The much anticipated national Under-18 Boys Inter-Provincial Hockey will kick off today when 24 teams will be invading the hockey astros of both Grey College and Eunice until Saturday (11 July).
Teams will be divided into two pools of twelve teams each. They will further contest in a round robin format until Friday, when the semi-finals will be played at Grey College.
It will not be easy, but the South Free State A-team will be looking to start their campaign on a positive note in the B-section this morning, with the main focus on getting back into the A-section.
Head coach of the South Free State A-team, Wayne Coetzee, told Courant today that they are very optimistic ahead of the five-day showpiece.
“We are looking to win the B-section this year in order to get back into the A-section. We have basically tripled up on our preparation in order to achieve our goal, although we will take it bit by bit, game by game,” says Coetzee.
The South Free State teams have been hard at work over the past few weeks. They have already conducted 18 sessions instead of the normal six. They have also upped their fitness programme in order to achieve glory in the B-section.
They will start their campaign at Eunice Astro this morning against their South Free State B counterparts, whilst they will also take on North West tomorrow.
After the finals on Saturday, a national SA Schools’ squad of 36 players will be selected for a training squad.
Day 1, Monday 06 July
Time Grey College Astro Eunice Astro
08:40 Western Province P B vs KZN Inland EP B vs Boland B
10:00 Boland vs Amathole NW vs East Gauteng
11:20 KZN In B vs WP SFS B vs SFS
12:40 EP vs SWD NFS vs KZNCoast B
14:05 North B vs KZNCoast Mpumalanga vs Northern Cape
15:30 North vs SG Limpopo vs SG B
16:45 Boland vs WP B EP B vs NW
18:00 WP vs Amathole
Day 2, Tuesday 07 July
Time Grey College Astro Eunice Astro
08:40 SWD vs North B KZNCoast B vs Mpuma
10:00 North vs KZN Coast Boland B vs SFS B
11:20 S Gauteng vs EP NW vs SFS
12:40 KZN Inl vs Bol NFS vs SG B
14:05 WP B vs WP N Cape vs Limpopo
15:30 Amath vs KZN In B East Gaut vs EP B
16:45 KZN Coast vs SWD SFS vs Boland B
18:00 North B vs S Gaut –
Day 3, Wednesday 08 July
Time Grey College Astro Eunice Astro
08:40 Bol vs KZN In B SFS vs East Gaut
10:00 WP vs KZN Inl SG B vs KZN Coas B
11:20 Amath vs WP B N Cape vs NFS
12:40 EP vs North B Boland B vs NW
14:05 SWD vs North Mpuma vs Limpopo
15:30 KZN Coas vs S Gaut EP B vs SFS B
16:45 KZN In B vs KZN Inl SFS B vs East Gaut
18:00 SG B vs N Cape –
Day 4, Thursday 09 July
Time Grey College Astro Eunice Astro
08:40 KZN Coast vs EP NFS vs Limpopo
10:00 North vs North B SG B vs Mpuma
11:20 WP vs Bol KZNCoast B vs N Cape
12:40 KZN Inl vs Amath SFS vs EP B
14:05 WP B vs KZN In B East Gaut vs Boland B
15:30 S Gauteng vs SWD NW vs SFS B
16:45 EP vs Northerns Mpuma vs NFS
18:00 Limp vs KZNCoast B –
Fixtures provided by schoolsportsnews
