'Baa-baas' choose for Dromedaris clash
The NMMU Barbarians team to play UJ in the semifinals of the 2009 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships in Johannesburg on Monday shows four changes and a few positional switches.
Four of the reserves – prop Anton Crouse, lock Cornel Ferreira, flank Jarrad Firkin and wing ‘Happy’ Mashabela – have been left out, while fullback Freddie Vosloo has dropped down to the bench.
Coming in are wings Connie de Villiers and Mike van Niekerk, while Lindsay Weyer moves from centre to flyhalf.
Team manager Babalo Gcexengana is confident his team can redeem themselves, following their 0-29 loss to Huis Armentum – from Shimlas – this past Monday.
“We are only too aware of the fact that the UJ team is a highly-talented combination and this is underlined by their unbeaten record to date,” he told varsitycup.co.za.
“However, I am confident our players will raise their game considerably in an effort to keep NMMU’s flag flying high in the competition.
“We showed with our win over the Maties recently that we reserve our best for away games.
“Hopefully, this will also be the case against UJ. We love the tag of underdogs, which we are, but it seems to bring the best out of the team,” Gcexengana concluded.
The team will fly to Johannesburg on Monday and the game is scheduled to kick-off at 7.30pm at Johannesburg’s West Sports Grounds.
NMMU Barbarians: 15 Wynand Neethling, 14 Connie de Villiers, 13 Phiwe Lalendle 12 Centre Lutho Zatu, 11 Mike van Niekerk, 10 Lindsay Weyer, 9 Werner Botha, 8 De Wet Lange, 7 Jeffery Wood, 6 Bonga Jantjies, 5 Luke Martins, 4 Chris Kelly, 3 Eugene Nolan, 2 Werner Kapp, 1 Wade Lotter.
Replacements: 16 William Fewell, 17 Chris Dicks, 18 Freddie Vosloo 19 Phiwekule Lalendle, 20 Kwado Apphiadanquah, 21 Phumelelo Mlungwana. 22 George Jacobs.
Head coach: Gerald Anton
Team manager: Babalo Gcexengana
