Stoffberg wings it for must-win Maties
FNB Maties head coach Chean Roux has selected veteran scrumhalf Henoe Stoffberg on the wing for Saturday’s WP Super League clash against NNK.
Varsity Cup Player of the Tournament Donald Stevens will start in the No.9 shirt as the defending champion Maties look to keep up the pressure on log leaders and National Club Championships qualifiers, Hamilton’s.
The Western Province Super League is going down to the wire this year, after Hamilton’s were beaten 27-13 at home by a ruthless Stellenbosch outfit last weekend.
It was ‘Hammies’ first defeat of the season and they will now in all likelihood have to win their last three matches to be assured of a first Super League title since 1936. The Green Point side are currently on 66 points, while second-placed Maties are on 52.
The Stellenbosch students have five league games remaining, which means they could finish on 77 points – leaving ‘Hammies’ needing 12 points from their last three fixtures to seal an historic title.
However, one of those final three fixtures will see Hamilton’s come up against a powerful Victorians team at the Danie Craven Stadium this weekend.
The Maties’ second team are always a tough side to beat at home and they boast the likes of Jonathan Francke, Morné Jooste, Llewellyn Winkler, Cameron Peverett and Jonathan Adendorf – all of whom are seasoned Varsity Cup stars – in their squad.
The Maties team: 15 Adnaan Osman, 14 Henoe Stoffberg, 13 Hayden Groepes, 12 Jean Stemmet, 11 Andries Volgraaff, 10 Willie le Roux, 9 Donald Stevens, 8 Bennie Booysen, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Pieter Myburgh, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Bertho van der Westhuizen, 3 André Schlechter, 2 Mathew Dobson, 1 Arno White.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Light, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Andrew Prior, 19 JP Mostert, 20 Gideon Strydom, 21 Stefan van der Merwe, 22 Stephen Hunt.
