Varsity Cup 2014 gets going in Port Elizabeth this evening, with Sharks contracted Baby Bok flyhalf Robert du Preez on the bench for Maties against the Madibaz.
With the new prop jerseys and the ‘Free Catch’ being used in the opening round of Varsity Shield action last week; all eyes will be on the two ref system on the pitch in the Varsity Cup, which gets going this evening.
Five of the eight teams are being guided by new coaches this season, and there are a few mouth-watering matches lined up, including replays of both last year’s semifinals.
Up front is Maties vs Madibaz in Port Elizabeth. Maties got away with a narrow 16-15 victory in the semifinal in Stellenbosch last year, so the Madibaz will be seeking revenge in front of their home fans under new coach David Maidza.
Maties’ defeat to Tuks in their home final last year was their only loss the entire season, but as they hunt for their fourth Varsity Cup title, they have pulled in a fairly controversial signing.
Baby Bok flyhalf Robert du Preez will play off the bench after being loaned to them by the Sharks, where he holds a junior contract. Why he is not playing for the Natal based Varsity Cup side, UKZN, is a tricky one to understand.
And given last year’s controversy, one would hope that the tournament organisers will be looking to eradicate this sort of thing under the 2015 rules which will see teams needing to field more students, and players carrying credits from the previous year, this eradicating those one hit wonders employed to do a job for just their first year.
Defending champions Tuks play UJ and while there are few survivors from the team that beat Maties in the final last year, new coach Pote Human has named a team brimming with talent.
Human’s side features five players from last year’s Baby Bok team that finished third in the Junior World Championship, and will be captained and former Matie Reniel Hugo.
They host a similarly revamped UJ side who are now coached by Werner Janse van Rensburg and former Springbok assistants Ian Macdonald and Gcobani Bobo.
Down in Cape Town the Ikey Tigers host Pukke on the Green Mile, and new Ikeys coach Kevin Musikanth’s task will be to revive the fortunes of the 2011 champions after ending in seventh place for the last two years.
Former Springbok scrumhalf Robert du Preez has taken over as Pukke coach after a successful stint with Durban club side College Rovers, and his team will be hungry to prove a point after narrowly failing to qualify for the play-offs last year. Speedster, and law student, Luther Obi is one to watch for the visitors!
In Bloemfontein the Shimlas, with Griquas tighthead Nick Schonert anchoring the scrum, get their campaign underway against last year’s Wooden Spoonists Wits, who will have their work cut out for them after losing a number of players who failed to meet academic requirements.
Wits did not manage to win a single game in their debut Varsity Cup season last year after being promoted from the Shield, and they look to be up against it once more.
Varsity Cup teams and match details for Monday, February 3:
NMMU v Maties (NMMU Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-off: 16.45 live on Supersport One)
NMMU: 15 Jarryd Buys, 14 Ayabula Dlepu, 13 Michael Bernardt, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 Gavin Hauptfleisch, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Timothy Agaba, 7 Marcel Groenewald, 6 Christopher Cloete, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Dexter Fahey, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Roy Godfrey (captain).
Replacements: 16 Greg Bauer, 17 Nicolas Roebech, 18 Louis Fourie, 19 Wade Elliot, 20 Ivan Ludick, 21 Stefanus Booysen, 22 Donovan Marais, 23 Enoch Mnyaka.
Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Clearance Khumalo, 13 Mark Hodgskiss, 12 Louis Jordaan, 11 Caleb Smith, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Tertius Daniller (captain), 7 Jurg Streicher, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Brendon Pitzer, 2 Freddie Kirsten, 1 Wesley Adonis.
Replacements: 16 Charl de Villiers, 17 Boeta Kleinhans, 18 Renier Ehlers, 19 Lungelo Chonco, 20 Gerhard Jordaan, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Johnny Kôtze, 23 Liam Hendricks.
UCT v NWU-Pukke (UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-off: 17.00)
UCT: 15 Ross Jones-Davies, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Guy Schwikkard, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Dean Grant, 9 Liam Slatem (captain), 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Vince Jobo, 6 Shaun McDonald, 5 Jan Uys, 4 James Kilroe, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Joel Carew.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 David Maasch, 18 Kyle Kriel, 19 Jason Klaasen, 20 James Alexander, 21 Suwilanji Chibale, 22 Martin Sauls, 23 Robin Murray.
Pukke: 15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Edmar Marais, 13 Jaap Pienaar, 12 Adriaan Engelbrecht, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Tiaan Dorfling (captain), 8 Juan Language, 7 Henro-Pierre Swart, 6 Rhyk Welgemoed, 5 Francois Robbertse, 4 Peet van Der Walt, 3 Elardus Venter, 2 Armand van Der Merwe, 1 Mashudu Mafela.
Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Philip de Wet, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Rhyno Smith, 22 Lucian Cupido, 23 Lhlanhla Ngoama.
Tuks v UJ (Tuks Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 19.00 live on Supersport One)
Tuks: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Kefentse Mahlo, 10 Francois Tredoux, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht, 8 Jono Janse van Rensburg, 7 Rudolph Smith, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Reniel Hugo (captain), 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Basil Short, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Sidney Tobias, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Jannes Kirsten, 19 Leneve Damens, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dries Swanepoel, 22 Jacques Rossouw, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
UJ: 15 Marais Schmidt, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Robert de Bruyn, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Jacques Nel, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Jacques Pretorius (captain), 8 Kobus Porter, 7 Victor Seketekete, 6 Tiaan MacDonald, 5 David Antonites, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Van Zyl Botha, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Wiseman Kamanga.
Replacements: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Devon Martinus, 18 Jeremy Jordaan, 19 Dylan Peterson, 20 Lukas van Zyl, 21 Juan Kotze, 22 PJ Walters, 23 Ryan Plasket.
Shimlas v Wits (Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 19.00)
Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Divandre Strydom, 13 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Sethu Tom, 10 Gouws Prinsloo, 9 Andre van der Walt, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Neill Claasen, 4 Oupa Mohoje, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Elandre Huggett (captain), 1 Dolph Botha.
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Gideon Bruwer, 18 Fanie van der Walt, 19 Sihle Ngxabi, 20 Kevin Luiters, 21 Franna du Toit, 22 Maphutha Dolo, 23 Justin Pappin.
Wits: 15 Ruhan Nel, 14 Joshua Jarvis, 13 Mandla Dube, 12 Brent Crossley, 11 Divan Ferguson, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Matt Torrance, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 JJ Breet, 6 JP Jonck, 5 Rendani Ramova, 4 Devin Montgomery (captain), 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Ashley Kohler, 1 Hannes Ludick.
Replacements: 16 James Marx, 17 Kyle Wood, 18 Senna Esterhuizen, 19 Thato Mavundla, 20 Nkuli Gamede, 21 Wilton Pietersen, 22 Pieter van Biljoen, 23 Ferdinand Kelly.
Varsity Shield fixtures:
UKZN v Fort Hare (Howard College Rugby Stadium, Durban – Kick-off: 19.00)
UWC v TU (UWC Stadium, Bellville – Kick-off: 19.00)
