday, Northwood looks like a team capable of beating any other in the tournament.
Kearsney College and Michaelhouse played the tournament’s opening game, with ‘House threatening throughout, but Kearsney holding a slight edge to claim a 12-10 win.
The clash between Westville Boys’ High and Maritzburg College started evenly, but a scoring spurt before the break took the Griffins clear, and they never let College get close again.
Neither side will feel particularly satisfied with their defence after the game finished 17-11 in Westville’s favour.
Clifton’s 2nd team will feel disappointed that they didn’t play up to their potential against Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), who scored a convincing 14-6 win.
They surrendered some soft goals, allowing PRG to get behind their centre backs, and they were also loose in their shots at goal, all too often not requiring the goalkeeper to make a save.
The game got away from Clifton 2 early, so they’ll be targeting a solid start in their next outing, early on Friday morning against Kearsney. After a disappointing 12th-place finish in 2025, Paul Roos will feel grateful to have begun their campaign strongly.
Last year’s runner-up, St John’s College, a team that has also won the Clifton Water Polo Tournament on multiple occasions, took on Affies in their opener. It was a potential banana skin fixture early in the tournament, but St John’s ensured there was no upset, scoring a comfortable 12-7 win.
Selborne College met Reddam House Contantia in an Eastern Cape versus Western Cape showdown in the second last match of the day, and it was Selborne who claimed the points after a 13-9 win.
In the day’s final game, SACS, the winners in 2023 and 2024, faced King Edward VII (KES). The Cape Town side made a steady start to their campaign, running out 12-7 victors.
Based on Thursday’s action, SACS versus Northwood could be a cracking clash on Friday. So, too, could the Hilton versus SACS showdown be an absorbing outing.
Kearsney against Paul Roos looks interesting, while Clifton 2 will aim to right some wrongs when they open the day’s proceedings against Kearsney.
Their senior counterparts will target another emphatic win when they tackle Reddam at 07:50.
Results
Pool A
Clifton College 16-6 DHS
Selborne 13-9 Reddam House Constantia
Pool B
Kearsney College 12-10 Michaelhouse
Paul Roos 14-6 Clifton 2
Pool C
Westville Boys’ High 17-11 Maritzburg College
St John’s 12-7 Affies
Pool D
Hilton College 12-11 Northwood
SACS 12-7 KES
FIXTURES
Friday, 18 September
Game 10: 07:00 – Kearsney vs Clifton 2 (Pool B)
Game 11: 07:50 – Clifton vs Reddam (Pool A)
Game 12: 08:40 – Northwood vs SACS (Pool D)
Game 13: 09:30 – St John’s vs Maritzburg College (Pool C)
Game 14: 10:20 – Hilton vs KES (Pool D)
Game 15: 11:10 – Westville vs Affies (Pool C)
Game 16: 12:00 – Paul Roos vs Michaelhouse (Pool B)
Game 17: 12:50 – Selborne vs DHS (Pool A)
Game 18: 13:40 – Hilton vs SACS (Pool D)
Game 19: 14:30 – St John’s vs Westville (Pool C)
Game 20: 15:20 – Kearsney vs Paul Roos (Pool B)
Game 21: 16:10 – Clifton vs Selborne (Pool A)
Game 22: 17:00 – KES vs Northwood (Pool D)
Game 23: 17:50 – Affies vs Maritzburg College (Pool C)
Game 24: 18:40 – Clifton 2 vs Michaelhouse (Pool B)
Game 25: 19:30 – Reddam vs DHS (Pool A)
20:30 – Welcome Dinner
Saturday, 19 September
07:30 – DPHS vs Highbury (Prep)
Playoffs
Game 26: 08:00 – 1st A vs 2nd B, QF 1
Game 27: 08:50 – 1st B vs 2nd A, QF 2
Game 28: 09:40 – 1st C vs 2nd D, QF 3
Game 29: 10:30 – 1st D vs 2nd C, QF 4
Game 30: 11:30 – 3rd A vs 4th B
Game 31: 12:20 – 3rd B vs 4th A
Game 32: 13:10 – 3rd C vs 4th D
Game 33: 14:00 – 3rd D vs 4th C
Game 35: 15:40 – Loser 25 vs Loser 26
16:30 – Chelsea vs DPHS (Prep)
Game 36: 17:20 – Winner 26 vs Winner 27, SF1
Game 37: 18:10 – Winner 28 vs Winner 29, SF2
19:00/19:30 – Parents Social
Sunday, 20 September
Game 38: 07:00 – Winner 30 vs Winner 31
Game 39: 07:50 – Winner 32 vs Winner 33
Game 40: 08:40 – Loser 30 vs Loser 31
Game 41: 09:30 – Loser 32 vs Loser 33
Game 42: 10:20 – Winner 38 vs Winner 39 (9th/10th)
Game 43: 11:10 – Loser 38 vs Loser 39 (11th/12th)
Game 44: 12:00 – Winner 40 vs Winner 41 (13th/14th)
Game 45: 12:50 – Loser 40 vs Loser 41 (15th/16th)
Game 46: 13:40 – Winner 34 vs Winner 35 (5th/6th)
Game 47: 14:30 – Loser 34 vs Loser 35 (7th/8th)
Game 48: 15:20 – Loser 36 vs Loser 37 (3rd/4th)
Game 49: 16:10 – Winner 36 vs winner 37 (1st/2nd)
