The battle for water polo supremacy in KwaZulu-Natal takes place on Saturday and Sunday, with the KZN Top 10 hosting 1st team, U15, and U14 events at Clifton College, Westville Boys’ High, and Northwood, respectively.
Catch the 1st team action LIVE on SuperSport Schools
Among the 1st teams, at a glance, the battle for the title will be between the hosts, Clifton College, Hilton College, and Kearsney College. That’s based on the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, played in late September, where Hilton College successfully defended the title.
It was tight, though, with Hilton needing a penalty shootout to defeat a never-say-die Kearsney side.
Kearsney, meanwhile, also needed a shootout to get by Clifton in the semi-finals. The home team went on to finish third, beating Affies 8-6 in the playoffs.
More recently, at the SACS Water Polo Tournament, Hilton was unbeaten until the final, where Bishops beat them 5-3. They clearly stated their case as one of the country’s elite sides, nonetheless.
It was tougher to grade Clifton. They went with a smaller squad than the other teams, missing some of their top players.
Kearsney wasn’t at the SACS Water Polo Tournament, but Northwood was. Only 14th at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, they showed their potential in Cape Town, reaching the quarterfinals and keeping Clifton out of the top eight, thanks in no small part to a 5-4 win over St John’s College, who went on to finish fourth.
Northwood enjoyed an outstanding second day, winning all four matches, and their confidence and morale will have received a big boost.
Identifying some other teams that could make waves, look no further than Michaelhouse and Westville Boys’ High, ninth and tenth at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, after House won following a penalty shootout. Both are capable of challenging the top teams. Both, too, are seeking greater consistency.
Kearsney College will be the team to beat in the U15 event. Up against a powerful field, they recently lifted the Ian Melliar Water Polo Tournament title at Wynberg Boys’ High, with Cai Terblanche being named the Player of the Tournament.
They will be pressed hard by Hilton College, who finished third at the Ian Melliar event, where they won six of seven matches.
Apart from chasing victory in the three age-group events, the schools will also compete to be crowned KZN’s number one in 2026, with the results from all three tournaments being used to determine the overall winner.
Last year, Clifton won the 1st team and U15 titles. The U14 crown went to Hilton. But the overall honours went to Kearsney College. They finished one point clear of Clifton and Hilton.
FIXTURES
1ST TEAMS at Clifton College
Pool A
Glenwood, Clifton, Westville, Maritzburg College, Hilton
Pool B
Kearsney, DHS, Northwood, Michaelhouse, Thomas More
Saturday, 10 October
07:00 – Game 1, Glenwood vs Westville (A)
07:45 – Game 2, Kearsney vs DHS (B)
08:30 – Game 3, Clifton vs Hilton (A)
09:15 – Game 4, Northwood vs Thomas More (B)
10:00 – Game 5, Westville vs Maritzburg College (A)
10:45 – Game 6, DHS vs Michaelhouse (B)
11:30 – Game 7, Glenwood vs Clifton (A)
12:15 – Game 8, Kearsney vs Thomas More (B)
13:00 – Game 9, Maritzburg College vs Hilton (A)
13:45 – Game 10, Northwood vs Michaelhouse (B)
