Absence makes the heart grow fonder. That saying has never been truer for Varsity Hockey with the absence of action in 2020 and 2021 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
South African hockey is arguably in its healthiest state for years with the national men’s team finishing fourth at the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, their best result in 20 years. Both the national U21 teams also finished in record-high positions of their respective Junior World Cups.
One of the reasons for this remarkable surge in performance has been the strength of the University sport system and Varsity Hockey is arguably the largest celebrator of this facet of the sport.
On a platform as sturdy as that it is pleasing that Varsity Hockey will make its return at this year’s Festival of Varsity Sports taking place in Pretoria between 3 and 8 October.
What you need to know about the return of Varsity Hockey
Varsity Hockey has previously alternated between the genders with the women taking place in 2019 and the men having last competed in 2018. This year’s mini-tournament will however feature four sides from each gender battling it out over two days at the University of Pretoria Astro. The tournament will be a compact semi-final and final round played over two days (5-6 October), with no room for a slow start.
In the 2019 tournament, North West University triumphed over the University of Stellenbosch (2013 champions) in a shootout final. The two teams will meet looking for a classic clash in the second semi-final. They will already know who they would be playing as the opening clash sees hosts Tuks (2017 champions) take on University of Free State (2015 runners-up). Kovsies were victorious in the Free State Hockey League this year and it will be a tough test for a fired-up University of Pretoria.
The men’s tournament last ran in 2018 when Tuks stopped UJ from achieving the threepeat. But they won’t face off in the opening matches. The Johannesburg men will square up against bitter rivals Wits University as the 5km gap between their respective astros brings a turf battle unlike others in the country. The victor will move onto the final where it will be an opportunity to take on either Maties or defending champions and hosts Tuks.
The stars of Varsity Hockey
Varsity Hockey has produced numerous international stars over the years.
These include current national captain Bernadette Coston (University of Johannesburg), 150+ cap stalwart Quanita Bobbs (Stellenbosch University) and SA Hockey Player of the Year 2016 Celia Seerane (North West University) on the women’s side. On the men’s side current national vice-captain Keenan Horne (University of Stellenbosch) is joined by Olympic duo Daniel Bell (Stellenbosch) and Tevin Kok (Pretoria) as notable names.
This year’s Varsity Hockey will also see a number of players who have started to climb the ranks to the top.
Stellenbosch have Ongi Mali, who has earned 15 caps for her country, alongside double international Kayla de Waal who represents the country in indoor and outdoor hockey. Another double International is Olympian Edith Molikoe from Tuks who was recently named as the player of the tournament at the SA Hockey Interprovincial Tournament. Kiana Cormack was the top goal scorer at the Indoor Hockey World Cup as a 16-year-old for Namibia.
Bradley Sherwood scored the goal that qualified the SA men’s hockey team for the FIH Hockey World Cup in India in January next year. He will be looking to apply that same kind of coolness to the University of Pretoria’s attack alongside FIH Pro League starter Sihle Ngubane. Wits will call on the service of Namibian sensation Liam Hermanus whose countryman David Britz will play for the Orange Army.
Of the more than 140 players that will represent their university next week at Varsity Hockey, there are already several remarkable stories that have been penned, told around a campfire and maybe even become immortalized on TikTok. It’s going to be a titanic tussle between the tertiary giants for sure!
Varsity Hockey tickets HERE.
Varsity Hockey fixtures HERE.
By Tyron “Jabu” Barnard
