All change for Tuks this week
FNB Tukkies coach Freddie Grobler has made a whole host of changes to his Tuks team for Monday’s crucial Varsity Cup meeting with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) at the UJ Stadium.
Grobler has made nine changes in all from last week – when Tuks went down 22-39 to Shimlas – and he will be hoping those switches do the trick for his side.
Shaun Davids, Luvuyo Mhlobiso, Jaco Oosthuizen, Tom Seabela and Marnitz Boshoff are the new faces in the backline, whilst Devin Oosthuizen, Gert Lubbe, Peet Botma and Henry Bantjes are in the mix up front this week.
The Tuks bench is a new-look unit; with Corné Fourie, Jacques Botha, Duncan Naude, Marnus Schoeman, Kruger van Heerden and Tendayi Chikukwa amongst the replacements. Ignick Windvogel is the only survivor on the bench from last week.
Tuks, who at one stage this season topped the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International log, are currently on a two-game losing streak and they need to beat FNB UJ to remain in semifinal contention.
The Men from Pretoria are still in third place on the Varsity Cup log, but there is a bit of a traffic jam from places three through to six on the standings and the likes of Tuks (15 points), Pukke (14), Shimlas (10) and UJ (nine) are all fighting it out for third and fourth place.
Defending champions, the Maties, are top of the log on 22 points, with UCT second on 20 points. Maties and UCT are both at home this coming Monday and wins for them will basically secure home semifinal places for them.
FNB Tuks: 15 Shaun Davids, 14 Luvuyo Mhlobiso, 13 Gerhard van der Merwe, 12 Jaco Oosthuizen, 11 Tom Seabela, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Christian van den Berg, 8 Willie Nel, 7 Devin Oosthuizen, 6 Gert Lubbe, 5 Peet Botma, 4 Johan de Bruin (captain), 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Henry Bantjes, 1 Ettienne Breytenbach.
Replacements: 16 Corné Fourie, 17 Jacques Botha, 18 Duncan Naude, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Ignick Windvogel, 21 Kruger van Heerden, 22 Lutho Nyeka.
Coach: Freddie Grobler
Assistant coach: Cecil Botha
Kick-off: Monday, March 9, 6.45pm, UJ Stadium
