Selborne may hand their fans a taste of home glory
VIDES school water polo action takes centre-stage today as the 43rd edition of the prestigious tournament gets under way at Selborne College.
Sixteen teams from 13 schools will be battling it out for glory in the annual event that sees the best water polo schools in the Eastern Cape as well as some top out-of-province talent on show over three days.
Defending Vides champs St Andrews College will be back and having dominated the tournament in recent times, they will be eager to defend their title.
Since 2010 St Andrew’s has won four of the seven titles, with Port Elizabeth’s Grey High, champs in 2011 and 2012, and the hosts Selborne College, champs in 2015, breaking their cycle. These three teams should again be the frontrunners in this year’s tournament.
Grey are in very good form having won the Grey Bloem Tournament, where they beat Selborne 1-0 in the semis, while Selborne and St Andr battled out a 9-all draw earlier in the season, so not much separates the sides.
Selborne will however fancy themselves with it being their home tournament and having a partisan crowd to back them over the three days.
“We are confident, especially since it is our own tournament and the guys want to put in a big performance, but we are aware that there are some very good teams here who pose a threat,” said Selborne coach Dale Heath.
“In the water it is all down to the boys, it is a big mental effort for the guys, but I feel they have what it takes to get to the final and win it.”
“We have a really good rivalry with Grey and St Andrew’s and we are really looking forward to the tournament.”
Other teams who will be looking to throw a spanner in the works will be Durban’s Northwood, who are a dangerous team, and St Alban’s from Pretoria, who were a surprise finalist during the 2015 Vides.
Stirling High School will also be aiming to impress as they won the Port Rex tournament last month, although Selborne, St Andrew’s and Grey weren’t there, and they could be the dark-horse for this year’s Vides.
“Stirling have a very good side this year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the last four,” said tournament organiser Mike Cousins.
“They are coached by an ex-South African water polo player in Bevan Manson and I would not be surprised to see them upset one of the more fancied sides.”
Local sides who will be hoping to have a good tournament will be Hudson Park and Port Rex, along with PE side Pearson and Grahamstown’s Kingswood.
Crawford, Glenwood House and St Charle’s will be travelling from around the country to take part and won’t just want to make up the numbers, while the second teams from Selborne, St Andrew’s and Grey will all be eager to force an upset or two.
The action gets under way at 10am today, with the final match scheduled for 8pm tonight. Tomorrow play starts at 7am, with the playoffs starting at 12.20pm and the final match starting at 7.40pm. Play will begin at 7am on Sunday with the final then scheduled for 2.20pm, followed by a prize-giving.