Grobler adds beef to Tukkies pack
FNB Tuks have beefed up their pack for what should be a physical onslaught from FNB TUT when they meet in Varsity Cup action at the TUT Stadium on Monday.
All in all, there are nine changes to the starting XV that played Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) on February 9. Only one of them has been forced by injury, with Piet-Piet Swart switching from fullback to flyhalf to take over from points-machine Juan-Claude Roos.
Roos has a groin injury, with Swart also taking over the kicking duties. Chandré Boshoff will provide kicking cover from the replacements’ bench.
In other changes, Johan Jackson replaces Swart at fullback, Gerhard van der Merwe moves in at outside centre and Christiaan van den Berg makes way for Ignick Windvogel at scrumhalf.
Up front there are changes in the back row, at lock and in the front row.
Willie Nel takes over from Devin Oosthuizen at No.8, with the latter moving to the side of the scrum. He replaces Ntokozo Mashele. At lock, Duncan Naude loses his place to Henjo van Niekerk.
In the front row there are two changes; Bronco Visagie (tighthead prop) and Sylvester Booysen (hooker) make way for Peet Vorster and Kurt Haupt, respectively.
“If you want to beat TUT, you have to win the collisions. And for that to happen, you need to have at least an equal say in the set-pieces. That was the logic behind our changes in the pack,” explained head coach Freddie Grobler.
He added that Tuks were by no means the championship-favourites, despite their top spot on the log at present: “It would be ill-judged to talk about favourites at this very early stage of the competition.
“There is still al long way to go and we will not be swayed in our attitude to not look or plan further than your next game,” added Grobler with firm determination.
FNB Tuks: 15 Johan Jackson, 14 Luvuyo Mhlobiso, 13 Gerhard van der Merwe, 12 Franco Booysen, 11 Aaron Denenga, 10 Piet-Piet Swart, 9 Ignick Windvogel, 8 Willie Nel, 7 Devin Oosthuizen, 6 Danie Crous, 5 Henjo van Niekerk, 4 Johan de Bruin (captain), 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Kurt Haupt, 1 Ettienne Breytenbach.
Replacements: 16 Alfred Khoza, 17 Peet Botma, 18 Emile Verster, 19 Gert Lubbe, 20 Christian van den Berg, 21 Chandre Boshoff, 22 Elwyn Fransman.
Head coach: Freddie Grobler
Assistant coaches: Cecil Botha, Jannie Robbertse
Kick-off: Monday, February 16, 6.45pm, TUT Stadium
By Morris Gilbert
