Penryn College learner Ulrich Reingrubber started every match for South Africa’s U18 hockey team as they booked their place at the 2026 FIH Youth 5s World Cup. The qualifier was played in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this month.

It was a tremendous honour for Ulrich to represent his country on the international stage. He delivered an impressive performance throughout the tournament, playing 28 of the 30 minutes in the final.

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Team overcomes opening loss to reach final

The tour presented a significant challenge for the South African team, having had only one training camp together before travelling to Nairobi. This lack of preparation was evident in their opening match, where South Africa went down 8–5 to the host team.SA responded strongly, however, recording a convincing 12–5 victory over Uganda.

On day two, South Africa faced Nigeria in a highly competitive encounter that ended in a 7–7 draw. The result secured South Africa’s place in the final, where they once again faced a determined Kenyan side.

In a closely contested final, South Africa narrowly lost 6–5 to earn the silver medal. Their second-place finish was enough to secure qualification for the FIH Youth 5s World Cup.

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School staff build ties in Kenya

Penryn College played an important role in supporting Ulrich throughout his international journey.

Head of hockey Jacques du Toit and hockey specialist Brighty Mashaba travelled to Nairobi to support Ulrich and to strengthen relationships with hockey structures, schools and the wider hockey community.

The Penryn representatives were warmly hosted by the local organising committee and were honoured to receive Kenyan hockey jerseys from Charity Miller, a media representative of the Kenya Hockey Union. They also had the valuable opportunity to engage with Kenyan players and coaching staff, further strengthening the relationship between the two hockey communities.

The success in Nairobi is another exciting step forward for Penryn College hockey and highlights the growing opportunities for its players to compete at provincial, national and international levels.

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Penryn learners set for Zimbabwe tournament

Looking ahead, Penryn College will continue its involvement in international hockey. Du Toit and Mashaba will travel to Zimbabwe from August 13–16 for the Southern African Junior Hockey Series, where they will support five Penryn learners representing Eswatini.

Penryn wishes Kayleigh Henwood, Samantha Simelane, Asemahle Dlamini, Dumolwenkhosi Maphosa and Malachi Rudd every success as they take to the international stage.

The Southern African Junior Hockey Series will feature teams from South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, providing an excellent platform for young players across the region to gain international experience.

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