Armentum ready to roll!
Armentum will go into their opening match of the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships – on Monday – with plenty of confidence.
Armentum, who will represent the University of the Free State in the competition to determine the best hostel team in South Africa, play host to Majuba from the University of Stellenbosch.
It’s a rare occasion on Monday when FNB Shimlas play a curtain-raiser for Armentum. Shimlas tackle FNB Tuks in Varsity Cup action at 4.45pm, with Armentum taking the field at 6.30pm. Both matches will take place at Shimla Park.
Armentum have played three warm-up matches already and showed they are ready and well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead this season.
The Free Staters have a very settled look about them, with the team having a nice balance. Only a handful of players left the team after last season; Wayne Charles (flyhalf), Kevin Fourie (lock), JR Cawoord (prop) and Michael Wessels (hooker) are all unavailable, whilst Frans la Grange (lock) now plays for Shimlas in the Varsity Cup.
The rest of last year’s team are all up and ready for duty.
Armentum’s backs look to be one of their strengths, with speedster Kobus Neethling (right wing) being a good finisher. In one of Armentum’s warm-up matches against a team from Douglas, he went over for three tries before half-time.
Also their centre pair of Morkel Hoffman and Jacques Steenkamp looks the part. Hoffman (No.13) runs very straight and should keep the Majuba defenders busy. He should definitely be one of his side’s strongest weapons.
At flyhalf, the Free State boys have an ace goal-kicker in Reinhardt Erwee who could nail the opposition with his boot. Against Douglas he showed that kicks from wide out are no problem for him. Erwee also takes the ball up very flat and looks a good distributor to get the ball out to his fellow backs – a confident bunch, who like nothing more than running the ball.
Up front, Michael de Wet and Joubert Horn make up a solid lock pairing and both players are keen to contest opposition lineout ball.
Captain Dedrik Pretorius, who also can play at lock, gives Armentum another lineout option. Pretorius leads by example and for a big guys he is very mobile and quick, a good ball carrier and committed in defense.
Their loose forwards are quick on any loose ball and in Johnny Schoeman they have a classic No.8 who has the ability to read the game very well. Schoeman has great pace for a back row forward; his ball skills are top notch and he should play a big role in Armentum’s title hopes in 2009.
The team’s biggest question should come on defence where they have not really been tested yet. Come Monday, however, the Majuba players are bound to keep them busy!
Armentum: 15 Tiaan Aucamp, 14 Kobus Neethling, 13 Morkel Hoffmann, 12 Jacques Steenkamp, 11 Gareth Lourens, 10 Reinhardt Erwee, 9 Enrico Schultz, 8 Johnny Schoeman, 7 Dedrik Pretorius (captain), 6 Niekie Potgieter, 5 Joubert Horn, 4 Michael de Wet, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 Toffie van Tonder, 1 Cobus Greeff.
Replacements: 16 Jonker Venter, 17 Chris Maans, 18 Thys-Koch Burden, 19 Mynhardt van der Walt, 20 Inus Kritzener, 21 Leon Pretorius, 22 Micheal Bosch.
Coach: Willem Kruger
Team manager: Ryno Mouton
By Ruan Bruwer
