12 April 2023
Hockey
The Clifton 1st XI had a busy holiday, playing 10 matches, half of them in the Coastal Cup at Riverside, followed by another five at the Saint Stithian’s Easter Festival. They came away with a record of five wins, three defeats and two draws.
A win over Paarl Boys’ High in the Coastal Cup was a good result, while draws against high quality opposition in the form of Pearson and Westville Boys’ were also solid outcomes. Garsfontein, however, ran out comfortable winners, while Clifton was a little off song against Ashton International, but still recorded a 1-0 win, courtesy of a Kyle Thomas penalty stroke (see it in the story below).
In Johannesburg, Clifton went down to Saint Andrew’s College and the hosts, Saint Stithian’s, who along with Maritzburg College were the only teams to emerge undefeated from the event. There were tight wins over Menlo Park and Waterkloof, and a goalless draw to wrap up matters on Easter Monday.
The under-16 side found the going tough in the Coastal Cup, winning one of four matches, while the under-14 team posted five wins, four losses and two defeats after turning out in the Coastal Cup and Independent Schools Festival at Michaelhouse.
The highlights of their Coastal Cup performances were a 2-1 win over a quality DHS side and a win over Garsfontein by the same margin.
Matters were a lot tougher at the Independent Schools Festival where two of their three losses came by a single goal against very strong opposition. A draw against a talented Michaelhouse line-up was a decent result.
Results
1st XI
Coastal Cup
Clifton 2-2 Pearson
Clifton 2-0 Paarl Boys’ High
Clifton 0-3 Garsfontein
Clifton 1-0 Ashton International
Clifton 1-1 Westville Boys’ High
Saint Stithian’s Easter Festival
Clifton 1-4 Saint Andrew’s College
Clifton 1-0 Menlo Park
Clifton 2-1 Waterkloof
Clifton 1-4 Saint Stithian’s
Clifton 0-0 Parel Vallei
u16
Coastal Cup
Clifton 0-2 Garsfontein
Clifton 5-1 Saint Alban’s
Clifton 1-2 Pearson
Clifton 0-7 DHS
u14
Coastal Cup
Clifton 1-0 Pearson
Clifton 2-1 DHS
Clifton 2-1 Garsfontein
Clifton 5-0 Glenwood
Clifton 1-2 Paarl Boys’ High
Independent Schools Festival
Clifton 10-0 Cornwall Hill
Clifton 1-1 Reddam House (Constantia)
Clifton 1-1 Michaelhouse
Clifton 1-2 Bishops
Clifton 2-3 Saint Andrew’s College
Clifton 0-3 Saint Andrew’s School
Rugby
Unfortunately for the Clifton 1st XV, and no one could have known this beforehand, but they were handed, by far, the toughest slate of games at the Saint Stithian’s Easter Festival. Their three opponents won eight of nine games.
In an all-KZN clash, Clifton competed strongly against a talented Michaelhouse 1st XV, going down 21-37.
The under-15 A side gave an excellent account of itself at the Independent Schools Festival on Baileys at Michaelhouse, recording two wins, over Saint Stithian’s and Cornwall Hill, and one defeat against Saint Andrew’s College in a low-scoring tightly contested fixture.
Meanwhile, at the Glenwood Rugby Festival, the under-14 A team played two and won two.
Results
Saint Stithian’s Easter Festival
1st XV
Clifton 12-45 Kingswood College
Clifton 21-37 Michaelhouse
Clifton 10-41 Bishops
Independent Schools Festival
u15A
Clifton 21-12 Saint Stithian’s
Clifton 36-7 Cornwall Hill
Clifton 3-14 Saint Andrew’s College
U14A
Glenwood Rugby Festival
Clifton 64-0 Hoërskool Rustenburg
Clifton 19-7 Marais Viljoen
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