Round 5 of the FNB Varsity Cup will see a replay of last year’s epic final between FNB NWU-Pukke and FNB UCT in Potchefstroom on Monday.
The hosts will be looking to avenge their dramatic defeat, which saw the Ikey Tigers score 3 tries in the last 5 minutes to clinch the title, and keep their place in the Top 4, heading into the 2nd half of the current season.
In the other fixtures embattled 3-time champions FNB Maties will be looking for their 1st win this year when they host FNB UJ in Stellenbosch, while FNB UP-Tuks take on FNB CUT in Pretoria and log-leaders FNB UFS-Shimlas travel down to Port Elizabeth to face the FNB NMMU Madibaz.
Despite the inevitable hype that will come with the showdown in Potchefstroom, which will be televised live on Supersport 1 at 19:00 SA Time, NWU-Pukke coach Robert du Preez insists that it will not be about revenge but staying in the hunt this season with the play-offs fast approaching.
“We are not thinking about revenge, it will be stupid to go into a match with a revenge mind set, we just want to take things one game at a time.
“There is a lot riding on the game, with Ikeys being just 1 point behind us. We take things one game at a time and we want to take this opportunity to consolidate our standings and move up in the rankings. They are probably one of the most difficult sides to beat and it’s always tough to play against them no matter what the occasion,” said Du Preez.
Maties have only ever missed out on the play-offs once, and they will have to win the rest of their games convincingly to avoid that fate again, starting against a confident UJ side at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
The CUT Ixias have suffered heavy defeats in every game of their debut season so far, and will certainly have their work cut out for them again against a UP-Tuks side determined to bounce back from their first defeat of the season last week.
Pace-setters UFS-Shimlas are the only team in the competition that is yet to lose this season, and they face another test in Port Elizabeth against an NMMU side that has to win if they are to keep their hopes of sneaking into the play-offs alive.
In the Varsity Shield FNB Wits and FNB UKZN will be looking to put even more distance between themselves and the chasing pack.
The UKZN Impi go up to Pretoria to face the bottom-placed FNB TUT Vikings and Wits host the FNB Fort Hare Blues in Johannesburg.
There is a full round of 4 fixtures in the Varsity Young Guns competition with NMMU hosting CUT in Port Elizabeth, 2-time champions UP-Tuks up against UJ in Pretoria, NWU-Pukke facing defending champions UFS in Potchefstroom and the Junior Maties squaring off with the UCT Trojans in Stellenbosch.
In the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship Steinhoff Mopanie will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season against CUT’s Steinhoff Tigers, while in Potchefstroom Steinhoff Patria host NMMU’s Steinhoff Stallions and Steinhoff Medies take on Steinhoff Cobras in the Cape derby in Stellenbosch.
Varsity Cup Fixtures:
FNB Maties vs FNB UJ:
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 16:45 SA Time – televised live on Supersport 1)
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 Derick Linde, 7 Justin Benn, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (Captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Abel de Klerk, 2 Neethling Gericke, 1 John Hubert Meyer
Replacements: 16 Craig Corbett, 17 Migael Grobler, 18 Lourens Fick, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Remu Malan, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.
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 Griffith van Wyk, 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.
Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze
Assistant Referees: Local
FNB UP-Tuks vs FNB CUT:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB UP-Tuks: 15 Jacques Rossouw, 14 Damian van Wyk, 13 Daniel Kriel, 12 John Jackson, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Dewald Human, 9 André Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (Captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Dennis Smith, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli
Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Neethling Fouche, 18 Jason Jenkins, 19 Pieter Janse van Vuren, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Joshua Stander, 22 Adrian Maebane, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
FNB CUT: 15 Luke Cyster, 14 Lethole Makoena, 13 Dean Kouprihanoff, 12 Jacques Nel, 11 Christiaan Erasmus, 10 LDuan Pretorius, 9 Dean Jacobs, 8 Daneel Botes, 7 Jean-Claude Fourie, 6 Frans Sisita (Captain), 5 Fanie Coetzee, 4 JJ Nel, 3 Gerard Baard, 2 Jozua De Jager, 1 Lens Noort
Replacements: 16 Ian Smith, 17 Niel Schoombee, 18 Jean Pretorius, 19 Rayno Nel, 20 Victor Maruping, 21 Dean Rossouw, 22 Naude van Biljon, 23 Boetie Makethlo.
Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Ben Crouse
Assistant Referees: Local
FNB NMMU vs FNB UFS-Shimlas:
(Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB NMMU: 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 Philip Odendaal, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Tyler Paul, 4 Stephan Zaayman, 3 Brenden Oliver, 2 Dane van der Westhuizen, 1 Arno Ebersohn
Replacements: 16 Jody Reyneke, 17 Steven Robbeson, 18 Robert Louw, 19 Ivan-John du Preez, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Andile Jho, 22 Brian Skosana, 23 Marzuq Maarman.
FNB UFS-Shimlas: 15 Marco Mason, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Gerhard Olivier, 6 Refuoe Rampeta, 5 Niel Claassen, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Theuns Neuwoudt
Replacements: 16 Marco Klopper, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Boela Venter, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 21 AJ Coertzen, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Conraad van Vuuren.
Referees: Francois Pretorius, Rodney Boneparte
Assistant Referees: Local
FNB NWU-Pukke vs FNB UCT:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-off: 19:00 SA Time – televised live on Supersport 1)
FNB NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Juandre Williams, 13 Rowayne Beukman, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Captain), 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Rhyk Welgemoed, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Wian Fourie, 1 Johan Smith
Replacements: 16 Wilmar Arnold, 17 Mogau Mabokela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Moletsi Bouwer, 20 Malherbe Swart, 21 Dalen Goliath, 22 Johannes Briers, 23 Cayle Denner.
FNB UCT: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Nicholas Holton, 11 Dylan Sage, 10 Warren Seals, 9 James Alexander, 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Michael Botha (Captain), 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew
Replacements: 16 Michael Kennedy, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Ryand Dugmore, 21 Guy Schwikkard, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Kyle Whyte.
Referees: Lesego Legoete, Jaco Pretorius
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Johan Greeff
Varsity Shield Fixtures:
FNB Wits vs FNB Fort Hare:
(Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB TUT vs FNB UKZN:
(TUT Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 18:30 SA Time)
Varsity Young Guns Fixtures:
FNB UP-Tuks Young Guns vs FNB UJ Young Guns:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 14:00 SA Time)
FNB NWU-Pukke Young Guns vs FNB UFS Young Guns:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-off: 14:15 SA Time)
FNB Junior Maties vs FNB UCT Young Guns:
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 14:15 SA Time)
FNB NMMU Young Guns vs FNB CUT Young Guns:
(Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-off: 16:00 SA Time)
Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship Fixtures:
Steinhoff Patria vs Steinhoff Stallions:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-off: 16:45 SA Time)
Steinhoff Mopanie vs Steinhoff Tigers:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 16:45 SA Time)
Steinhoff Medies vs Steinhoff Cobras:
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 19:00 SA Time)