All is not lost for UJ - Van As
Monday’s slip-up against the FNB Ikey Tigers means that FNB UJ have missed out on a golden opportunity to host a semifinal in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International – so says the Johannesburg-based side’s head coach, Hugo van As.
“We came very close to beating UCT, but one missed tackle late in the second half dashed our hopes to play at home in the semifinals.
“All is not lost though, because we can still make it into the Top Four. All we need to do is win our remaining two matches in the group phase of the competition – Monday at home against [Wooden Spoon favourites] NMMU and [on March 15] against the Shimlas in Bloemfontein,” Van As told varsitycup.co.za.
Despite the loss – UJ’s second of the season – Van As found some positives in defeat, and he added: “One can never be content with losing, but we can still take a lot of positives from the match against the Ikeys.
“We did not start well and were in real trouble with the score at 3-17. The fact that we gradually fought our way back to level the scores at 23-all, is very encouraging,” he continued.
“The players showed a lot of character and fighting spirit. I know we can go places and that the next two Mondays will be evident of it. We are very close to where we want to be and will do everything humanly possible to stay in contention for the play-offs.”
The defeat against the second-placed FNB Ikeys saw FNB UJ drop to fifth position on the log, a position shared with FNB Shimlas. (The Free State students’ better points’ difference places them fourth.)
Whether it is a bad omen or not, it still makes interesting reading that FNB UJ have not won at home this season. They lost to pace-setters – and back-to-back champions – FNB Maties on February 15, before going down to the Ikeys this past Monday.
Playing the bottom-of-the-log Madibas in their third, and last, home league match in the 2010 competition will therefore be seen as an opportunity to turn the (losing at home) tide around.
* Monday’s (March 8) match-up with the Madibas will get underway at 6.30pm and will be televised live on SuperSport One.
By Morris Gilbert
