Bitter blow for Jans, UCT

FNB UCT have suffered a bitter blow, in the aftermath of Monday’s 17-23 Varsity Cup loss to Stellenbosch, with hooker Dayne Jans ruled out of action for the remainder of the 2010 rugby season.

Jans, in his second year of FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International rugby, picked up a serious knee injury and will undergo surgery next week.

The 21-year-old limped off in the first half of Monday’s defeat at the Danie Craven Stadium and his starting place – against Tuks this coming Monday (kick-off 6.30pm) – will go to Mark Goosen, who replaced him against the Maties.

Newbie Matt Page, who made his Varsity Cup debut earlier this year, will come onto the Ikey Tigers bench as Goosen’s back-up.

Jans’s injury, however, is a bitter blow to UCT’s depth as the business-end of the 2010 Varsity Cup approaches; last year’s Western Province Under-21 hooker having given head coach John Dobson plenty of selection options in the No.2 position – along with Goosen and Page.

“Losing Danger [Jans] is a big blow to us; he’s a real presence – both on and off the field,” admitted Dobson to varsitycup.co.za.

Dobson added: “On a personal level, I’m also very disappointed for Danger as he’s worked hard at his game this year.

“That said, I’ve been happy with how Matt [Page] has been progressing this season and Goose [Goosen] is hungry for more game time, but it would’ve been nice to have had all three of my hookers fit and firing at this crucial stage of the season.”