UCT re-shuffle for Vics clash
FNB UCT have made a few changes to their line-up for Saturday’s clash against Stellenbosch rivals, Victorians, at the Green Mile in Cape Town.
Having drawn 40-40 with Helderberg in their 2010 WP Super League opener last weekend, UCT coach John Dobson is able to welcome back fit-again skipper Nick Fenton-Wells this Saturday against Stellenbosch’s Second XV.
Fenton-Wells – who captained the Ikey Tigers during the Varsity Cup – will pack down at No.8, with the hard-working duo of Enoch Panya and Zandy Macdonald continuing on the flanks and Sam Peter dropping down to the bench.
Elsewhere up front, Mark Goosen swaps places with Matt Page at hooker and Wes Chetty gets a start at loosehead prop. (Regular No.1 Ash Wells is on Vodacom Cup duty with Western Province this weekend – great news for him after a superb Varsity Cup campaign.)
In changes to the UCT backline that showed some good attacking signs against Helderberg last week, Marcel Brache moves to fullback to cover for the injured Therlow Pietersen, whilst Sean van Tonder returns the starting XV to take his regular spot at No.12.
Speedsters Marcello Sampson (pictured, above) and Paul Cohen fill the wing spots, with Pete Haw and Zubayr ‘Egg’ Abrahams backing them up from the bench. Flyhalf Matt Rosslee returns to the starting line-up – also assuming the vice-captaincy role in the process – and he will team up with youngster Nic Groom at halfback.
Regular Ikeys No.9 Stu Commins – who captained UCT at times during the 2010 Varsity Cup – has a slight injury niggle and has, for now, been bracketed on the bench with Sharief Hendricks.
The teams:
UCT: 15 Marcel Brache, 14 Paul Cohen, 13 Mark Estherhuizen, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee (vice-captain), 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), 7 Enoch Panya, 6 Zandy Macdonald, 5 Bodo Sieber, 4 Don Armand, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Mark Goosen, 1 Wes Chetty.
Replacements: 16 Matt Page, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Levi Odendaal, 19 Sam Peter, 20 Stu Commins/Sharief Hendricks, 21 Pete Haw, 22 Zubayr Abrahams.
Victorians: 15 Francois de Bruyn, 14 Nathanuel Pekeur, 13 Stephan van der Merwe, 12 Henk de Villiers, 11 Jason Poleman, 10 Koos Eksteen, 9 Gideon Strydom, 8 Kobus Kriel, 7 Christoff van Wyk, 6 André Lotz, 5 Dave Smith, 4 Hannes van Wyk, 3 Suan Havenga, 2 Gareth Light, 1 Kenny Langeveld.
Replacements: 16 Sidney Tobias, 17 Gareth Hartley, 18 Hendrik Stefan, 19 Stephen de Villiers, 20 Clayton Stewart, 21 Hugo Schreuder, 22 Pieter Greyling.
