The table-topping FNB UP-Tuks will be looking for their 1st away win of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International when they travel to Potchefstroom to face FNB NWU-Pukke on Monday.
The 2-time champions have 2 home wins and a draw, having been held in the opening round in Bloemfontein by FNB UFS-Shimlas who are the only other team left unbeaten in the competition heading into Round 4.
UP-Tuks will be up against a NWU-Pukke side smarting from their 1st loss of the season against FNB UJ in Johannesburg last week, while UFS-Shimlas host a desperate Maties team still looking for their 1st win.
3-Time-champions Maties find themselves in unfamiliar territory in 7th place on the standings, and things do not get much easier after their drubbing by UP-Tuks in Pretoria last week with an impressive UFS-Shimlas side waiting for them.
The 2 games to be televised live on Supersport 1 will be coastal clashes, with defending champions FNB UCT hosting newcomers FNB CUT on the Green Mile, and UJ travelling down to Port Elizabeth to face the FNB NMMU Madibaz.
It has been a tough introduction to the Varsity Cup for the CUT Ixias after gaining promotion, and the 3-time Varsity Shield team face another test of character against the Ikeys who will be aiming for another bonus-point win at home to put more pressure on the Top 4.
Having lost in Cape Town last week the Madibaz will be back in front of their home crowd, but they are sure to have their work cut out for them against a UJ side that will be confident after getting the better of NWU-Pukke last week.
In the Varsity Shield the chasing pack will be hoping to make some ground up on log-leaders FNB Wits who have a bye. FNB Fort Hare will be looking for their 1st win of the season against FNB TUT Vikings in Alice and FNB UKZN take on FNB UWC at Howard College in Durban.
The 2nd Round of the FNB Varsity Young Guns will see defending champions UFS host the Steinhoff Junior Maties, while NWU-Pukke go down to Port Elizabeth to face NMMU and CUT travel to Cape Town to take on the Ikeys in a curtain-raiser to the main game.
There are also 4 fixtures in the 2nd Round of the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships with Steinhoff Patria getting their campaign underway at home in Potchefstroom against Steinhoff Mopanie, 3-time champions Steinhoff Vishuis hosting Steinhoff Medies in Bloemfontein, the Steinhoff Stallions making their debut at home in Port Elizabeth against Steinhoff Bastion and the Steinhoff Cobras up against the Steinhoff Tigers at UCT.
All of Monday’s fixtures and match details:
Varsity Cup:
FNB UCT vs FNB CUT:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time – live on Supersport 1)
FNB UCT: 15 Paul Cohen, 14 Khanyo Ngcukana, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Nicholas Holton, 11 Dylan Sage, 10 Warren Seals, 9 Ryan Dugmore, 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Michael Botha (Captain), 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Jade Kriel, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew
Replacements: 16 Msizi Zondi, 17 Kyle White, 18 Mark Prior, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 James Alexander, 21 Guy Schwikkard, 22 Dean Gericke, 23 David Maasch.
FNB CUT: 15 Jesse du Toit, 14 Lethole Makoena, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Duan Pretorius, 11 Christiaan Erasmus, 10 Luke Cyster, 9 Arrie Vosloo, 8 Dean Kouprihanoff, 7 Victor Maruping, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Daneel Botes, 4 JJ Nel, 3 Ian Smith, 2 Len Noort, 1 Gerard Baard
Replacements: 16 Jozua de Jager, 17 Niel Schoombee, 18 Jean-Claude Fourie, 19 Rayno Nel, 20 Dean Jacobs, 21 Dean Rossouw, 22 Naude van Biljon, 23 Boetie Makethlo.
FNB UFS-Shimlas vs FNB Maties:
(Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB UFS-Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Niel Claassen, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Theuns Neuwoudt
Replacements: 16 Marco Klopper, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Refuoe Rampete, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Renier Botha, 21 Stefan Janse van Rensburg, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Dolph Botha.
FNB Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Jamie Joseph, 13 Christoff van Tonder, 12 Koos Loubser, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Ernest Stapelberg, 9 Bjorn Bernardo, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Justin Benn, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (Captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Neethling Gericke, 1 Abel de Klerk
Replacements: 16 Craig Corbett, 17 Migael Grobler, 18 Lourens Fick, 19 Derick Linde, 20 Remu Malan, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.
FNB NWU-Pukke vs FNB UP-Tuks:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Dalen Goliath, 13 Rowayne Beukman, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Captain), 7 Marno Redelinguys, 6 Molotsi Bouwer, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Jacques Vermaak, 1 Johan Smith
Replacements: 16 Wian Fourie, 17 Mogau Mabokela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Jaco Buys, 20 Kurshwill Williams, 21 Marnus Tack, 22 Heinrich Smith, 23 Cayle Denner.
FNB UP-Tuks: 15 Riaan Britz, 14 Damian van Wyk, 13 Daniel Kriel, 12 John Jackson, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 André Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (Captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Irné Herbst, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Juan Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Nqobisiswe Mxoli, 18 Dennis Visser, 19 Pieter Janse van Vuren, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dewald Human, 22 Adrian Maebane, 23 Dayan van der Westhuizen.
