Wilhelm gets a Loock-in for Maties
Winger Wilhelm Loock, who started last year’s Varsity Cup Final for the Maties, has been handed a recall to the defending champions’ starting line-up for Monday’s top-of-the-log clash against UCT in Stellenbosch (kick-off 8.30pm).
The hard-running Loock replaces Danie Poolman on the right-wing for the Maties, with the latter shifting to outside centre and Charl Weideman moving in one position to inside centre to replace the injured Stephan van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe, in just his second Varsity Cup start, fractured his left arm against Tuks on Monday (a game Stellenbosch won 64-17) – the fifth Maties centre to suffer a serious injury this season.
Loock’s recall, and the enforced changes from positions 14-12 aside, Maties head coach Chean Roux has also re-introduced another member of last year’s final team; with elusive fullback Adnaan Oesman taking over the No.15 shirt from Jonathan Francke who, in turn, drops down to the bench.
Up front, meanwhile, Roux has also made a few changes – all of which see the return, from injury, of some first-choice forwards.
Hugo Kloppers replaces Marinus Pretorius in the second row, whilst – in the front row – Matthew Dobson takes over from Andrew Crausaz at hooker and Mike De Neuilly-Rice wins back the No.1 shirt from Johan Roets.
Tighthead prop Lourens Adriaanse will, again, skipper this impressive Maties team – who have picked up five successive bonus point wins thus far – with squad captain Cameron Peverett named on the bench.
* The Maties and Ikeys have met three times in the history of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
Their record is 1-1 in league matches (with UCT winning in 2008 and Stellenbosch in 2009), but the Maties beat them 16-10 in a dramatic first-ever Varsity Cup Final at the Danie Craven Stadium in April 2008.
The FNB Maties team: 15 Adnaan Oesman, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Charl Weideman, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Tertius Daniller, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Mike De Neuilly-Rice.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Crausaz, 17 Johan Roets, 18 Marinus Pretorius, 19 Cameron Peverett, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Jonathan Francke, 23 Buhle Mxunuywa.
Head coach: Chean Roux
Date: Monday, March 8
Venue: Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 8.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Dilbert November
