Tuks not focused on playoffs
VARSITY CUP: FNB UP-Tuks may have overtaken FNB Maties at the top of the FNB Varsity Cup table this week, but they are not resting on their laurels.
UP-Tuks expected a nail-biter against FNB NWU-Pukke in Round Seven considering the teams’ log positions – the likelihood of a semifinal between them in three weeks and the fact it was an away-day at Fanie du Toit Sports Ground in Potchefstroom. However, they ran out 28-0 victors to lay down a marker as the playoffs approach rapidly.
“We expect a very good Pukke team, who have a very strong driving maul and a very good tactical flyhalf – very much the same as us,” UP-Tuks assistant coach Nico Luus said before Monday’s clash.
As it happened, UP-Tuks flyhalf Thinus de Beer used his wealth of experience to control the tempo of the game for the visitors and kept the scoreboard ticking over when opportunities presented themselves.
Luus had predicted a very physical game, after the sides had met each other in a pre-season fixture, which Pukke got the better off. So it proved in Potchefstroom, but UP-Tuks’ execution skills came to the fore – something they had been working on during build-up week.
Luus gave an insight into the mindset around their camp heading into Round Eight.
“There’s still a lot of games left so we can’t even think about semifinals yet, or anything like that,” he said.
In truth, there’s only one more round-robin match left for UP-Tuks, against the inconsistent FNB UCT-Ikey Tigers. They can then look forward to two weeks to prepare for a semi-final at their Tuks Stadium base unless Ikey Tigers provide a shock and UP-Tuks don’t add to their 28 log points. Then NWU-Pukke would still have to win both their remaining matches with bonus points.
It is with those permutations (unlikely as they are) in mind that captain Marius Verwey is focussed on keeping his teammates’ feet on the ground as they gun for a fourth Varsity Cup title.
“I think our execution was brilliant [against Pukke], but we can still improve. We need to if we want to go all the way,” Verwey stated.
