The 2026 South African Hockey Interprovincial Tournament (IPT) concluded in dramatic fashion at the University of Johannesburg on Saturday night, with Southern Gauteng and Western Province emerging as national champions after a day of tense, high-quality finals hockey.
In the women’s final, Southern Gauteng edged a tightly contested Gauteng derby against Northern Blues to secure their first national title since 2021. Clear chances were rare in a cagey first half, but Bianca Wood got the breakthrough with a moment of individual brilliance, lifting a powerful finish into the roof of the net to ignite the home crowd.
Hayley Kilfoil then reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the circle to seal the 2-0 win. Western Province claimed bronze after edging North West in a shootout after a goalless draw. WP Peninsula finished fifth with a 3-0 win over KZN Raiders, while Free State beat Eastern Province 1-0 to secure seventh place.
Hockey IPT Awards
Southern Gauteng dominated the individual awards, with Wood named top goalscorer and Paris-Gail Isaacs taking Player of the Tournament, while Western Province’s Marlise van Tonder was recognised as Best Goalkeeper. The men’s final delivered one of the matches of the tournament, as Western Province survived a relentless Southern Gauteng fightback to retain their title in a classic decided by shootout drama.
WP struck first through Kenton Melville, before Sihle Ngubane levelled for Southerns in a fast-paced opening quarter. The sides were locked at 1-1 at halftime, but Western Province regained control in the second half through Thabang Jeyi and a stunning reverse-stick finish from Reuben Sendzul to lead 3-1. Southerns refused to go away, with Liam Hermanus pulling one back before Cameron le Forestier dramatically levelled with under three minutes remaining.
Men’s Hockey IPT Final
Niel Raath appeared to have won it for WP from a penalty corner, only for Hermanus to strike again in the dying seconds to force a shoot-out. After two sudden-death rounds, Western Province finally held their nerve to retain the title. North West secured bronze with a 3-2 win over KZN Raiders, while Northerns Blues finished fifth after a 4-2 victory over Free State and SG Witsies edged Eastern Province 4-3 for seventh.
According to the South African Hockey Association, the tournament showcased the best of South African hockey, with talented players and coaches on display. Niel Raath was named men’s top scorer and Player of the Tournament, with Cullin de Jager taking Best Goalkeeper and Ozair Pillai recognised as Best Young Player.
Here are the final standings for the 2026 SA Hockey IPT:
- Southern Gauteng (women’s champions)
- Western Province (men’s champions)
- North West (men’s bronze medallists)
- WP Peninsula (women’s fifth place)
- Free State (women’s seventh place)
