Collins to lead star-studded SA u17 side in Malaysia.

Northwood first team hockey coach Justin Collins has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading a promising group of u17 players at the Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia from the 18^th to the 26^th of November this year.

Organised by Malaysia’s National Hockey Development Program, and first held in 2022, the Mirnawan Cup is an international youth hockey tournament.

This year, the event, apart from Malaysia and South Africa, will also include England, Australia, Japan and India, with each fielding boys’ and girls’ teams.

Promising talent to represent South Africa

The South African boys’ team selected for the tournament has brought players from far and wide together, with the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape all represented in the national boys’ side.

Hilton College, Durban High School (DHS), Paul Roos, Wynberg Boys High and Bishops all have two players in the squad, while the provincial breakdown reveals seven players from Western Province, three each from KZN and KZN Inland, two from Boland, and one each from Southern Gauteng, Northerns and Amathole.

The selections include Tre’ Gilbert, from Selborne College, and Litha Kraai, who had a season to remember for SACS on the turf, and who is being tipped to wear the captain’s armband.

Jeppe, one of South Africa’s most reliable factories for SA Schools’ players, will have Joshua Renders representing the black and white.

The South African team will arrive in Malaysia on the 18^th of November, along with the other nations. They’ll in action the following day, a Sunday, with the action continuing through until Wednesday, which will be a rest day. The final will take place on Saturday, 26 November.

The team:

Nicholas Holmes (Maritzburg College), Joshua Renders (Jeppe Boys High), Grant Bridgeford (Hilton College), Dayle Gertson (Wynberg), Tre’ Gilbert (Selborne College), Robert Veldtman (Bishops), Lethabo Bogacwi (Durban High School), Jarred Kitto (Hilton College), Litha Kraai (SACS), James Grieve (Bishops), Lumi Matwele (Durban High School, in feature photo), Matthew Mendes de Oliveira (Kearsney College), Ruard Booysen (Pretoria Boys High), Ethan Lee (Wynberg Boys High), Reuben Sendzul (Paul Roos), Joshua Smit (Paul Roos), Reece Theunis (SACS), Joshua Mettler (Bishops).

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