Mental strength powering Maties’ quest for glory

REACTION: Stellenbosch coach Kabamba Floors has praised the tenacity of his charges in the wake of five consecutive victories in the Varsity Cup.

Maties have been the standout side in the early rounds of the 2025 Varsity Cup tournament.

After claiming five consecutive bonus-point wins, they sit at the top of the standings – and are well-placed to host a semifinal.

While they’ve racked up a maximum of 25 log points over five rounds, they have had to fight tooth and nail for a few of those results.

This past Monday, the big derby with UCT was in the balance until winger Grant de Jager scored a late try to give his side a dramatic 31-24 victory.

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Clutch 😮🔥💥! Try at the death and dramatic scenes in Stellenbosch as Grant De Jager wins it for the @MatiesSport Maroon Machine in the 79th min and breaks Ikeys hearts.

#NxtLevel #RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/usvnLfVV4z

— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) March 17, 2025

Earlier this season, Maties edged Shimlas 41-37 and the NWU Eagles 29-27 – before thrashing CUT 54-0 and downing UJ 25-7.

Floors told @Rugby365com that his charges went into this campaign with a point to prove, after bowing out at the semifinal stage of the 2024 tournament.

The coach has been impressed by the team’s ability to prevail in several tight contests.

“We always said it was about the process and the season as a whole.

“If you look back at 2024, we won six-in-a-row at one stage, and then stumbled during the play-offs, so we’ve looked at a few things since then.

“Winning the close battles has been the focus. Mental strength, character… these things have been prioritised as much as anything else.

“The collective is more important than the individual – we need to deal with the challenges as a unit.

“Having addressed all of that in the preseason, we’ve seen the hard work paying off [across the first five rounds], especially in the games where we’ve clinched some close wins.”

Maties could well finish their league campaign undefeated.

After hosting Tuks at the Danie Craven next Monday, they will travel to Johannesburg to face a struggling Wits in the final round.

While the win against arch-rivals Ikeys will give them confidence, Floors says that Maties shouldn’t lose sight of their overriding goal.

It’s been six years since Maties last won the Varsity Cup, and they’re desperate to end that drought.

“Some people think that just because a team is winning it’s not learning. But in a sense we’ve been here before,” said Floors.

“Winning also creates a different kind of pressure on the team as well as individuals.

“As coaches, we’ve told the guys to stick to the process, and focus on how we want to play rather than results and opposition.

“It all starts with our defensive structures and our physicality. We pride ourselves on those aspects, and as I’ve said, we’re constantly talking about winning the small battles.”