FNB NMMU vs FNB UJ:
(Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-Off: 19:00 – live on Supersport 1)
FNB NMMU Madibaz: 15 Jarryd Buys (Captain), 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Micheal Barnardt, 12 Devon Lailvaux, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Steven Hansel, 9 Ivan Ludick, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Jody Reyneke, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Rob Louw, 4 Paul Tyler, 3 SBrenden Oliver, 2 Warrick Venter, 1 Arno Ebersohn
Replacements: 16 Dane van der Westhuyzen, 17 Steven Robbeson, 18 Philip Odendaal, 19 Stephan Zaayman, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Andile Jho, 22 Brian Skosana, 23 Marzuq Maarman.
FNB UJ: 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Bradley Moolman, 13 Robert De Bruyn, 12 Adriaan Vermeulen, 11 Aphiwe Dyanti, 10 Jaco Fourie, 9 Chuma Faas, 8 Dylan Peterson, 7 Kyle Van Dalen, 6 Kobus Porter (Captain), 5 David Antonites, 4 Werner Lourens, 3 Nico Du Plessis, 2 Siphatho Qinisile, 1 Gareth Milasinovich
Replacements: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Brandon Landsberg, 18 Ettienne Oosthuizen, 19 Wiaan Conradie, 20 Hilton Mudarika, 21 James Campbell, 22 Dominic Kroezen, 23 Raeez Salie.
FNB Varsity Shield fixtures:
FNB Fort Hare Blues vs FNB TUT Vikings:
(Davidson Rugby Stadium, Alice – Kick-Off: 17:00 SA Time)
FNB UKZN Impi vs FNB UWC:
(Howard College Rugby Stadium, Durban – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB Varsity Young Guns fixtures:
FNB NWU-Pukke Young Guns vs FNB NMMU Young Guns:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-Off: 14:00 SA Time)
FNB UFS Young Guns vs FNB Junior Maties:
(Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 14:00 SA Time)
FNB UCT Young Guns vs FNB CUT Young Guns:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 14:15 SA Time)
Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship fixtures:
Steinhoff Patria vs Steinhoff Mopanie:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-Off: 16:15 SA Time)
Steinhoff Vishuis vs Steinhoff Medies:
(Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 16:15 SA Time)
Steinhoff Stallions vs Steinhoff Bastion:
(Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time)
Steinhoff Cobras vs Steinhoff Tigers:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time)
Do these players generally play for these teams for more than one year? Or do the whole teams change every year? That would make for an interesting comp
Disappointing PRO12 weekend with Glasgow and Edinburgh losing. With so many players missing from Glasgow’s team would have taken a losing bonus point before the game so it was a pity that we lost and got nothing from the game while Munster leapfrogged us to top spot with their try bonus point, scored by none other than CJ Stander after what looked to me like a dodgy maul move Concerned that Josh Strauss had to leave the field after what apparently a knock to the face, not sure what the prognosis on that one is yet. Rossouw de Klerk scored a try for Glasgow that any back would have been proud of hitting the gap at a great angle showing good angling skills and running strongly to dot down. What the video below doesn’t show is a controversial try that wasn’t given to Glasgow as they ruled the player was in touch before scoring but some don’t think he was:
PRO12 Round 15 results:
Ospreys 9/9 Leinster; Ulster 25/20 Scarlets (another 15 point haul for Ruan Pienaar ; Munster 22/10 Glasgow Warriors; Cardiff Blues 21/15 Edinburgh; Zebre 23/17 Dragons; Connacht 53/5 Treviso
Ruan Pienaar pivitoal again for Ulster, he got 15 out of their 20 points last week and 15 out of their 25 points this week, his try around 1min 15 sec of the clip. A lovely try (early in the clip) worth watching by Ulster winger Gilroy, just before that a nice intercept collection and run in to score by Scarlets captain and forgotten man of Scottish rugby John Barclay (who should have been doing duty at Murrayfield on Saturday):
1 @ Labuschagne:
The players often play for 3 or 4 years for their University… and some even longer as they do their Masters Degrees ect.
The rules have changed a lot in recent years that players are only eligible to play for their Varsity side IF they pass a certain amount of subjects ect, whereas before you had to just be enrolled at the University.
A good example of a lot of new players in one of the current Varsity sides, is Maties, who are playing with a very young side now, with not too many players having survived in the side since last year.
Tuks however, have many of the same names still playing for them, who also did duty last year.
What the exact criteria is however, I cannot tell you at this stage, as I have not endeavoured to investigate that yet.
@ grootblousmile:
Thanks, it seems interesting
Pity I cant watch any games here in Australia..
What is the value of playing at home for these teams? Seems like Tuks should smash Pukke with a few Blue Bulls in their team
6 @ Labuschagne:
If we’ve learnt anything in the last few seasons of Varsity Cup and already again this year, is that there are no certainties.
Lots of new and exciting players sticking their hands up!
Pity that CUT gets TV time every week… so too UCT & NMMU!
Every freegin UCT and every freegin NMMU match has been shown on TV.
Compare that to 1 from 4 Tuks games…
The big matches today are shunned…. what a crock of shit!
Shimlas vs Maties in Blingfontein
Pukke vs Tuks in Potjiestroom
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