Final line-ups: Back then... and now

The Maties and the Ikeys have met before in a Varsity Cup Final – back in 2008. We take a look back at those line-ups ahead of Monday’s 2010 final at the Danie Craven Stadium – seeing which team could have the edge in terms of previous final experience between these two outfits.

Interestingly, new Stormers centre Tim Whitehead was on the bench for UCT in the 2008 final, whilst Juan de Jongh – arguably the Varsity Cup’s most well-known ‘graduate’ – was controversially drafted into the Maties starting XV at the 11th hour, along with Joe Pietersen, after returning from Australasia with the Stormers.

Of course, both De Jongh and Whitehead (pictured, right) will be on tour Down Under with the Stormers this year – the Super 14 team leaves for Australasia shortly before the final gets underway – leaving UCT with more players returning from the 2008 final – eight versus four.

Flanker Jonathan Adendorf and prop Johan Roets will, again, start for the Maties – both, quite incredibly, playing in their third successive finals – whilst winger Marcello Sampson, flyhalf Matt Rosslee and No.8 JJ Gagiano will start in a second final for UCT.

Starting Maties hooker Matthew Dobson was on the bench in the 2008 final, as were UCT winger Pete Haw and hooker Mark Goosen (both of whom are now starting), whilst both Andrew Crausaz (Maties) and Wesley Chetty (UCT) are benching again for their teams – as they did in 2008.

Ikeys lock Mike Ledwidge started the 2008 final, but is on the bench this year, whilst UCT fullback Therlow Pietersen – who moved to Cape Town from Stellenbosch last year – was the unlucky Maties player left out at the last minute for Joe Pietersen.

UCT boast more overall experience from 2008, but the Maties do have the edge in terms of overall final experience, with 11 players – named in Monday’s 23-man squad – having played in last year’s final win over the Pukke. (See below.)

A LOOK BACK AT THE TEAMS:

2008 Varsity Cup Final – Maties 16 Ikeys 10:

Maties: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Hendrik Stoffberg, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Sarel Potgieter, 11 Morné Jooste, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Wilhelm Koch, 8 Bennie Booysen (captain), 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Zandré Jordaan, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Erich Laubscher, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Lisle Clark, 1 Johan Roets.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Andrew Crausaz, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Albert Fullard, 20 Coenie van Wyk, 21 Jean Stemmet, 22 Therlow Pietersen.

UCT: 15 Rob Hopwood, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 James Martin, 12 Pieter Engelbrecht, 11 Mat Turner, 10 Matt Rosslee, 9 Danie van der Merwe, 8 JJ Gagiano (captain), 7 Mzothando Simani, 6 Enoch Panya, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Michael Ledwidge, 3 Dylan Rogers, 2 John Peter Koster, 1 Herbie Mayosi.
Replacements: 16 Mark Goosen, 17 Wesley Chetty, 18 Dane Galley, 19 Kyle Brown, 20 Kyle Wickins, 21 Tim Whitehead, 22 Peter Haw.

2010 Varsity Cup Final – kick-off 6.30pm:
(Second Maties-UCT final appearance in bold)

Maties: 15 Adnaan Oesman, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Charl Weideman, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Sam Mabombo, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Johan Roets.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Light, 17 Mike De Neuilly-Rice, 18 Marinus Pretorius, 19 Cameron Peverett, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Jonathan Francke, 23 Andrew Crausaz.

(Oesman, Loock, Adendorf, Kloppers, Adriaanse, Dobson, Roets, Crausaz, Pretorius, Peverett and Herbst all appeared in last year’s final against the Pukke – either as starting players, or on the bench.)

UCT: 15 Therlow Pietersen, 14 Pete Haw, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee, 9 Stu Commins (vice-captain), 8 JJ Gagiano, 7 Mike Morris, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), 5 Donovan Armand, 4 Levi Odendaal, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Mark Goosen, 1 Ash Wells.
Replacements: 16 Matt Page, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Mike Ledwidge, 19 Sam Peter, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Douglas Mallett, 22 Mark Esterhuizen, 23 Wesley Chetty.

FAQs: What happens if the scores are level at full-time?

* Monday’s final kicks-off at 6.30pm and will be televised live on SuperSport One.