Discipline key for NMMU
Discipline will be key for the FNB Nelson Mandela Métropole University as they seek their first win in the Varsity Cup when they face FNB Pukke at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds on Monday.
After losing 11-37 to Shimlas in the opening round of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, they also lost their way in the second half of their encounter with Tukkies last Monday, losing 20-39.
While their defeat against Shimlas can be attributed to a very bad second-half lapse, it was a lack of discipline that cost them dearly against Tukkies.
Having fought back to come within three points of Tukkies, NMMU then saw two players being yellow carded and ended up falling off the pace again as they struggled to plug all the gaps.
“While our discipline was good against Shimlas, it certainly let us down against Tukkies,” team manager Denver Brandt told varsitycup.co.za.
“You can never play with 13 men and hope to win,” he said, adding that they have addressed those issues this week.
NMMU named an unchanged team from that which lost to Tukkies last week.
FNB NMMU: 15 Vuyolwethu Mazaka, 14 Dale Geyer, 13 Wade Roos, 12 Marius Muller, 11 Lutho Zatu, 10 Willem Laubscher, 9 Neil Weitz, 8 Jaco Swanepoel, 7 Andre Goosen, 6 Morne van der Westhuyzeb (captain), 5 Jacques Naude, 4 Luke Beling, 3 Pierre Hammond, 2 Allistiar Langson, 1 Tyron Williams.
Replacements: 16 Wade Lotter, 17 Eugene Nolan, 18 Frans van der Walt, 19 Jannie Fourie, 20 Lusu Booi, 21 Devon Melville, 22 Phiwekuhle Lalendle.
Coach: Kolie Brandt
Assistant coach: Werner Barnard
Kick-off: Monday, February 16, 6.45pm, Fanie du Toit Sportsgrounds
