TUT will be up for all-Pretoria Derby
It could be blessing in disguise that FNB TUT Vikings have archrivals Tuks as their next opponents in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
The Vikings are without log points after their first two games in the 2010 competition and have a lot to ponder after their 0-62 annihilation by defending champions, FNB Maties, earlier this week.
The FNB Vikings play against FNB Tuks on Monday, February 15 at the TUT Stadium and Vikings assistant coach Jimmy Watt explained: “Against any other opponents, it would have been a much taller order to get the players mentally prepared after the big defeat in Stellenbosch.
“But we have a long history with Tuks and in itself that will be enough reason for every player to be at his best. The coaching staff will have do very little to motivate the guys. They will be as pumped up as can be.”
Adrenalin will, however, not be enough for the Vikings’ first Varsity Cup win since March 2008, agreed Watt.
“In this regard we only need to do a simple mathematical calculation. To get to two you need one plus one,” he told varsitycup.co.za.
“As I said, the players will be charged up, but will have to take it further with their performance on the field. In the matches against both UJ and Maties we made too many unforced errors; like poor ball-retention, tactical kicking and [our] finishing.
“It all boils down to a lack of concentration which means that will have to everything right the very first time if we want one plus one to equal two,” added Watt.
As to what to expect of FNB Tuks, Watt said he and the rest of the Vikings coaching staff had little time to study their performances against Pukke and UJ (in Round One and Two, respectively).
“What I do know is that Tuks have never had a bad team and we can expect them to also come out with guns blazing as they need a win to stay in contention for the play-offs,” he concluded.
* Tuks and TUT have met twice in the Varsity Cup; with Tuks winning 43-26 in 2008 and 39-21 last year.
By Morris Gilbert
