Shimlas hoping to maintain record
FNB Shimlas should have little trouble retaining their unbeaten status in this year’s ‘Stadsbeker’ competition when they lock horns with Collegians in Bloemfontein on Wednesday night (kick-off 8.15pm).
Collegians have yet to taste victory this season – losing to Bloemfontein Police and Crusaders, two sides they should really have beaten.
Shimlas, meanwhile, defeated Ixias 24-6 in their first match of the 2009 competition; their first victory over Ixias in three years.
Last week the Kovsies beat the Irawas – the Shimlas second team – 38-30, bagging a valuable bonus point in the process. (Shimlas thrashed Collegians 71-5 the last time these two sides met in 2008.)
Shimlas – who played some exciting rugby during the latter stages of the 2009 Varsity Cup – are in third place on the ‘Stadsbeker’ standings with four games in hand. ‘Oud-Greys’, who top the standings, have 22 league points after five matches. Their only remaining encounter is against the selfsame Shimlas on Saturday, May 23.
In team news ahead of Wednesday’s clash, nippy little scrumhalf Marlin Ruiters will start in place of regular captain, Jaco Colyn, who, at times, played in the No.10 shirt during the Varsity Cup. Colyn will start from the bench, but he will still lead the side, despite Ruiters getting a run in the No.9 shirt.
Lionel Cronjé, Shimlas’ South Africa Under-20 star, will have to be watched closely by the home side, as will powerhouse No.8 Arné Grobbelaar – another Varsity Cup star.
Flyhalf Cronjé was in superb form against Irawas and his presence, along with that of Llewellyn Adonis, Shagan Windvogel and Beast Ndwandwa have all played provincial rugby at some point in their careers.
Collegians will finalise their team on Tuesday night.
Their lock Piet van den Heever and two props Danie van Wyngaardt and Leroy Coetzee are both injured and will miss the match and the home side’s hopes will rest once again on centre Thinus Loock and scrumhalf Robert Doubell.
The Shimlas team for Wednesday: 15 Llewellyn Adonis, 14 Shagan Windvogel, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Earl Snyman, 11 Beast Ndwandwa, 10 Lionel Cronjé, 9 Marlin Ruiters, 8 Arné Grobbelaar, 7 Phillip van der Walt, 6 Paul Roux, 5 Sybrand Mostert, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Vaatjie Koorsen, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Kevin Stevens.
