Writes Rafi A. (L6ths)
The South Africa Hockey Expedition stood as a landmark event in our school’s sports calendar, providing a blend of elite competition, cultural exploration, and unforgettable team bonding. Traversing from the northeastern regions of Johannesburg and Pilanesberg National Park to the vibrant coastal landscapes of the Western Cape, the squad was welcomed into a sports culture known for its competitiveness and hospitality.
On the pitch, both the 1st and 2nd XI had things to take away from a friendly game against Jeppe High School going into the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, which stretched across 5 days. This included fixtures for the 1s against some well-established South African teams such as Paarl Gymnasium, Curro Durbanville and Parel Vallei- who later went on to win the tournament. Within the pool, the 1XI came away with 2 wins on the first day (despite a 5 a.m. wake-up!) There followed 3 losses, but these included a very near comeback in a 3-2 loss on the second day, where Joe H. (U6th) scored both goals in the last 10 minutes of the game. The 1s ended up finishing 8th in the Elite Boys’ competition with goals from an array of players. This bodes well for us going into next season, knowing how well we can compete against some top teams. In the 2s, a key highlight included their final game going to shuffles. There stepped up ‘Captain Fantastic’ Nikhil M. (U6th), who converted his stylishly to add to his tally of 3 goals. There followed Dev A. (L6th) with double-fake against the keeper who was left stranded on the turf to calmy slide his against the backboard. Finally, a special mention must go to Shayan V. (L6th) who made both saves to give the 2s their taste of glory.
The team enjoyed some of the memorable moments in front of Table Mountain’s iconic flat-topped peak which towers over the Cape Town playing fields, offering an unforgettable view during our matches. Taking a well-deserved break from the tour schedule, we headed up the famous landmark via the cable car, ascending into the cloudless sky to take in the panoramic views of the city and the glimmering Atlantic Ocean stretching out below. On top of this, the team enjoyed an unforgettable day of ziplining through the canyons in the Cape Canopy Tour.
Despite a few nervous faces, the whole group came away with an experience no-one will forget. Finally, in the eyes of many, the most special experience of the entire tour took place away from the sports pitch during an immersive safari through Pilanesberg National Park. Staying at the Ivory Tree Game Lodge, the squad embarked on an evening game drive, before returning to the open 4×4 vehicles at the crack of dawn. This allowed us to track lions in the cooler sunrise hours alongside clear sightings of elephants, rhinos, and towering giraffes moving through the bushveld.
To round off the trip, on the penultimate day, after a profound tour of the Soweto area in Johannesburg, the boys played their last game in a friendly against Linden High School. Our performances epitomised what one can call ‘the perfect ending’, with both teams coming away with wins. This included the goal of the tour from Pharon J. (L6th) in the 2s, where he navigated his way around 3 defenders in the D to glide the ball into the bottom corner. In the following game, the 1s gave a guard of honour to Toby W. (U6th) and Demi O. (L6th), who each went on to score in their last bout for the Lamb. From the hockey front, awards for players of the tour were deservedly given to Sebastian S. (U6th) in the 1s and Avi P. (U6th) in the 2s.
Ultimately, the tour proved to be an incredible experience, combining high-level sporting competition with unforgettable regional visits. The team is incredibly grateful to Mr. Middleton, Mr. Haynes, Mr. Richardson, and Dr. Hesketh, whose outstanding organisation, care and passion ensured the trip was a triumph from start to finish.
