Varsity Cup action this week is spear-headed by 2 classic rivalries … Maties vs Ikeys in Stellenbosch, and Pukke vs Shimlas in Potchefstroom, both broadcast live.
The other two matches see defending champions Tuks travel to Johannesburg to face last year’s wooden spoonists Wits, whilst down the road UJ host NMMU.
The Cape derby is always a memorable occasion, and with both teams losing heavily in their opening games last week, there will be even more to play for in front of a packed Coetzenberg.
Although disappointed with his team’s poor second-half performance against Pukke on the Green Mile last week, Ikeys coach Kevin Musikanth knows there is still a long way to go in the tournament, saying “Rugby competitions are not only about one game, much like boxing, it is not about the first round”.
Maties coach Chris Rossouw made no excuses for his team’s first-ever loss to the Madibaz last week, and he knows that expectations will be high as they look to bounce back at home.
It will be a completely different story in Potchefstroom, with both Pukke and Shimlas coming off impressive wins in the opening round. Pukke’s big win in Cape Town saw them take top spot on the standings, and Shimlas coach Michael Horak is expecting the home side to come hard at his team in an attempt to disrupt their free-flowing style.
“Pukke are a very physical side, they’ll back themselves to target our breakdown and spoil our ball. We’ve got to look after our ball in order for us to set up multi-phase rugby and move around a little and hopefully score some tries,” he said.
In Johannesburg the Madibaz will want to follow up their win against Maties last week with another big effort against a UJ outfit that held Tuks to a fighting draw in Pretoria. The PE team ran in six tries against Maties in Port Elizabeth, but their challenge is to show that they can be as good on the road.
After being held to a draw at home last week, Tuks will be out to prove a point against the winless Wits, who were let down by a limp start to the match last week. Coach Andy Royle knows they will have to fire from the first whistle if they are to challenge the defending champions.
The Varsity Young Guns tournament kicks off today with three matches in the Under-20 competition which mirror the senior Varsity Cup matches. Two-time champions Tuks are yet to lose a Young Guns game!
Teams and match details for Monday, February 10:
Maties v UCT (Danie Craven, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 16.45 – TV)
Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Clearance Khumalo, 13 Mark Hodgskiss, 12 Johnny Kôtze, 11 Caleb Smith, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Nel, 8 Tertius Daniller (captain), 7 Lungelo Chonco, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Brendon Pitzer, 2 Freddie Kirsten, 1 Niel Oelofse.
Replacements: 16 Charl de Villiers, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Ian Groenewald, 19 Justin Benn, 20 Jean Nel, 21 Chris Smith, 22 Louis Jordaan, 23 Liam Hendricks.
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 Vince Jobo, 7 Shaun McDonald, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Jan Uys, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Joel Carew.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 David Maasch, 18 Guy Alexander, 19 Zakeyo Tinetenda, 20 James Alexander, 21 Martin Sauls, 22 David Strachan, 23 Robin Murray.
Referees: Daniel Fortuin, Francois Pretorius
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Pukke v Shimlas (Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potch – Kick-off: 19.00 – TV)
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 Robey Labuschagne, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Rhyno Smith, 22 Lucian Cupido, 23 Lhlanhla Ngoama.
Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Maphutha Dolo, 13 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Sethu Tom, 10 Gouws Prinsloo, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Neill Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Neil Claasen, 4 Fanie van der Walt, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Elandré Huggett (captain), 1 Rudolf Botha.
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Gideon Bruwer, 18 Johan van der Hoogt, 19 Gerhard Oivier, 20 Kay-Kay Hlongwane, 21 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 22 Divandré Strydom, 23 Justin Pappin.
Referees: Oregopotse Rametsi, Stefan Geldenhuys
TMO: Willie Vos
UJ v NMMU (UJ Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 19.00)
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 Fabian Booysen, 19 Dylan Peterson, 20 Lukas van Zyl, 21 Juan Kotze, 22 PJ Walters, 23 Hendrik Bredenkamp.
Madibaz: 15 Donovan Marais, 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Michael Bernardt, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 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 Ayabula Dlepu, 23 Simon Kerrod.
Referees: Jaco van Heerden, Ben Crouse
Wits v Tuks (Wits, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 19.00)
Wits: 15 Ruhan Nel, 14 Wilton Petersen, 13 Divan Ferguson, 12 Mandla Dube, 11 Joshua Jarvis, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Matt Torrance, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 JJ Breet, 6 JP Jonck, 5 Rinus Bothma, 4 Devin Montgomery (captain), 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Ashley Kohler, 1 Kyle Wood.
Replacements: 16 Peter van Biljon, 17 James Marx, 18 Rendani Ramovha, 19 Thato Mavundla, 20 Senna Esterhuizen, 21 Nkuli Gamede, 22 Ish Nkolo, 23 Ferdinand Kelly.
Tuks:15 Warrick Gelant; 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Ryan Nell, 11 Kefentse Mahlo; 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht; 8 Rudolph Smith, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Reniel Hugo (captain), 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Basil Short, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Corniel Els; 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Jannes Kirsten, 19 Leneve Damens, 20 Emile Temperman; 22 Francois Tredoux, 22 Jacques Rossouw, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Referees: Tahla Ntshakaza, Jaco Kotze
Young Guns fixtures:
Wits v Tuks (Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 16.45)
UJ v NMMU (UJ Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 16.45)
Maties v UCT (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 19.00)
Shield fixtures:
CUT v UWC (CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 19.00)
TUT v Fort Hare (TUT Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 19.00)
