South Africa: SA U21 Hockey IPT Finalists Confirmed After a Day of Heroes and Heartbreak

Semi-Finals Friday at Cornwall Hill College delivered everything a championship week could ask for on Day 4 of the 2025 SA Hockey Under 21 IPT at Cornwall Hill College in Centurion, Gauteng, on Friday, 2 May, 2025.

The day was packed with tension, comebacks, drama, shootouts, and moments of brilliance that will live long in memory to deliver a final line-up packed with narrative – and it will be Northern Blues vs Western Province for the 2025 Junior Hockey crown, with Southern Gauteng up against North West in the bronze medal match.

In a repeat of last year’s final, the script was rewritten. Lane Barnard gave WP an early lead, but North West surged back through Ane Janse van Vuuren and Emily Wilson in a one-minute blitz. 

With the clock dying, Mia Andrew struck a dramatic equaliser to force shootouts. In the most thrilling finish of the tournament so far, Manisha Desai pulled off a clutch save and Ruby Kraus equalised in the fourth round. 

Then in sudden death, Jamie Gillies etched her name into IPT folklore, firing WP into the final and knocking out the defending champs.

In the second semi-final, on the maxim that defence wins championships — Northern Blues proved that again. Disciplined, calm and calculated, they blunted everything SG threw at them. 

And then, when that one chance came, Ella Shuttleworth took it with precision in the 48th minute. A clinical performance sees the hosts into the final with three straight clean sheets.

Final Day Fixtures of the SA Hockey Under 21 Inter-Provincial Tournament on Saturday, 3 May, 2025

09:00 – 7th/8th: Eastern Province vs Mpumalanga
10:00 – Bronze Medal: Southern Gauteng vs North West
12:30 – 5th/6th: KZN Raiders vs Free State
13:30 – Gold Medal Final: Northern Blues vs Western Province

Semi-Final Results on Friday, 2 May, 2025

5–8th: Mpumalanga 2-3 Free State
5–8th: KZN Raiders 2-0 Eastern Province
Semi-Final: Western Province (3) 2-2 (2) North West (WP win in Shootout)
Semi-Final: Northern Blues 1-0 Southern Gauteng

Day 3 Results on Thursday, 1 May, 2025

Pool A

KZN Raiders 4-0 Mpumalanga
Southern Gauteng 2-4 North West

Pool B

Eastern Province 0-60 Western Province
Northern Blues 3-0 Free State

Day 2 Results on Wednesday, 30 April 2025

Pool A

Southern Gauteng 6-1 Mpumalanga
North West 1-1 KZN Raiders

Pool B

Free State 2-0 Eastern Province
Northern Blues 3-2 Western Province

Day 1 Results on Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Pool A

North West 8-0 Mpumalanga
Southern Gauteng 2-1 KZN Raiders

Pool B

Western Province 5-0 Free State
Northern Blues 5-1 Eastern Province


Original Copy: Hockey SA, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Northern Blues remained disciplined, calm and calculated as they blunted everything Southern Gauteng threw at them in the second semi-final to book their finals berth on Day 4 of the 2025 SA Hockey Under 21 IPT at Cornwall Hill College in Centurion, Gauteng, on Friday, 2 May, 2025. Photo: Lulu Sport Pics

Photo 2 Caption: Western Province prevailed in a heart-stopping shootout when Jamie Gillies etched her name into IPT folklore to knock out the defending champs North West. Photo: Silver Edge Photography

GSsport ZA

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