Derby day in the the Varsity Cup

 

The action will get underway with the first-ever Varsity Cup Bloemfontein derby as newcomers CUT host their cross-town rivals the UFS-Shimlas in the first match.

 

The Monte Taljaard trophy will be up for grabs once again as coastal sides NMMU and UCT square off on the Green Mile in Cape Town, whilst in Johannesburg UJ will take on NWU-Pukke before the big North-South showdown between UP-Tuks and Maties in Pretoria.

 

All four Varsity Rugby competitions will be up and running on Monday, with the first fixtures in the Varsity Young Guns and Koshuisrugby Championships kicking off as well.

 

Although CUT and UFS-Shimlas have never faced each other in the Varsity Cup, there is plenty of history between the two sides, so Bloemfontein is likely to come to a standstill when the game kicks off at 16.45 (14.45 GMT).

 

Newly-promoted Varsity Shield champions CUT are still looking for their first win of the competition, and would dearly love to make UFS-Shimlas their first scalp.

 

UCT won two trophies last year, picking up the Monte Taljaard trophy against the Madibaz in Port Elizabeth before going on to lift the Varsity Cup trophy at the end of the season, and having lost to UP-Tuks in Pretoria last week they will be desperate to bounce back in front of their fans and keep the trophy in Cape Town for another year.

 

The trophy is played in memory of star Grey High School and UCT flank Monte Taljaard who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2008, with the match between the Ikeys and the Madibaz doubling as a celebration of his life every year.

 

After going down at home to UFS-Shimlas last week, UJ will be determined to put things right against a NWU-Pukke side that will still be smarting after seeing a win against Maties in Stellenbosch slip through their hands in Round Two.

 

The late match will see two powerhouses of the competition cross swords, with two-time champions UP-Tuks up against three-time champions Maties in Pretoria.

 

UP-Tuks currently top the standings on points difference ahead of NWU-Pukke, and will want to maintain that position, whilst Maties will be out to break the cycle of stalemates following consecutive draws in their first two games.

 

In the Varsity Shield Wits will look to extend their unbeaten start to the competition when they host UWC, and Fort Hare will be after their first win of the season against UKZN in Alice.

 

The first round of Young Guns action will see another Bloemfontein derby between CUT and UFS-Shimlas, whilst UP-Tuks host the Ikeys and NWU-Pukke travel to Johannesburg for a curtain-raiser to the main Varsity Cup game.

 

In the Koshuisrugby Championship the Cobras take on Bastion from UJ in Cape Town, Mopanie and Medies will do battle in Pretoria and the Tigers from CUT make their debut against the formidable Vishuis in another Bloemfontein derby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUT: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Jessie du Toit, 13 Ali Mgijima, 12 Duan Pretorius, 11 Mosego Toolo, 10 Luke Cyster, 9 Christiaan erasmus, 8 Jean Pretorius, 7 Jean-Claude Fourie, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Fanie Coetzer, 3 Ian Smith, 2 Len Noort, 1 Gerard Baard.

Replacements: 16 Jozua de Jager, 17 Niel Schoombee, 18 Daneel Botes, 19 Victor Maruping, 20 Arrie Vosloo, 21 Dean Kouprihanoff, 22 Naude van Biljon, 23 Boetie Makethlo.

 

UFS-Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Niel Claassen, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Marco Klopper, 1 Theuns Neuwoudt.

Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Boela Venter, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Nhlanhla Hlongwane, 21 Stefan Janse van Rensburg, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Conraad Van Vuuren.

 

Referees: Quinton Immelman, Cwengile Jadezweni

Assistant referees: Local

TMO: JJ Wagner

 

 

 

 

UCT: 15 Paul Cohen, 14 Dylan Sage, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Nicholas Holton, 11 Khanyo Ngcukana, 10 Warren Seals, 9 James Alexander, 8 Guy Alexander (captain), 7 Michael Botha (captain), 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew.

Replacements: 16 Msizi Zondi, 17 Kyle White, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Ryan Dugmore, 21 Guy Schwikkard, 22 Dean Gericke, 23 David Maasch.

 

NMMU-Madibaz: 15 Jarryd Buys (captain), 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Andile Jho, 12 Devon Lailvaux, 11 Brian Skosana, 10 Ruan Allerston, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Ivan-John Du Preez, 7 Stephan Zaayman, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Rob Louw, 4 Paul Tyler, 3 Steven Robesson, 2 Dane van der Westerhuizen, 1 Arno Ebersohn.

Replacements: 16 Warrick Venter, 17 Brenden Olivier, 18 Wynand Grassman, 19 Jody Reyneke, 20 Ivan Ludick, 21 Creswin Josephs, 22 Khaya Malotana, 23 Marzuq Maarman.

 

Referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Tahla Ntshakaza

Assistant referees: Local

 

 

 

 

UJ: 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Bradley Moolman, 13 Robert De Bruyn, 12 Adriaan Vermeulen, 11 Aphiwe Dyanti, 10 Jaco Fourie, 9 Chuma Faas, 8 Dylan Peterson, 7 Kyle Van Dalen, 6 Kobus Porter (captain), 5 David Antonites, 4 Werner Lourens, 3 Nico Du Plessis, 2 Siphatho Qinisile, 1 Gareth Milasinovich.

Replacements: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Brandon Landsberg, 18 Ettienne Oosthuizen, 19 Wiaan Conradie, 20 Hilton Mudarika, 21 James Campbell, 22 Dominic Kroezen, 23 Raeez Salie.

 

NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Dalen Goliath, 13 Rowayne Beukman, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (captain), 7 Marno Redelinguys, 6 Molotsi Bouwer, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Jacques Vermaak, 1 Johan Smith.

Replacements: 16 Wian Fourie, 17 Mogau Mabokela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Jaco Buys, 20 Kurshwill Williams, 21 Marnus Tack, 22 Heinrich Smith, 23 Cayle Denner.

 

Referees: Francois Pretorius, Rodney Boneparte

Assistant referees: Local

 

 

 

 

UP-Tuks: 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Ryan Nell, 12 Daniel Kriel, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 André Warner, 8 Rudolph Smith, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Irné Herbst, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Juan Schoeman.

Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Nqobisiswe Mxoli, 18 Dennis Visser, 19 Clyde Davids, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dewald Human, 22 John Jackson, 23 Neethling Fouche.

 

Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Brandon Asher-Wood, 13 Christoff van Tonder, 12 Koos Loubser, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Brandon Thomson, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Lungelo Chonco, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Niel Oelofse.

Replacements: 16 Neethling Gericke, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Janco Venter, 19 Justin Benn, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Ernst Stapelberg, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.

 

Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze

Assistant referees: Local

TMO: Willie Vos