Red Bend Catholic College student Kurt Lovett has returned from a memorable tour of South Africa with the Australian Schoolboys hockey team.
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At a banquet dinner to end the tour, Kurt was named player of the tournament for the Australian boys side.
The Australian boys and girls sides toured together, playing three warm-up games and three tests while taking in the local culture.
The teams were also cheered on by a sizeable contingent on the supporters tour, including Kurt’s mum Fiona, brother Ben and nan Elvie.
The Australians breezed through the trial matches against local representative sides in Cape Town, winning 10-1, 5-1 and 11-1.
While in Cape Town, the tourists visited local attractions such as Robben Island, Tabletop Mountain and Cape Point.
Players and supporters then enjoyed a unique cultural experience when they travelled into Shakaland, spending two nights at Hluhluwe Game Reserve.
At sunset and sunrise, travelling by jeep, the group witnessed at close hand a great range of African wildlife such as giraffes, elephants, water buffalo, antelope, rhinos, warthogs and much more.
After the safari, the tourists travelled to Durban to prepare for the three test matches.
The first test was held at nearby Pietermaritzburg at a local college in front of a capacity crowd of some 2500 people.
The Australian boys won the match 4-1 although the game was a lot closer than the score suggested.
Both teams created many opportunities with the Aussies more clinical in front of goal than their counterparts.
Kurt had a solid game as a striker, setting up many penalty corners.
The second test was held at Durban’s Kearnsey College. In a very physical game, the Aussie boys discovered that winning the series was not going to be easy.
In a faster, rougher and more intense contest than the first match, the South African boys levelled the series in strange circumstances.
With a minute to go, scores were locked at two-all with Kurt having scored one.
Several controversial decisions by the local umpires followed, allowing the home side to score on the siren and claim the win.
The final and deciding test was held the following day back at Kearnsey College.
Both teams started the game determined to win with the expectations of a nation on their shoulders.
The game was fast, rough and intense with Australia scoring the first goal a minute before half-time.
South Africa struck back to equalise early in the second half.
Towards the end of the match, son of former Parkes residents Deana and Kent Carr, Riley Carr netted the team’s second goal to put the visitors in front 2-1, and in the dying seconds, Riley scored again for a 3-1 win to the Aussies.
Kurt put in a tough performance, making some great runs to assist his team to a deserved series victory.
The Aussie girls won all three of their matches.
After a dinner where the Australian and South African teams had a chance to mix, the tourists travelled to Johannesburg for their last night in South Africa.
