Olivier backing Maties for title repeat
Former Springbok centre Eben Olivier believes the FNB Maties will retain the Varsity Cup rugby title they won last year, despite the unexpected defeat suffered against Tuks on Monday night.
Olivier, in fact, is of the opinion that this year’s final will once again be contested between the Maties and the Ikeys.
The main reason for Olivier’s optimism – aside from being an ex-Matie himself! – is that the semifinals are being played in the Western Cape.
“The current Maties team is not loaded with star players. The reason for their success to date is that they are a well-balanced all-round team, who do the basics well,” he told varsitycup.co.za.
“The (23-25) defeat suffered against the Tukkies was one of those things where nothing went right for the Maties and they also failed to take advantage of their opportunities.
“All teams at all levels have days like these and it is the way the players react to such setbacks that decides their future in the game,” Olivier said.
He is also confident that the Ikeys will reverse the unexpected defeat they suffered against the Pukke on Monday.
The big plus point for the Ikeys – he believes – is that they will have home ground advantage for Monday’s clash against the Pukke.
Olivier has been highly impressed with the standard of rugby produced by the various teams in the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
He was also pleased with the progress shown by Maties wing JJ Engelbrecht in his act of scoring a hat-trick of tries against NMMU two weeks ago.
Engelbrecht, like Olivier, hails from Kirkwood in the Eastern Cape, with Olivier explaining: “Engelbrecht’s ability to maintain a good balance when at top speed stems from his days at school when he took part in hurdling events.”
Kirkwood has proved a good feeding ground for the Maties over the years; with players like the late Willem Delport (a member of the Bok team to tour Britiain in 1951), Olivier, Tertius Delport, Hermanus Potgieter and Eric Olivier among those who made an impact on the field for them.
By Stan Terblanche
