Consistency key for Class of 2010
Last year the FNB Shimlas were hardly ever able to name an unchanged team, but things seems to be changing in the 2010 edition of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
In 2009, Shimlas boss Jaco Swanepoel was forced to change his team on an almost weekly basis – even having to pick certain players out of position due to a number of factors.
This year, however, things have already been different and the Kovsies breier has made just two changes to his starting XV for Monday’s mouth-watering clash against Pukke (after last week’s 54-4 win over NMMU) – and they are simply minor adjustments at that.
Jaco Colyn returns to the starting XV at scrumhalf, with livewire No.9 Marlin Ruiters dropping to the bench after a strong showing against the Madibas. The same goes for Beast Ndwandwa who swaps places with Divandré Strydom (right-wing) this week as Rashied Isaacs (pictured) continues in the No.11 jumper.
Both Ruiters and the Free State’s ‘Beast’ – as he has been dubbed – can consider themselves unlucky, after both impressing against NMMU, but Colyn and Strydom, respectively, are the first-choices and their deputies were simply getting much-needed game-time against the Madibas.
Monday’s Varsity Cup clash in Potchefstroom – where Shimlas have not won since 1997 – is fast capturing the imagination of supporters from both universities.
Shimlas, despite their recent record in Potch, will be confident ahead of Monday, whereas Pukke went down 11-18 to UCT (in Cape Town) this past week. Pukke, however, remain a bogey team for the Free Staters and they will raise themselves for Monday – especially at home.
Of course, the annual Intervarsity fixtures between Shimlas and Pukke dates way back to 1927 when Shimlas came out on top that year, winning 6-4. Kovsies, in fact, dominated the Intervarsity for many years, leading 40-14, in matches won, by the turn of the century. But in the next decade it was Pukke that dictated affairs, losing only twice (in 2001 and 2004) in an Intervarsity fixture.
Shimlas have not beaten their Potchefstroom counterparts – in any competition – for three years now. Their last win came in 2007 – at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) tournament that was held in Bloemfontein and was won by the hosts.
The FNB Shimlas team: 15 George Whitehead, 14 Divandré Strydom, 13 Earl Snyman, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Rashied Isaacs, 10 Reinhardt Erwee, 9 Jaco Colyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Hanno Pieterse, 5 Henjo van Niekerk, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Vaatjie Koorsen, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Ian Potgieter.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Lebo Zietsman, 19 Pieter Labuschagné, 20 Marlin Ruiters, 21 Beast Ndwandwa, 22 Johan van Schalkwyk, 23 André Schlechter.
Head coach: Jaco Swanepoel
Date: Monday, February 15
Venue: Fanie du Toit Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
By Ruan Bruwer
