19 April 2024
The South African team to compete in the World Aquatics Men’s u18 Water Polo Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina has been announced and it includes four players from KZN in the 15-player travelling squad, plus a non-travelling reserve.
Clifton College has two players in the lineup, with captain Oliver Ditz and goalkeeper Ross Strauss (feature photo) cracking the nod. They’re joined by Rhees Hall, of Westville, and Northwood‘s Matthew Lortan. Max Scully, of Westville, is a non-travelling reserve.
Ditz follows in the footsteps of his brother, Noah, who also earned his national colours while at Clifton.
The team will be managed by Clifton College’s Meryke Terblanche and coached by Glenwood High School‘s Rob Ambler. The other member of the coaching staff is assistant coach Siyabonga Guzana.
Western Province provides seven players and Central Gauteng four. Those selections, along with the four KZN boys, is a reflection of the distribution of power in South African u18 water polo at present, although the big titles this season were widely spread.
In a very interesting first term, SACS claimed the St Andrew’s College Shield, Bishops won the SACS Nite League in Cape Town, Clifton captured the Vides honours, Rondebosch won the Standard Bank KES Water Polo Tournament, and Kearsney claimed the Reef Cup.
Meanwhile, after Western Province won the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial u19 title in Gqeberha in December after a penalty shootout against Central Gauteng, they were favoured to win the Currie Cup in March.
Instead, KZN went through the pool stages unbeaten, which included a stunning come-from-behind win over Western Province. Central Gauteng eliminated Province in the semi-finals, and they, then, reversed an earlier loss to KZN in the final.
World Aquatics Squad
Jordan De Sousa (Bishops), Adam October (Paul Roos), Nicholas Fall (SACS), Zack Cicero (SACS), Thomas Truter (Bishops), Arkin Marais (Paul Roos), Salahuddin Khan (Paul Roos), Greg Pryce (St John’s College), Ross Rovelli (St John’s College), Ross Stuart (St David’s Marist Inanda), Karabo Mamaregane (King Edward VII), Rhees Hall (Westville Boys’ High), Ross Strauss (Clifton College), Matthew Lortan (Northwood), Oliver Ditz (Clifton College)
Non-travelling reserves
Judah Dos Santos (King Edward VII), Zico Williams (Reddam House Helderfontein), Marc Smith (St Stithians College), Max Scully (Westville Boys’ High), Conor Melling-Williams (SACS)
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