Varsity Cup: Grudge match in Potch

 

The hosts will be looking to avenge their dramatic defeat, which saw the Ikey Tigers score three tries in the last five minutes to clinch the title, and keep their place in the top four heading into the second half of the current season.

 

In the other fixtures embattled three-time champions Maties will be looking for their first win this year when they host UJ in Stellenbosch, while UP-Tuks take on CUT in Pretoria and log-leaders UFS-Shimlas travel down to Port Elizabeth to face the NMMU Madibaz. 

 

Despite the inevitable hype that will come with the showdown in Potchefstroom, NWU-Pukke coach Robert du Preez insists that it will not be about revenge but staying in the hunt this season with the play-offs fast approaching.

 

"We are not thinking about revenge, it will be stupid to go into a match with a revenge mind set, we just want to take things one game at a time.

 

"There is a lot riding on the game, with Ikeys being just one point behind us. We take things one game at a time and we want to take this opportunity to consolidate our standings and move up in the rankings. They are probably one of the most difficult sides to beat and it’s always tough to play against them no matter what the occasion," said Du Preez.

 

Maties have only ever missed out on the play-offs once, and they will have to win the rest of their games convincingly to avoid that fate again starting against a confident UJ side at the Danie Craven Stadium.

 

The CUT Ixias have suffered heavy defeats in every game of their debut season so far, and will certainly have their work cut out for them again against a UP-Tuks side determined to bounce back from their first defeat of the season last week.

 

Pace-setters UFS-Shimlas are the only team in the competition that is yet to lose this season, and they face another test in Port Elizabeth against an NMMU side that has to win if they are to keep their hopes of sneaking into the play-offs alive.

 

In the Varsity Shield Wits and UKZN will be looking to put even more distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

 

The UKZN Impi go up to Pretoria to face the bottom-placed TUT Vikings and Wits host the Fort Hare Blues in Johannesburg.

 

There is a full round of four fixtures in the Varsity Young Guns competition with NMMU hosting CUT in Port Elizabeth, two-time champions UP-Tuks up against UJ in Pretoria, NWU-Pukke facing defending champions UFS in Potchefstroom and the Junior Maties squaring off with the UCT Trojans in Stellenbosch.

 

In the Koshuisrugby Championship Mopanie will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season against CUT's Tigers, while in Potchefstroom Patria host NMMU's Stallions and Medies take on Cobras in the Cape derby in Stellenbosch.

 

 

 

Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Jamie Joseph, 13 Christoff van Tonder, 12 Koos Loubser, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Ernest Stapelberg, 9 Bjorn Bernardo, 8 Derick Linde, 7 Justin Benn, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Abel de Klerk, 2 Neethling Gericke, 1 John Hubert Meyer.

Replacements: 16 Craig Corbett, 17 Migael Grobler, 18 Lourens Fick, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Remu Malan, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.

 

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 Griffith van Wyk, 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.

 

Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze

Assistant referees: Local

 

 

UP-Tuks: 15 Jacques Rossouw, 14 Damian van Wyk, 13 Daniel Kriel, 12 John Jackson, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Dewald Human, 9 André Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Dennis Smith, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli.

Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Neethling Fouche, 18 Jason Jenkins, 19 Pieter Janse van Vuren, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Joshua Stander, 22 Adrian Maebane, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.

 

CUT: 15 Luke Cyster, 14 Lethole Makoena, 13 Dean Kouprihanoff, 12 Jacques Nel, 11 Christiaan Erasmus, 10 LDuan Pretorius, 9 Dean Jacobs, 8 Daneel Botes, 7 Jean-Claude Fourie, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Fanie Coetzee, 4 JJ Nel, 3 Gerard Baard, 2 Jozua De Jager, 1 Lens Noort.

Replacements: 16 Ian Smith, 17 Niel Schoombee, 18 Jean Pretorius, 19 Rayno Nel, 20 Victor Maruping, 21 Dean Rossouw, 22 Naude van Biljon, 23 Boetie Makethlo.

 

Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Ben Crouse

Assistant referees: Local

 

 

NMMU: 15 Jarryd Buys (captain), 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Micheal Barnardt, 12 Devon Lailvaux, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Steven Hansel, 9 Ivan Ludick, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Philip Odendaal, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Tyler Paul, 4 Stephan Zaayman, 3 Brenden Oliver, 2 Dane van der Westhuizen, 1 Arno Ebersohn.

Replacements: 16 Jody Reyneke, 17 Steven Robbeson, 18 Robert Louw, 19 Ivan-John du Preez, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Andile Jho, 22 Brian Skosana, 23 Marzuq Maarman.

 

UFS-Shimlas: 15 Marco Mason, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Gerhard Olivier, 6 Refuoe Rampeta, 5 Niel Claassen, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Theuns Neuwoudt.

Replacements: 16 Marco Klopper, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Boela Venter, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 21 AJ Coertzen, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Conraad van Vuuren.

 

Referees: Francois Pretorius, Rodney Boneparte

Assistant referees: Local

 

 

NWU-Pukke: 15 Jeandre Rudolph, 14 Marno Redelinghys, 13 Niel Morrison, 12 Mashudu Mafela, 11 Mogau Makgati, 10 Armandt Liebenberg, 9 Danie Jordaan, 8 John-Roy Jenkinson (captain), 7 Warren Gilbert, 6 Wian Fourie, 5 Johan Deysel, 4 Jaco Bys, 3 Myburgh Briers, 2 Rowayne Beukman, 1 Molotsi Bouwer.

Replacements: 16 Dillion Smit, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Rhyno Smith, 19 Walt Steenkamp, 20 Dean Stokes, 21 Bouke Tack, 22 Pertus Uys, 23 Ruan Venter, 24 Jacobus Vermaark, 25 Rhyk Welgemoed, 26 John Wethagen, 27 Juandre Williams.

 

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

Replacements: 16 Michael Kennedy, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Ryand Dugmore, 21 Guy Schwikkard, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Kyle Whyte.

 

Referees: Lesego Legoete, Jaco Pretorius 

Assistant referees: Local

TMO: Johan Greeff