Twas the week of the start of the Super Rugby season, and on the menu a perfect warm up of 4 Varsity Cup games. A look at the teams and times …
Played two, won two for Maties, who take on the Madibaz, fresh from salvaging a dramatic last-minute victory over new boys Wits last week, in front of their home crowd at the Danie Craven Stadium.
Coach Brent Janse van Rensburg knows that his charges will need to raise their game considerably to compete with Maties on their home track where they have lost just two regular season games in the history of the competition.
Defending champ Tuks travel to Bloemfontein to face Shimlas as they look to build on last week’s gritty victory over the Ikeys. Coach Nollis Marais has kept faith with the majority of the side that did the business against UCT as the Pretoria side look to build some momentum through continuity.
“I have every confidence in the guys who played against Ikeys to become a formidable unit. They have the talent and ability to be champions,” said Marais.
Their hosts Shimlas will be looking to bounce back from their defeat at home to Maties last week, but they will have to do so without the services of Baby Bok scrumhalf who has been ruled out for a month after damaging his ankle ligaments.
Wits will be out to put the heartache of last week’s late defeat to NMMU when they return to their home ground to face Pukke, who will be equally determined to erase the memory of their loss to UJ last week.
Wits showed plenty of heart to run the Madibaz close after their Varsity Cup baptism of fire at the hands of Shimlas the week before, but they will certainly have their work cut out for them if they are to record their first-ever victory in the competition.
The Ikey Tigers would have been encouraged by the fight they showed to earn a bonus point against the star-studded Tukkies last week, but will be desperate for that first victory of the season when they welcome UJ to the Green Mile.
Both Ikeys coach Kevin Foote and his UJ counterpart Hugo van As have named unchanged starting line-ups.
Times and teams – Monday, February 18
Shimlas v Tuks, Shimla Park – 4.45pm (TV)
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Shimlas: 15 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Reinhardt Erwee, 12 Thys Smit, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Francois du Toit, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Erik le Roux, 7 Teboho Mohoje (captain), 6 Freddie Ngoza, 5 JC Astle, 4 Fanie van der Walt, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Elandre Hugget, 1 Charles Marais.
Bench: 16 JC van Wyk, 17 Franco van der Merwe, 18 Henco Venter, 19 Niell Jordaan, 20 Hlanlha Hlongwane, 21 Earl Snyman, 22 Divandre Strydom, 23 Luan de Bruin.
Tuks: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Christopher Bosch, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Lohan Jacobs, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg (captain), 6 Shaun Adendorff, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Mike Williams, 3 Hencus Van Wyk, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Sabelo Nhlapo.
Bench: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Schalk Van Heerden, 19 Jacques Verwey, 20 Clayton Stewart, 21 Handre Pollard, 22 Piet Lindeque, 23 Christoph Gouws.
Maties v NMMU, Danie Craven Stadium – 7pm (TV)
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Maties: 15 Ryan Nell, 14 Craig Barry, 13 Mark Hodgkiss, 12 Hayden de Villiers, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Dean Grant, 9 James Alexander, 8 Nicholas de Jager, 7 Jurgen Streicher, 6 Helmut Lehmann (captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 3 Os Hamman, 2 Neethling Gericke, 1 Alister Vermaak.
Bench: 16 Charl de Villiers, 17 Niel Oelofse, 18 Lungelo Chonco, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Jean Nel, 21 JH Potgieter, 22 Clearance Khumalo, 23 Brendan Pitzer.
NMMU: 15 Jarred Buys, 14 Mayibuye Ndwandwa, 13 Gerhardus Smith, 12 Xolani Mnisi, 11 Logan Basson, 10 Justin Van Staden, 9 Dwayne Kelly, 8 Timothy Agaba, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Simphiwe Shabangu, 5 Schalk Oelofse, 4 Louis Fourie, 3 Gareth Hartley, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Roy Godfrey (captain).
Bench: 16 Albertus De Swardt, 17 Dexter Fahey, 18 Ulrich Pretorius, 19 Mzwanale Zito, 20 Lesley-Dean Luiters, 21 Hermanus van Lill, 22 Lonwabo Ntleki, 23 Lizo Gqoboka.
Wits v Pukke, Wits Rugby Stadium – 7pm
Referee: Ben Crouse
Wits: 15 Bronson Lange, 14 Jacques Erasmus, 13 Kayde Fisher, 12 Mandla Dube, 11 Riaan Arends, 10 Greg Blom, 9 Mathew Torrance, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 Carel Greef, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Rinus Bothma, 4 Devin Montgomery (captain), 3 Phakamilu Zuma, 2 Rory Anderson, 1 Katlego Kgame.
Bench: 16 Pierce Cooper, 17 Luvuyo Pupuma, 18 Peter van Biljon 19 Shai Korb, 20 Josh Durbach, 21 Jared Meyer, 22 Michael Sephton-Poultney, 23 Hannes Ludik.
Pukke: 15 Hoffman Maritz, 14 SW Oosthuizen, 13 Sylvian Mahuza, 12 Hennie Skorbinski, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Gerhard Nortier, 9 Jaco Grobler, 8 SJ Niemand, 7 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6 Phillip de Wet, 5 Victor Kruger (captain), 4 Danie Jordaan, 3 Herman Basson, 2 JC Oberholzer, 1 Martin Dreyer.
Bench: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Arno Ebersohn, 18 Molotsi Bouwer, 19 HP Swart, 20 Tiaan Dorfling, 21 Rowayne Beukman, 22 Wynand Olivier, 23 Mashudu Mafela.
UCT v UJ, UCT Rugby Fields – 7pm
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
UCT: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Dylan Sage, 13 Nicolas Loizides, 12 David Ambunya, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Ross Jones-Davies, 9 Liam Slatem (C), 8 Bradley Bosman, 7 Ntsolo Setlaba, 6 Kyle Kriel, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Shaun Macdonald, 3 Shane Meier, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Kebble, Oliver
Bench: 16 Derek Asbun, 17 Digby Webb, 18 Jason Klaasen, 19 Darryl Ndjadila, 20 Rick Schroeder, 21 Paul Cohen, 22 Richard Stewart, 23 Joel Carew
UJ: 15 Kobus De Kock, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Bradley Moolman, 12 Luan Steenkamp, 11 Chrysander Botha, 10 Divan van Zyl, 9 Vian van der Watt, 8 RJ Liebenberg, 7 Justin Wheeler (captain), 6 Kobus Porter, 5 David Antonites, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Ewald Van Der Westhuizen, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Wiseman Kamanga.
Bench: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Wessel Du Rand, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 Steph de Witt, 20 Jacques Pretorius, 21 Adriaan Vermeulen, 22 Tommy Damba, 23 Njabulo Mkize.
Varsity Shield fixtures – Monday, February 18:
TUT v CUT, TUT Stadium – 7pm
UFH v UWC, Davidson Rugby Stadium – 7pm
