Gqeberha – The Capital Fruit SA Country Districts (SACD) teams ruled again at the country’s premier team competition when the men’s and women’s sides were crowned champions on the final day of the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan interprovincial squash tournament in Gqeberha.
In a closing showdown on Friday, 11 July 2025, with their Northerns rivals, the SACD teams were well-tested, but eventually the depth and talent of their squads came through to help them take the top spot on the podium.
The annual week produced another display of squash, which was full of passion and skill, with Northerns showing courage to stay in the running until the Friday finale, ultimately just not managing to cross the finish line first.
The SACD A men’s team won their fifth title in a row and seventh overall as victories by Rudi van Niekerk, his younger brother Dewald, and Jonty Matthys sealed the deal.
There was a slight blip on the journey when Northerns No. 5 Nikhil Pather dug in against Matthys after losing the first two games.
He won the third 11-3 to give his team a glimmer of hope, but Matthys pressed the reset button and got back on top in the fourth to take it 11-7.
In the women’s Kaplan Cup, SACD A regained the title they last held in 2023 after Western Province took the honours a year ago.
This was SACD’s sixth title overall, having previously won it from 2019 to 2023.
Their decider was closer than the final margin indicated, and Northerns were full of fight as they attempted to hold off the formidable SACD outfit.
Though they sealed the victory by winning the first three matches in straight games, SACD had to work hard for their success.
More than half the games of the first three matches were decided by margins of three points or less, but on each occasion, the SACD players managed to come through in the crucial stages.
This was epitomised in the match between the No. 1s, Alexa Pienaar for SACD and Helena Hudson. While Pienaar won 3-0, the scoreline of 12-10 12-10 11-8 reveals just how closely contested the match was.
Up 2-0 in matches, SACD No 5 Alouise Campher sealed the deal in a tight battle with Elzandri Janse van Rensburg. The first two games were decided by margins of 11-9, but Campher finally got away in the third to win it 11-4 to clinch the title.
In the final game, Northerns No. 3 Lara Patrick delivered a big-hearted effort against Shelomi Truter, taking the match into a fifth game decider before the SACD player moved ahead to win 11-6.
The results were:
Women’s Kaplan Cup
Capital Fruit SACD A bt Northerns A 20-2 (SACD first): Alexa Pienaar bt Helena Hudson 3-0 (12-10 12-10 11-8), Lizelle Muller bt Kim McDonald 3-0 (11-5 11-6 11-7), Shelomi Truter bt Lara Patrick 3-2 (5-11 11-2 6-11 11-9 11-6), Keschia Schlebusch bt Jordin Phillips 3-0 (14-12 11-7 11-6), Alouise Campher bt Elzandri Janse van Rensburg 3-0 (11-9 11-9 11-4).
EP A bt WP A 18-4 (EP first): Hayley Ward lost to Alex Commins 3-1 (10-12 11-4 11-6 11-8), Jacqui Ryder bt Juanette le Roux 3-0 (11-5 11-9 11-9), Janet Byrnes bt Katie Mayhew 3-0 (11-7 11-6 11-9), Anlen Jarman bt Nicole Gliddon 3-1 (7-11 11-7 11-8 11-6), Bianca Keeley bt Rebecca Glanvill 3-0 (11-9 11-6 11-4),
Border A bt Joburg Squash A 20-0 (Border first): Michele van Zyl bt Bongi Seroto 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-7), Sorika Tait bt Tyla-Mae Roux 3-0 (11-1 11-1 11-4), Kelly Emslie bt Giorgia Dates 3-0 (11-4 11-7 11-8), Kate van Biljon bt Marcail Wragg 3-0 (11-2 11-2 11-4), Hayley Wyer walkover.
Final log: 1 Capital Fruit SACD A 93, 2 Northerns A 75, 3 EP A 68, 4 WP A 51, 5 Border A 39, 6 Joburg Squash A 2
Men’s Jarvis Cup
Capital Fruit SACD A bt Northerns A 20-2 (SACD first): Dewald van Niekerk bt Damian Groenewald 3-0 (11-2 11-3 11-4), JP Brits bt Jarrod Cousins 3-1 (11-7 11-8 8-11 11-7), Reuel Videler bt Judah Phillips 3-0 (11-8 11-8 11-3), Rudi van Niekerk bt Connor Earl 3-0 (11-8 11-7 11-4), Jonty Matthys bt Nikhil Pather 3-1 (11-6 11-5 3-11 11-7).
Joburg Squash A bt EP A 17-8 (Joburg Squash first): Tristen Worth bt Gerard Mitchell 3-2 (11-9 8-11 11-4 9-11 21-19), Christo Potgieter bt Dean Venter 3-2 (11-7 5-11 12-14 11-4 12-10), John Anderson bt Jason le Roux 3-0 (11-3 11-4 11-6) Ethan Robinson lost to Sips Mpini (11-9 13-11 11-4), Amukelani Zitha bt Gershwin Forbes 3-1 (11-8 7-11 11-5 11-4).
WP A bt KZN A 20-4 (WP first): Devon Osborne bt Daniel Smith 3-1 (10-12 11-4 12-10 11-9), Mighael Lombard bt Luke Bakke 3-0 (11-4 13-11 11-3), Nathan van der Westhuyzen bt Justin de Neef 3-1 (11-5 9-11 11-2 18-16), Murray Commins bt Robert Moody 3-1 (11-8 11-2 6-11 11-6), Justin van der Poel bt Alex Holmes 3-1 (11-9 5-11 11-8 11-9).
Final log: 1 SACD A 97, 2 Northerns 70, Joburg Squash A 67, EP A 52, WP A 43, KZN A 16.
