Smit continues at flyhalf for UJ
Andre Smit will once again wear the No.10 shirt for FNB UJ in their crucial Varsity Cup meeting with FNB Pukke at the UJ Stadium on Monday evening (kick-off 6.45pm).
Smit was a late replacement for Arno Coetzee in last Monday’s run-on team, but he did not let coach Hugo van As down, slotting two conversions and two penalties as UJ racked up a welcome 44-8 win over FNB Shimlas.
Neither UJ nor Pukke can afford to lose this FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International fixture as the race for semifinal place hots up and Van As has wisely not tampered much with the team that did duty against Shimlas.
Hennie Killian (No.7) and Torrie Meyer (No.8) were, like Smit, late replacements in the UJ XV last week and they will once again team up with Frikkie Maartens in a well-balanced loose trio.
Hooker Neil Visagie will again captain UJ – who are in fifth place on the Varsity Cup log – against the fourth-placed Pukke, who are coached by former Springbok assistant Rudy Joubert.
Looking ahead to Monday’s match, UJ coach Van As told varsitycup.co.za: “I believe the team that executes its gameplan the best on the day will walk away as winners.
“One just has to look at the Bulls. Everyone knows what approach they will adopt, yet if they execute it well you are powerless to stop them.”
FNB UJ: 15 Earl Lewis, 14 Edrich van Tonder, 13 Clinton de Klerk, 12 JJ Pienaar, 11 Oscar Mfundisi, 10 Andre Smit, 9 Jaco ‘Haas’ Snyman, 8 Torrie Meyer, 7 Hennie Killian, 6 Frikkie Maartens, 5 Andries Nel, 4 Rob Andrew, 3 Clint van Niekerk, 2 Neil Visagie (captain), 1 Wayne Swart.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Ryno Bosman, 18 Martyn Lombard, 19 Julian Erasmus, 20 Bakkies van Zyl, 21 Arno Coetzee, 22 Itumeleng Mogotsi.
Coach: Hugo van As
Assistant coaches: E van As, M Masina
Kick-off: Monday, March 2, 6.45pm, UJ Stadium
