21 September 2026
When a 37-man SA U21 hockey training squad was announced on 17 September, it included 11 players either currently in school in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) or who attended KZN schools.
The crop of current schoolboys includes Clifton College‘s Ryde Brisset (feature photo), the Player of the Tournament at the U18 SASHOC National Week, Ty Naidoo, from Westville Boys’ High, and Chris Abrahams, from Durban High School (DHS).
They helped KZN Coastal win the SASHOC National Week with an all-time come-from-behind victory over Western Province.
They’re joined in the squad by current school learners Jeandre van Zyl, Caleb Cilliers, and Logan Lackay of Paul Roos Gimnasium, Litha Kraai and Mohloli Maseko of SACS, Maritzburg College‘s Viwe Ndlovu, and Luca Jordaan of Parel Vallei.
Interestingly, 10 of the squad have in one way or another been influenced by Glenwood old boy Michael Baker, who executed an astonishing turnaround of DHS’s hockey fortunes when he took charge there. He is now the head of hockey at Paul Roos.
DHS provides Bhavesh Naicker, Chris Abrahams, Lethabo Bogacwi, and Lumi Matwele to the squad. The Paul Roos contingent is made up of Caleb Cilliers, Christo Swanepoel, Jeandre van Zyl, Joshua Smit, Logan Lackay, and Reuben Sendzul.
Other former KZN schoolboys in the squad include Kearsney College‘s Matthew De Oliveira, Josh Beck of Westville, Kadin Jenkins of Maritzburg College, and Hilton College‘s Reagan Mudau.
Paul Roos, with six, has the most players in the squad, followed by DHS and SACS, which, apart from Kraai and Maseko, provides Jo le Roux and Reece Theunis.
The squad has been assembled to prepare for their defence of the Junior Africa Cup of Nations in January 2027.
Last year, the SA U21 side beat Namibia 5-0 in the final, with Jeppe old boy, Jaydon Brooker, striking twice in the title game, while Clifton old boy, Ross Montgomery, was also on the scoresheet, along with Reuben Senzul and Viwe Mbatha, who attended Wynberg Boys’ High.
Squad (and the schools they attend/attended)
Aiden Blatch (St Stithians), Bhavesh Naicker (DHS), Caden Skinnette (Grey High), Caleb Cilliers (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Christo Swanepoel (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Christopher Abrahams (DHS), James Grieve (Bishops), Jeandre van Zyl (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Joe Gitlin (Reddam House Constantia), Josh Beck (Westville Boys’ High), Joshua Le Roux (SACS), Joshua Mettler (Bishops), Joshua Smit (Paul Roos Gimnasium), Kadin Jenkins (Maritzburg College), Kaino Broadhurst (Grey High), Khotso Mabona (St David’s Marist Inanda), Kian Cambier (Grey High), Lethabo Bogacwi (DHS), Litha Kraai (SACS), Logan Lackay (Paul Roos), Luca Jordaan (Parel Vallei), Luke Mosala (Grey College), Luken Brunette (Garsfontein), Lumi Matwele (DHS), Matthew De Oliveira (Kearsney College), Mohlodi Maseko (SACS), Neilyandro Van Schalkwyk (Grey College), Owen McMenamin (Pretoria Boys High), Reagan Mudau (Hilton College), Reece Theunis (SACS), Reuben Sendzul (Paul Roos), Ruard Booysen (Pretoria Boys High), Ryde Brisset (Clifton College), Tre’ Gilbert (Selborne College), Tyhil Naidoo (Westville Boys’ High), Tyler-Reed Napier (Home schooled), Viwe Ndlovu (Maritzburg College), and Ziya Davids (Pinelands High School).