Fourie ready for Maties challenge

The former Griquas head coach knows the task ahead will be a challenging one but he takes solace in the fact that Maties have managed to retain about 60 percent of their 2015 squad, which bodes well for the continuity of the team.

"We really want to make a difference and get the team back to the top. It will be difficult to get that right in one season but we will certainly give it a full go and we want to be competitive.

"We have retained about 60 percent of the 2015 squad but guys like flyhalf Brandon Thompson, who is currently with the Stormers training squad, and a few other senior players won't be available this year," Fourie told rugby365.com.

Despite the massive losses in key areas, Fourie has been able to secure the services of former NWU-Pukke players John-Roy Jenkinson and Robey Labuschagne as well as former Shimlas player Tyrone Schultz, all of whom will be doing post-graduate studies in Stellenbosch.

A key aspect Fourie will be working on is the defensive side of the game as he feels the attacking system needs no tinkering.

"We will stick to what has worked in the past, like the attacking system is really good, while we try to improve on the small things and details. On defence we want to make a huge step up. We have identified that area as the one we need to improve on.

"If we can execute these things properly, I don't see why we cannot reach the play-offs. If we can get there, it will be possible to win it [the competition]. We have four home games this year, so we need to win all of them and one other away match – which should be enough to get us into the Top Four," he added.

Varsity Cup is set to launch a new bonus point structure for tries scored – which has had mixed reviews from the general public, however, Fourie believes it will encourage teams to value their possession more than what they have done in the past.

"we had a good discussion about the bonus point system and it will definitely play a role but there has to be a balance in your game plan. To go out onto the field and just attack from everywhere might not benefit the team because you become prone to errors, which the other team can capitalise on.

"It will maybe inspire teams to play a few phases inside their own half before looking for an attacking chance but I feel it will definitely have a positive influence on the game," he stated.

By Tauriq Ebrahim