VC semifinals: It's down to four
So, after seven weeks of intense league action – it’s all down to this; the semifinals of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International and the final fight to see who will contest the third-ever final in this exciting tournament.
Most people from out of town would already have begun making plans to attend the final on March 29 in Stellenbosch – the question, it seems, is who will oppose them at the Danie Craven Stadium; FNB UCT or FNB Shimlas?
It really is tough to look past the FNB Maties winning through to their third successive final… Pukke will fight hard, of that there is no doubt, but the loss of their talisman – and scrumhalf – Andries Mahoney (due to concussion) ahead of Monday could just have scuppered their hopes well before kick-off.
Coach Rudy Joubert, in speaking to varsitycup.co.za, put on a brave face after confirming Mahoney’s non-availability, saying: “If I didn’t think we had a chance, what would the point be of even arriving on Monday?
“I believe we were very unlucky against them this past week,” added Joubert, “the scoreboard doesn’t tell the full story, and I am looking forward to the match – as are my players.”
Roux, on the other hand, conceded that the loss of Mahoney would hurt last year’s losing finalists somewhat – but, he remains more concerned about his own team, having announced his line-up on Friday without injured loose forwards Cameron Peverett and Tertius Daniller.
“It might sound a cliché, but our only concern in the build-up to last week’s match (against Pukke) was our game – and it’s the same again this week.
“We did no video analysis on the Pukke team last week and haven’t done anything this week either. It’s all about executing our game effectively, no matter who we play against.”
Roux’s approach might seem hard to believe, but he believes in concentrating on the basics – with the rest, thus, taking care of itself – and who can blame a man, who has not tasted defeat in this competition since last year’s final league meeting against FNB Tuks, for sticking to his guns?
“As long as we have one more point than them (Pukke) come the full-time whistle on Monday – then we can look ahead to the final,” said Roux to varsitycup.co.za.
With the Maties expected to win yet another home semifinal (they have never lost a Varsity Cup play-off match), the attention will firmly be on UCT earlier in the day when the Ikey Tigers play host to first-time semifinalist, Shimlas, at the notorious Green Mile.
Much has been spoken of the treacherous conditions at UCT’s home ground.
The wind can win or lose matches – for the home side and visitors – at the Green Mile, and the Men from Bloemfontein seem acutely aware of the challenge they face.
“I just hope the wind won’t be the determining factor,” Shimlas coach Jaco Swanepoel told varsitycup.co.za, “us guys here, in the Free State, aren’t used to wind like that!”
For Swanepoel’s opposite number, UCT coach John Dobson, Monday’s fixture is the culmination of a three-year plan that he and former assistant coach Robbie Fleck dreamt up one balmy afternoon in 2007.
This year was meant to be ‘their year’, nevermind the fact that they narrowly lost the 2008 final and also hosted a semifinal last year – a game they would rather want to forget, despite their proud Varsity Cup history (having finished first, second and second on the log since 2008).
“We’re a settled side and a happy side, but we are up against the current form team of the tournament, who – in essence – have won a Last 16 (match) and then a quarterfinal in the past two weeks – and won them well,” said Dobson.
UCT have never lost to Shimlas in the Varsity Cup, but their most recent encounter – on the opening day of the 2010 tournament – produced a 30-30 draw; the Ikeys having won previous games by 28-14 (in 2008) and 23-20 (in 2009).
Dobson added: “They are a very good rugby side. And, as I always read, they should have beaten us in our league fixture, so it’s going to be a very tight, tough game.”
Semifinal team line-ups for Monday, March 22, 2010:
FNB UCT v FNB Shimlas, Groote Schuur
Kick-off: 4.15pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Ben Crouse
The teams:
UCT: 15 Therlow Pietersen, 14 Pete Haw, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee, 9 Stu Commins (vice-captain), 8 JJ Gagiano, 7 Mike Morris, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), 5 Donovan Armand, 4 Levi Odendaal, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Mark Goosen, 1 Ash Wells.
Replacements: 16 Matt Page, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Mike Ledwidge, 19 Sam Peter, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Douglas Mallett, 22 Mark Esterhuizen, 23 Wesley Chetty.
Shimlas: 15 George Whitehead, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Earl Snyman, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Beast Ndwandwa, 10 Franna du Toit, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Sybrand Mostert, 6 Gerrit Theron, 5 Wilken Heyns, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 Hans Grobler, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 PW van Vuuren, 17 Vaatjie Koorsen, 18 Lebo Zietsman, 19 Erik le Roux, 20 Marlin Ruiters, 21 Johan van Schalkwyk, 22 Divandré Strydom, 23 Johnny Harris.
FNB Maties v FNB Pukke, Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm (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 Josh Strauss, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Sam Mabombo, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Mike De Neuilly-Rice.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Light, 17 Johan Roets, 18 Marinus Pretorius, 19 Hannes van Wyk, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Jonathan Francke, 23 Andrew Crausaz.
Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 SP Marais, 13 Kempie Rautenbach, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Neill Jacobs, 9 Janis Terblanche, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Thabo Molete, 6 Siya Mdaka, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Francois Robbertse, 3 Stephanus Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenage (captain), 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Willem Barnard, 21 Ghafoer Luckan, 22 Dane Johnson, 23 Johan Coetzee.
CLICK HERE for all the Varsity Cup play-off permutations!
