Round 3 of the FNB Varsity Cup on Monday will feature 4 intense rivalries.
The action will get underway with the 1st-ever Varsity Cup Bloemfontein derby as newcomers FNB CUT host their cross-town rivals the FNB UFS-Shimlas in the 1st match to be televised live on Supersport 1.
The Monte Taljaard trophy will be up for grabs once again as coastal sides FNB NMMU and FNB UCT square off on the Green Mile in Cape Town, whilst in Johannesburg FNB UJ will take on FNB NWU-Pukke before the big North-South showdown between FNB UP-Tuks and FNB Maties in Pretoria.
All 4 Varsity Rugby competitions will be up and running on Monday, with the 1st fixtures in the FNB Varsity Young Guns and Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships kicking off as well.
Although CUT and UFS-Shimlas have never faced each other in the Varsity Cup, there is plenty of history between the 2 sides, so Bloemfontein is likely to come to a standstill when the game kicks off at 16:45 SA Time.
Newly-promoted Varsity Shield champions CUT are still looking for their 1st win of the competition, and would dearly love to make UFS-Shimlas their 1st scalp.
UCT won 2 trophies last year, picking up the Monte Taljaard trophy against the Madibaz in Port Elizabeth before going on to lift the Varsity Cup trophy at the end of the season, and having lost to UP-Tuks in Pretoria last week, they will be desperate to bounce back in front of their fans and keep the trophy in Cape Town for another year.
The trophy is played in memory of star Grey High School and UCT flank Monte Taljaard who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2008, with the match between the Ikeys and the Madibaz doubling as a celebration of his life every year.
After going down at home to UFS-Shimlas last week, UJ will be determined to put things right against a NWU-Pukke side that will still be smarting after seeing a win against Maties in Stellenbosch slip through their hands in Round 2, with a draw.
The late match will see 2 powerhouses of the competition cross swords, with 2-time champions UP-Tuks up against 3-time champions Maties, in Pretoria.
UP-Tuks currently top the standings on points difference ahead of NWU-Pukke, and will want to maintain that position, whilst Maties will be out to break the cycle of stalemates following consecutive draws in their first 2 games.
In the Varsity Shield FNB Wits will look to extend their unbeaten start to the competition when they host FNB UWC, and FNB Fort Hare will be after their 1st win of the season against FNB UKZN in Alice.
The 1st round of Young Guns action will see another Bloemfontein derby between CUT and UFS-Shimlas, whilst UP-Tuks host Ikeys and NWU-Pukke travel to Johannesburg for a curtain-raiser to the main Varsity Cup game.
In the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship, the Steinhoff Cobras take on Steinhoff Bastion from UJ in Cape Town, Steinhoff Mopanie and Steinhoff Medies will do battle in Pretoria and the Steinhoff Tigers from CUT make their debut against the formidable Steinhoff Vishuis in another Bloemfontein derby.
All of the Varsity Rugby match details for Monday 23 February:
Varsity Cup Fixtures:
FNB CUT vs FNB UFS-Shimlas:
(CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time – live on Supersport 1)
FNB CUT: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Jessie du Toit, 13 Ali Mgijima, 12 Duan Pretorius, 11 Mosego Toolo, 10 Luke Cyster, 9 Christiaan Erasmus, 8 Jean Pretorius, 7 Jean-Claude Fourie, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Fanie Coetzer, 3 Ian Smith, 2 Len Noort, 1 Gerard Baard
Replacements: 16 Jozua de Jager, 17 Niel Schoombee, 18 Daneel Botes, 19 Victor Maruping, 20 Arrie Vosloo, 21 Dean Kouprihanoff, 22 Naude van Biljon, 23 Boetie Makethlo.
FNB UFS-Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Arthur Williams, 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 Marco Klopper, 1 Theuns Neuwoudt
Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Boela Venter, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Nhlanhla Hlongwane, 21 Stefan Janse van Rensburg, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Conraad Van Vuuren.
Referees: Quinton Immelman, Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: JJ Wagner
FNB UCT vs FNB NMMU:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB UCT: 15 Paul Cohen, 14 Dylan Sage, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Nicholas Holton, 11 Khanyo Ngcukana, 10 Warren Seals, 9 James Alexander, 8 Guy Alexander (Captain), 7 Michael Botha, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew
Replacements: 16 Msizi Zondi, 17 Kyle White, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Ryan Dugmore, 21 Guy Schwikkard, 22 Dean Gericke, 23 David Maasch.
FNB NMMU-Madibaz: 15 Jarryd Buys (Captain), 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Andile Jho, 12 Devon Lailvaux, 11 Brian Skosana, 10 Ruan Allerston, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Ivan-John Du Preez, 7 Stephan Zaayman, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Rob Louw, 4 Paul Tyler, 3 Steven Robesson, 2 Dane van der Westerhuizen, 1 Arno Ebersohn
Replacements: 16 Warrick Venter, 17 Brenden Olivier, 18 Wynand Grassman, 19 Jody Reyneke, 20 Ivan Ludick, 21 Creswin Josephs, 22 Khaya Malotana, 23 Marzuq Maarman.
Referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Tahla Ntshakaza
Assistant Referees: Local
FNB UJ vs FNB NWU-Pukke:
(UJ Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
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 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.
Referees: Francois Pretorius, Rodney Boneparte
Assistant Referees: Local
FNB UP-Tuks vs FNB Maties:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time – live on Supersport 1)
FNB UP-Tuks: 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Ryan Nell, 12 Daniel Kriel, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 André Warner, 8 Rudolph Smith, 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 Clyde Davids, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dewald Human, 22 John Jackson, 23 Neethling Fouche.
FNB Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Brandon Asher-Wood, 13 Christoff van Tonder, 12 Koos Loubser, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Brandon Thomson, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Lungelo Chonco, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (Captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Niel Oelofse
Replacements: 16 Neethling Gericke, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Janco Venter, 19 Justin Benn, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Ernst Stapelberg, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.
Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Willie Vos
Varsity Shield Fixtures:
FNB Fort Hare vs FNB UKZN:
(Davidson Rugby Stadium, Alice – Kick-Off: 17:00 SA Time)
FNB Wits vs FNB UWC:
(Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
Varsity Young Guns Fixtures:
FNB CUT Young Guns vs FNB UFS Young Guns:
(CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 14:15 SA Time)
FNB UP-Tuks Young Guns vs FNB UCT Trojans:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-Off: 14:15 SA Time)
FNB UJ Young Guns vs FNB NWU-Pukke Young Guns:
(UJ Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 16:00 SA Time)
Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship Fixtures:
Steinhoff Cobras vs Steinhoff Bastion:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 16:15 SA Time)
Steinhoff Mopanie vs Steinhoff Medies:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time)
Steinhoff Tigers vs Steinhoff Vishuis:
(CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time)