6 October 2026
Kearsney College claimed the honours at the Nick Rey U16 Water Polo Tournament, hosted by Durban High School (DHS) over the weekend, staging a stunning fightback to edge out Clifton College for the title.
With a minute and a half to go in the title game, Clifton led Kearsney by three goals, 7-4, but the Botha’s Hill boys somehow found a way, pulling one back before netting twice in the last 45 seconds to draw level at 7-7.
They then snatched victory, winning 3-2 in the shootout.
During the group stage, Clifton and Kearsney separated themselves from the rest, with both compiling unbeaten records.
Kearsney beat Jeppe 14-2, Affies 10-7, St John’s 8-7, Thomas More 9-3, DHS 10-4, St Charles 14-1, and St Stithians 8-3.
Clifton, meanwhile, beat Glenwood 17-0, St Stithians 10-2, Northwood 10-3, Maritzburg College 7-3, Westville 15-1, and DHS 8-3.
In an all-Gauteng playoff for third and fourth, St John’s beat Affies 9-6, while Northwood squeezed past Westville 3-2 to finish fifth.
The hosts, DHS, had to settle for eighth after a narrow 5-6 defeat to St Stithians, while Thomas More downed Maritzburg College 3-1 in the ninth-place playoff.
Jeppe finished 11th, beating St Charles 11-3, and Glenwood handed the DHS Invitation team a 9-2 loss, to finish 13th.
Interestingly, Kearsney’s Dru Mills was named the Attacker of the Tournament, emulating his brother Max’s achievement at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, where he, too, was named the Attacker of the Tournament.
Max Fowlds, of Clifton, took the Goalkeeper of the Tournament accolade, and James Simpson, from St Stithians, was named the Defender of the Tournament.
Playoff Results
1st/2nd: Kearsney (3) 7-7 (2) Clifton
3rd/4th: St John’s 9-6 Affies
5th/6th: Northwood 3-2 Westville
7th/8th: St Stithians 6-5 DHS
9th/10th: Thomas More 3-1 Maritzburg College
11th/12th: Jeppe 11-3 St Charles
13th/14th: Glenwood 9-2 DHS Invitation