14:30 – Game 11, Clifton vs Westville (A)
15:15 – Game 12, DHS vs Thomas More (B)
16:00 – Game 13, Glenwood vs Hilton (A)
16:45 – Game 14, Kearsney vs Michaelhouse (B)
17:30 – Game 15, DHS vs Northwood (B)
18:15 – Game 16, Clifton vs Maritzburg College (A)
Sunday, 11 October
07:00 – Game 17, Kearsney vs Northwood (B)
07:45 – Game 18, Westville vs Hilton (A)
08:30 – Game 19, Michaelhouse vs Thomas More (B)
09:15 – Game 20, Glenwood vs Maritzburg College (A)
11:30 – Game 21, Semi 1, 1A vs 2B
12:15 – Game 22, Semi 2, 1B vs 2A
13:00 – Game 23, 9th/10th, 5A vs 5B
13:45 – Game 24, 7th/8th, 4A vs 4B
14:30 – Game 25, 5th/6th, 3A vs #b
15:15 – Game 26, 3rd/4th, L21 vs L22
16:00 – Game 28, 1st/2nd, W21 vs W22
U15 TEAMS at Westville Boys’ High
Pool A
Glenwood, Hilton, Westville, DHS, Clifton
Pool B
Kearsney, Northwood, Michaelhouse, Maritzburg College, Curro Hillcrest
Saturday, 10 October
07:00 – Game 1, Glenwood vs Westville (A)
07:45 – Game 2, Kearsney vs Northwood (B)
08:30 – Game 3, Hilton vs Clifton (A)
09:15 – Game 4, Michaelhouse vs Curro (B)
10:00 – Game 5, Westville vs DHS (A)
10:45 – Game 6, Northwood vs Maritzburg College (B)
11:30 – Game 7, Glenwood vs Hilton (A)
12:15 – Game 8, Kearsney vs Curro (B)
13:00 – Game 9, DHS vs Clifton (A)
13:45 – Game 10, Michaelhouse vs Maritzburg College (B)
14:30 – Game 11, Hilton vs Westville (A)
15:15 – Game 12, Northwood vs Curro (B)
16:00 – Game 13, Glenwood vs Clifton (A)
16:45 – Game 14, Kearsney vs Maritzburg College (B)
17:30 – Game 15, Northwood vs Michaelhouse (B)
18:15 – Game 16, Hilton vs DHS (A)
Sunday, 11 October
07:00 – Game 17, Maritzburg College vs Curro (B)
07:45 – Game 18, Westville vs Clifton (A)
08:30 – Game 19, Kearsney vs Michaelhouse (B)
09:15 – Game 20, Glenwood vs DHS (A)
11:30 – Game 21, Semi 1, 1A vs 2B
12:15 – Game 22, Semi 2, 1B vs 2A
13:00 – Game 23, 9th/10th, 5A vs 5B
13:45 – Game 24, 7th/8th, 4A vs 4B
14:30 – Game 25, 5th/6th, 3A vs 3B
15:15 – Game 26, 3rd/4th, L21 vs L22
16:00 – Game 27, 1st/2nd, W21 vs W22
U14 TEAMS at NORTHWOOD
Pool A
Hilton, DHS, Westville, Maritzburg College, Glenwood
Pool B
Clifton, Kearsney, Northwood, Michaelhouse, Invitational
Saturday, 10 October
07:00 – Game 1, Hilton vs Westville (A)
07:45 – Game 2, Clifton vs Kearsney (B)
08:30 – Game 3, DHS vs Glenwood (A)
09:15 – Game 4, Northwood vs Invitational (B)
10:00 – Game 5, Westville vs Maritzburg College (A)
10:45 – Game 6, Kearsney vs Michaelhouse (B)
11:30 – Game 7, Hilton vs DHS (A)
12:15 – Game 8, Clifton vs Invitational (B)
13:00 – Game 9, Maritzburg College vs Glenwood (A)
13:45 – Game 10, Northwood vs Michaelhouse (B)
14:30 – Game 11, DHS vs Westville (A)
15:15 – Game 12, Kearsney vs Invitational (B)
16:00 – Game 13, Hilton vs Glenwood (A)
16:45 – Game 14, Clifton vs Michaelhouse (B)
17:30 – Game 15, Kearsney vs Northwood (B)
18:15 – Game 16, DHS vs Maritzburg College (A)
Sunday, 11 October
07:00 – Game 17, Michaelhouse vs Invitational (B)
07:45 – Game 18, Westville vs Glenwood (A)
08:30 – Game 19, Clifton vs Northwood (B)
09:15 – Game 20, Hilton vs Maritzburg College (A)
11:30 – Game 21, Semi 1, 1A vs 2B
12:15 – Game 22, Semi 1, 1B vs 2A
13:00 – Game 23, 9th/10th, 5A vs 5B
13:45 – Game 24, 7th/8th, 4A vs 4B
14:30 – Game 25, 5th/6th, 3A vs 3B
15:15 – Game 26, 3rd/4th, L21 vs L22
16:00 – Game 27, 1st/2nd, W21 vs W22
