Grey High, Paul Roos in firing line at Hibbert Shield
Host of top hockey schools will set sights on defeating defending champs and 2019 winners
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Defending champions Grey High and 2019 winners Paul Roos Gymnasium will have a host of top SA hockey schools gunning for them when the third Hibbert Shield tournament takes place at the Grey Rectory astro from Friday to Monday.
The tournament has been severely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic since 2020, but Grey director of sport Neil Bielby said they were delighted to be able to host the event again.
“Thanks to the current situation we have been able to increase the number of teams from six to 12 and we are looking forward to a weekend of high-quality hockey,” he said.
“There are a number of sides who will be in the running for Monday’s final, and Grey and Paul Roos will have their work cut out to figure in the tournament decider.”
Stellenbosch outfit Paul Roos were the inaugural winners of the tournament in 2019, beating Bishops in the final (4-2) after losing to their Cape Town rivals in the round-robin section.
Hosts Grey ended up with the bronze medal, but produced a powerful display when the tournament resumed in September 2021 after it had to be postponed twice due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Gqeberha team faced some tough challenges on the way but emerged unbeaten during the weekend and, in fact, had already clinched the title by the time they defeated Bloemfontein rivals Grey College 4-0 in their final fixture.
Earlier in April, Grey High and Paul Roos met in their annual derby, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
It is an indication of how close the teams will be this weekend, except that many more sides from around the country will be in the fight to land the coveted shield trophy.
The teams have been divided into two pools of six and will play a round-robin format over the weekend, with the pool winners qualifying for Monday’s final at 11.15am.
The pools are:
Pool 1: Grey High, St Charles, Bishops, Garsfontein, St Stithians, Selborne.
Pool 2: SACS, Pearson Durban High School, Paul Roos, Menlo Park, York.
The fixtures are (at Grey unless stated otherwise):
Friday
12pm: Pearson v York, 1.15pm: Selborne v St Stithians, 2.30pm: Garsfontein v Bishops, 3.45pm: SACS v DHS, 5pm: Paul Roos v Menlo Park, 6.15pm: Grey v St Charles.
Saturday
8am: St Stithians v St Charles, Pearson v Menlo Park at Pearson, 9.15am: Paul Roos v SACS, York v DHS at Pearson, 10.30am: Grey High v Garsfontein, 11.45am: St Charles v Selborne, 1pm: St Stithians v Bishops, 2.15pm: Pearson v SACS, 3.30pm: Menlo Park v York, 4.45pm: Selborne v Garsfontein, 6pm: Grey High v Bishops, 7.15pm: Paul Roos v DHS.
Sunday
8am: SACS v Menlo Park, York v Paul Roos at Pearson, 9.15am: St Stithians v Garsfontein, Pearson v DHS at Pearson, 10.30am: St Charles v Bishops, 11.45am: Grey High v Selborne, 3.30pm: SACS v York, 4.45pm: Garsfontein v St Charles, 6pm: Selborne v Bishops, 7.15pm: Grey High v St Stithians.
Monday
Playoffs from 7.30am, final at 11.15am.
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