Northerns A and SA Country Districts A on Course for Kaplan Cup Showdown in Mossel Bay
Defending champions SA Country Districts A and top seeds Northerns A remain unbeaten and on course for a mouthwatering Kaplan Cup title showdown after three days of the 66th Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament, showcased on the all-glass court at the Mossel Bay Town Hall in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
The two pacesetters sit level at the top of the standings on 40 points from two matches each, and both face Thursday assignments before Friday morning’s eagerly anticipated meeting on the all-glass court, which is shaping up as the decider in South Africa’s premier provincial team competition, with the Country Districts side chasing a seventh Kaplan Cup title. Northerns A take on Joburg Squash A on Thursday afternoon, while SA Country Districts A meet Western Province A in the morning session.
The tournament, hosted in the Garden Route district for the first time with matches played across Mossel Bay, Great Brak River and George, opened on Monday with a thriller as Western Province A edged Joburg Squash A 15-8 in a contest played at high intensity throughout.
Cassandra Erasmus and Bianca Besener gave Western Province a 2-0 advantage before Joburg hit back, with Kate Rowe holding her nerve to see off Nicole Gliddon in four games and Elske Garbers levelling the tie with a convincing straight-games win over Katie Mayhew.
That left the outcome to the No 1 players, and Kim McDonald delivered for Western Province in a captivating duel with Teagan Russell. McDonald squandered seven match points in a nerve-shredding fourth game before converting her eighth to close out a 3-1 victory and secure the five bonus points.
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SA Country Districts A opened their title defence in dominant fashion on the same day, overwhelming their B side 20-1 to set the early pace in the competition.
Northerns A began their campaign on Tuesday and immediately showed why they are the top seeds, cruising to a 20-2 victory over SACD B. Madjone Engelbrecht earned the only points for the Country Districts side, pushing Jordin Phillips all the way in an entertaining five-game contest before going down 11-8 in the decider after a spirited performance.
The defending champions kept pace with a 20-2 win over Joburg Squash A, with Lizelle Muller leading from the front at the top of the order to keep her side firmly in contention for another Kaplan Cup triumph.
Northerns A then produced arguably the performance of the week on Wednesday, dropping just a single game in a commanding 20-1 win over Western Province A. Helena Hudson set the tone with a straight-games victory over McDonald at No 1, and Lara Patrick, Starla Phillips, Kaylee Hunt and Jordin Phillips completed the rout as the Pretoria outfit underlined their impressive depth.
Wednesday’s other fixture produced an entertaining battle before Joburg Squash A pulled clear to record a 17-6 win over SACD B. Gill van Vlaanderen made the perfect start for Joburg, but the Country Districts side briefly seized the initiative when Leandri van Onselen edged Rowe 3-2 and Engelbrecht defeated Melissa Martins 3-1.
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The advantage proved short-lived, as Russell and Garbers produced commanding straight-games victories to swing the contest decisively in their team’s favour and bank the valuable five bonus points, while SA Country Districts A enjoyed a bye in the day’s fixtures.
The results leave SA Country Districts A and Northerns A locked together on 40 points from two matches, with Joburg Squash A third on 27 from three matches, Western Province A on 16 and SACD B on nine.
Friday’s showdown promises a fitting climax to a competition that has already delivered high drama, fierce rivalry and a compelling showcase of women’s squash talent.
The Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial Kaplan Cup A Section Remaining Fixtures
Thursday, 9 July 2026
11h00: Western Province A vs. SA Country Districts A at the MBSC Glass Court
13h00: Joburg Squash A vs. Northerns A at GSC Court 2
Friday, 10 July 2026
08h00: Northerns A vs. SA Country Districts A at the MBSC Glass Court
08h00: SA Country Districts B vs. Western Province A at MBSC Court 2
Original Copy: BLD Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Northerns A top seeded Helena Hudson (right) pictured with Capital Fruit SA Country Districts B No 1 Kyla Hartzenberg after their match on Tuesday. SA Country Districts A and Northerns A remain unbeaten and on course for a mouthwatering Kaplan Cup title showdown in the 66th Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament, at the all-glass court at the Mossel Bay Town Hall in the Western Cape on Friday, 10 July 2026.. Photo: Johnny Munro
Crédito: Link de origem