Pukke coach Joubert remains calm
FNB Pukke coach Rudy Joubert has a special tone when he talks, a certain calmness that would inspire huge amounts of confidence.
In fact, his demeanour is so compelling that this writer – for a moment – forgot that Pukke’s next game in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International is actually a daunting assignment against the second-placed FNB Ikey Tigers.
Whilst Pukke have already assured themselves of a semifinal place, the match on Monday remains an important one in terms of where they finish.
A straightforward win entrenches them in their current third position, while a bonus-point triumph would see them leapfrog into second place over Ikeys and secure a home semifinal against the same opponents. They could also be destined for fourth place should they lose.
Yet, these permutations serve only as an irritation to Joubert, who prefers to take things as they come.
“Our main focus,” the experienced mentor told varsitycup.co.za, “is to ensure that we win this game (against UCT). That is our objective.”
But he was not totally cold towards the idea of a four-try, bonus-point win. Pukke were in compelling form on Monday against FNB TUT, running away with a seven-try 56-14 win and while their 19-9 win over the FNB UJ suggested a tight game, they won the try-count 3-0.
The Ikeys have also been a team which the Men from the North West have seem to relish playing, beating them 23-17 in Cape Town last year and narrowly missing out 32-31 in a heart-stopping semifinal clash.
“A game against Ikeys is never going to be easy but I do think that our previous experiences against them have been positive and will certainly help us in our mental preparation,” Joubert agreed.
Visions of grandeur were, however, put on hold by the coach who stated firmly that tight games such as Monday’s fixture were usually decided by the team who “minimised mistakes and kept to the basics”.
“We can’t afford to lose the ball like we have (tended to do) previously. Possession will be vital in this game and will need to take our opportunities,” he added.
Asked about what a home semifinal would mean to the team, Joubert responded: “We have great support at home and it would be wonderful to play the semi in Potchefstroom but I don’t actually think we are perturbed about playing away.
“I believe that one of our greatest strengths is our ability to adapt, which is why I don’t think we would mind playing a semifinal in the Cape.”
Judging by the confident manner in which Joubert talks about the build-up to Monday’s game, and taking current form into account, it is reasonably justified to entertain some thoughts that Pukke might be the darkhorses for the Varsity Cup title.
Pukke’s final position on the log will be determined on Monday, March 16 when they take on the Ikeys at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potch. This potentially classic game of rugby can be watched live on SuperSport One at 4.45pm.
By Heinz Schenk
