Late flyhalf change for Ikeys
FNB UCT have been forced into a crucial late change ahead of tonight’s Varsity Cup Final meeting with FNB Maties at the Danie Craven Stadium. (Kick-off 6.30pm.)
Experienced No.10 Matt Rosslee – who has not been feeling well over the past few days – drops down to the bench, with youngster Douglas Mallett (pictured) taking over the flyhalf berth.
“I feel sorry for Matt with this change, but he has been under the weather for a few days now… (and) we don’t think he has 80 minutes in him as much as we want (him) to,” explained UCT head coach John Dobson to varsitycup.co.za.
“But, that said, Doug has done very well this season and we have full confidence in him and are excited to see him start. Matt has been our standard-bearer for a long time now, so I feel for him.”
The rest of the UCT team remains unchanged, with flanker Nick Fenton-Wells, young Mallett’s cousin, leading a well-balanced side – in terms of youth and experience – against the unbeaten, and defending champion, Maties.
The FNB UCT team (revised): 15 Therlow Pietersen, 14 Pete Haw, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Douglas Mallett, 9 Stu Commins (vice-captain), 8 JJ Gagiano, 7 Mike Morris, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), 5 Donovan Armand, 4 Levi Odendaal, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Mark Goosen, 1 Ash Wells.
Replacements: 16 Matt Page, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Mike Ledwidge, 19 Sam Peter, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Matt Rosslee, 22 Mark Esterhuizen, 23 Wesley Chetty.
Head coach: John Dobson
Assistant coach: Kevin Foote
Date: Monday, March 29
Venue: Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
