19 October 2026
A week after winning the KZN Top 10 title with a team of stayers, except for one player, Clifton College produced a sound follow-up, going unbeaten to lift the Northwood Stayers Water Polo Tournament title on Sunday.
Predictably, their toughest challenge came from Kearsney College, but they edged out the Botha’s Hill boys twice, winning 6-5 in a Pool A clash and 6-4 in the final.
In recent times, Kearsney has been a tricky customer for Clifton at inopportune moments, so their wins over Kearsney the past two weekends will serve as a strong morale boost for coach Pierre le Roux and his boys. However, there is little to separate the sides.
Westville Boys’ High opened proceedings with a penalty shootout win over Northwood on Friday. On Sunday, however, the Knights came out on top in the third-place playoff, winning 6-4.
The Northwood Invitational team finished fifth, holding off Maritzburg College in a tight contest by a 6-5 margin.
There was also only one goal in it in the seventh-place playoff, with Thomas More College, which had impressed in the KZN Top 10, edging out Glenwood 3-2.
Curro Hillcrest beat St Charles College 7-3 to finish ninth.
Clifton won’t be heading to Johannesburg to contest the Saints Water Polo Invitational this coming weekend, which is a pity because they’re playing very good polo at present. But it is understandable since, in the last month, they have contested the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, the SACS Water Polo Tournament, and the KZN Top 10.
Kearsney, the 2024 winners of the Saints Invitational, didn’t make the trip to Cape Town for the SACS tournament, and they will be in action in Johannesburg. They’ll be joined there by Hilton College, Michaelhouse, and Durban High School (DHS).
The senior boys’ event features 20 top teams from Gauteng, KZN, the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape.
RESULTS
Friday, 16 October
Pool A
Westville (3) 4-4 (2) Northwood
Kearsney 13-4 Maritzburg College
Clifton 8-4 Westville
Kearsney 12-10 Northwood
Pool B
Invitational 6-3 St Charles
Glenwood 9-3 Curro
Saturday, 17 October
Pool A
Clifton 12-4 Maritzburg College
Northwood 11-5 Maritzburg College
Kearsney 9-6 Westville
Clifton 8-2 Northwood
Clifton 6-5 Kearsney
Pool B
Thomas More 4-3 Glenwood
Curro 5-2 St Charles
Invitational (2) 6-6 (1) Thomas More
Glenwood 12-2 St Charles
Thomas More 8-4 Curro
Invitational 7-1 Curro
Playoffs
Northwood 6-4 Maritzburg College
Westville 11-4 Invitational
Sunday, 18 October
7-10 Playoffs
Thomas More 13-4 St Charles
Glenwood 11-1 Curro
Semi-finals
Clifton 11-3 Northwood
Kearsney 7-6 Westville
9th/10th
Curro 7-3 St Charles
7th/8th
Thomas More 3-2 Glenwood
5th/6th
Invitational 6-5 Maritzburg College
3rd/4th
Northwood 6-4 Westville
1st/2nd
Clifton 6-4 Kearsney