Pukke stalking Impala(s)
The Pukke have not had a lot of rest since the 2009 Varsity Cup Final. And they certainly won’t get it this weekend…
The losing Varsity Cup finalists’ local league campaign began even before the end of the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International and it has been full steam ahead ever since.
The Men from Potchefstroom’s Under-21 team deputised for them in Grand Challenge matches against Wits, Raiders and Alberton, before Rudy Joubert’s ‘first team’ returned from Varsity Cup duty just days after their narrow 11-6 loss to the Maties in the final.
“Our Under-21s did a good job for us during the Varsity Cup,” explained Pukke head coach Joubert to varsitycup.co.za.
“But we played our first team in a league match that Saturday after the Varsity Cup Final and the guys did well to raise themselves – mentally and physically – to beat a very good Pirates team.”
This weekend, however – on Saturday, at 4pm – the Pukke have to raise themselves one more time for a league match against Impala in Rustenburg.
Whilst all league matches are important, Saturday’s clash has more importance then most fixtures, with Impala, Vaal Reef and Pukke vying for that crucial Leopards qualifying spot in the National Club Championships.
“It’s (the Club Champs) high on our agenda,” admitted Joubert, almost rather matter-of-factly. “We’re the defending champions and we want to defend our title.”
Joubert has the “core” of his Varsity Cup side to call upon for this weekend’s clash against Impala, with inspirational No.8 Willem van der Wal once again leading the side into battle.
“We’ve been lucky with injuries,” said the Pukke mentor.
“There are one or two niggles, with Lolo Waka – for instance – missing, but we’ve got most of the guys back from the Varsity Cup, which bodes well for the league season.”
The Pukke team (v Impala): 15 Worsie Kotzé, 14 Andrew van Wyk, 13 Wouter Watermeyer, 12 Cecil Dumont, 11 Willem Barnard, 10 Marcel du Toit, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 Willem van der Wal (captain), 7 Savvas Nel, 6 Jaco Lötter, 5 Strand Kruger, 4 Grant le Roux, 3 Dewald Coetzee, 2 Stoffel Duvenhage, 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Koch, 17 Stefan Bezuidenhout, 18 JP Potgieter, 19 Nelis Nel, 20 John Roodt, 21 Wentsley Scott, 22 Trokkie de Kock.
