Two hockey players of the University of the Free State (UFS) will have an opportunity to stake a last claim to be included in the South African U21 team.
Michael Davids and Devan van Niekerk were selected for the national junior squad taking part in a training camp from Thursday (26/01) to Sunday in Pretoria.
The South African U21 men’s side will play in the Junior Africa Cup and Junior World Cup in 2023. The team will be finalised after the Pretoria camp.
The Junior Africa Cup takes place from 12 to 19 March in Egypt, while the Junior World Cup is in Malaysia from 5 to 16 December.
Another Kovsie recently attended an South African U21 camp. Izaiah April was in the women’s squad that was formed early in January. She played for the South African U21 side in the senior tournament last year and helped the team reach a third place, its highest position yet, in the tournament in Pretoria.
The South African U21 women’s team will take part in the Junior World Cup in Chile from 6 to 17 December.
Two Kovsies represented their country at big tournaments last year. Shindré-Lee Simmons played for the Proteas at the African Cup of Nations, Women’s World Cup and Commonwealth Games, while Saré Laubscher represented the South African U21 team at the Junior Women’s World Cup.
– Jóhann Thormählen
