Taute set for Varsity Cup debut

Precocious Golden Lions talent Jaco Taute has been drafted onto the FNB UJ bench for tonight’s crucial Varsity Cup clash against FNB NMMU at the UJ Stadium.

SA Under-20 ace Taute, who warmed the bench for the Lions in the Currie Cup last year – whilst still at school – can cover all positions in the backline, bar scrumhalf, and he could spark the UJ team into action should he get an opportunity.

In other changes to the UJ team, Aubrey McDonald will start at fullback, with star No.15 Earl Lewis dropping to the bench; whilst Corné Cordier (lock) will start at lock. Martin Lombard drops to the bench as a result of Cordier’s promotion.

Meanwhile, in other team changes across the country, ahead of today’s Round Six action, the Shimlas and Tuks coaches have both made late switches to their line-ups announced on Friday. These two teams – who are chasing semifinal places – will, of course, face up to each other in Pretoria at 6.30pm.

For the Shimlas, Hanno Pieterse – last week’s Man of the Match – has been replaced by Sybrand Mostert in the No.6 jersey, with Gerrit Theron moving on to the bench.

The in-form Pieterse, according to our Bloemfontein correspondent, Ruan Bruwer, has measles. Mostert will make his first of the season, whilst Theron made his Shimlas debut at the National Club Champs last year.

Morris Gilbert reports from Pretoria that Dan Nichols – who is nicknamed Crocodile Dundee – has been given his first Varsity Cup start this year as a late replacement for Coenie Pieterse who suffered concussion last week.

Nichols will start at No.8 for Tuks, with Marius Weber shifting to No.6.

Revised team line-ups for Monday, March 8, 2010:
(Changes in bold)

FNB UJ v FNB NMMU, UJ Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Matt Kemp

The teams:

UJ: 15 Aubrey McDonald, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Clinton de Klerk (captain), 12 Luhan Steenkamp, 11 Lola Waka, 10 Ryno Luus, 9 Jaco ‘Haas’ Snyman, 8 Hennie Killian, 7 Wiehan Roos, 6 JP Janse van Rensburg, 5 Marnus van Huyssteen, 4 Corné Cordier, 3 Clint van Niekerk, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Charl du Plessis.
Replacements: 16 Brett Claassens, 17 JP Olivier, 18 Martin Lombard, 19 Quintin Minnaar, 20 Earl Lewis, 21 André Smith, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Jaco Claassen.

NMMU: 15 Carl van Niekerk, 14 Oscar Mazaka, 13 Hugo van Heerden, 12 Braam Gerber, 11 Williams Heydenrych, 10 Willem Laubscher, 9 Luso Booi (captain), 8 Samuel Borsaah, 7 JP Kellerman, 6 Thomasau Forbes, 5 Mathew Lutge, 4 Jannie Fourie, 3 Pierre Hammand, 2 Werner Kapp, 1 Tyron Williams.
Replacements: 16 Chariel van Jaarsveld, 17 Thabiso Mgomezulu, 18 De Wet De Lange, 19 Kemsley Wesso, 20 Wade Roos, 21 Christopher Juries, 22 Stefan de Klerk, 23 Hanre Basson.

FNB Tuks v FNB Shimlas, Tuks Rugby Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe

The teams:

Tuks: 15 Shaun Davids (captain), 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Ernie Kruger, 12 Gertjie Smith, 11 Tom Seabela, 10 Stanley Twiname, 9 Ettiene Greeff, 8 Dan Nichols, 7 Tendaiyi Chikukwa, 6 Marius Weber, 5 Francois van Wyk, 4 Tiaan Nel, 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Chris Crous, 17 Musa Tukela, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Oswin Mentoor, 20 Wesleigh Marais, 21 Terrence Jacobs, 22 Justin van Staden, 23 Hein Viljoen.

Shimlas: 15 Reinhardt Erwee, 14 Divandré Strydom, 13 Earl Snyman, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Beast Ndwandwa, 10 Jaco Colyn, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Chris Dry, 6 Sybrand Mostert, 5 Wilken Heyns, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 Hans Grobler, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Lebo Zietsman, 19 Gerrit Theron, 20 Marlin Ruiters, 21 Johan van Schalkwyk, 22 Jamba Ulengo, 23 Johnny Harris.

FNB Pukke v FNB TUT, Fanie du Toit Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: François Veldsman

The teams:

Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 Muhammed Shuaib Samaai, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Neill Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Savvas Nel, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Francois Robbertse, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Stoffel Duvenage (captain), 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Thabo Molete, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Janis Terblanche, 21 Kempie Rautenbach, 22 G Luckan, 23 Martin Dreyer.

TUT: 15 Adilo Coutriers, 14 Johan Swartz, 13 Hansie Graaff, 12 Simphiwe Mtkulu, 11 Thabo Motau, 10 Jaco Oosthuizen, 9 Manny Raposo, 8 Emile Verster (captain), 7 Ryno Lopes, 6 Vincent Gwavu, 5 Dewald van Deventer, 4 Johan Steenkamp, 3 Braam van der Merwe, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Juan Pike.
Replacements: 16 Alfred Khoza, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Wikus Botes, 19 Athi Mtay, 20 Theunis Schoeman, 21 Felix Godlo, 22 Ruan van Loo, 23 Marco van Deventer.

FNB Maties v FNB UCT, Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 8.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Dilbert November

The teams:

Maties: 15 Adnaan Oesman, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Charl Weideman, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Tertius Daniller, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Mike De Neuilly-Rice.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Crausaz, 17 Johan Roets, 18 Sam Mabombo, 19 Cameron Peverett, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Jonathan Francke, 23 Buhle Mxunuywa.

UCT: 15 Therlow Pietersen, 14 Pete Haw, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee, 9 Stu Commins (captain), 8 JJ Gagiano (vice-captain), 7 Mike Morris, 6 Sam Peter, 5 Donovan Armand, 4 Mike Ledwidge, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Dayne Jans, 1 Ash Wells.
Replacements: 16 Mark Goosen, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Levi Odendaal, 19 Greg Mallett, 20 JP Robert, 21 Douglas Mallett, 22 Mark Esterhuizen, 23 Wesley Chetty.

Read the official Round Six preview HERE!