Both of last year’s finalists are playing away from home in the FNB Varsity Cup semi-finals on Monday.
Defending champions FNB UCT travel to Bloemfontein to face the unbeaten FNB UFS-Shimlas and FNB NWU-Pukke take on the table-topping FNB UP-Tuks in Pretoria, with both matches televised live on Supersport 1.
The Ikeys and NWU-Pukke both won home semi-finals last year, before going on to contest the epic final in Potchefstroom which saw UCT launch an incredible late comeback to clinch their 2nd title.
This year they both had to work hard in the last open Round last week for their place in the play-offs, with UCT grinding out an 8 / 0 win over UJ on the Green Mile and NWU-Pukke’s 2 bonus points in a losing cause against UFS-Shimlas, enough to book semi-final spots.
It will be a 1st-ever home semi-final for UFS-Shimlas, who are the only team that did not lose in the round robin phase of the competition, and they should be confident against a UCT side that they beat 44 / 24 at Shimla Park in Round 6.
However, UFS-Shimla coach and former Springbok utility back Franco Smith knows that his team cannot afford to underestimate the Ikeys after their heroics in last year’s final.
“I think they must be one of the more difficult sides in the competition, they have got that never-say-die attitude. They are the champs and they would definitely like to prove their worth,” he said.
2-Time champions UP-Tuks have only lost 1 game this year, which was against their semi-final opponents NWU-Pukke who beat them 42 / 37 in an absolute thriller in Potchefstroom back in Round 4.
The nominees for the FNB Player that Rocks award have been announced, along with the Forward and Back that Rocks and the Varsity Shield awards.
UP-Tuks skipper Wiaan Liebenberg, young NMMU flank CJ Velleman and NWU-Pukke fullback Rhyno Smith are the contenders to be named Player that Rocks.
The Forwards that Rock nominees are all openside flanks, with Velleman joined by Maties’ Beyers de Villiers and UCT’s Jason Klaasen while in the backs it is between Smith, UFS-Shimlas captain AJ Coertzen and UCT flyer Lihleli Xoli.
The Varsity Cup play-offs will see the traditional rugby posts replaced with the American National Football League (NFL)-style posts.
FNB and Steinhoff International have introduced this new innovation to place the NFL style posts at the semi-final and final venues in order to help FNB Varsity Cup cement its place as a leader in sportainment. The dimensions for these new posts are the same as the current rugby post above the crossbar, with the exception that it stands on 1 leg and has a catching net.
In the final round of the Varsity Shield there will be something riding on both games with hosts FNB UKZN and and FNB UWC both bidding to join FNB Wits in the final next week.
The UKZN Impi are just 1 log point ahead of UWC and take on FNB Fort Hare at Howard College in Durban, while UWC are up against Wits in Bellville.
There is just 1 Varsity Young Guns clash left before the final between defending champions UFS and UP-Tuks in Bloemfontein next week, with UJ hosting the Junior Maties in Johannesburg looking to end the season on a high.
In the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship there are 3 teams fighting for the right to join Steinhoff Vishuis in the final, with both games set to have an influence on which sides gets through.
Steinhoff Mopanie are in pole position ahead of their trip to Johannesburg to face Steinhoff Bastion who could also sneak through, while Steinhoff Patria need a win over Steinhoff Cobras in Potchefstroom to put themselves in the mix.
Varsity Cup fixtures:
FNB UFS-Shimlas vs FNB UCT:
(Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time – televised live on Supersport 1)
FNB UFS-Shimlas: 15 AJ Coertzen (Captain), 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 JP Coetzee, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Gerhard Olivier, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Boela Venter, 4 Johan van der Hoogt, 3 Conraad Van Vuuren, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Elandre Hugget, 17 Theunis Nieuwoudt, 18 De Wet Kruger, 19 Henco Venter, 20 Nhlanhla Hlongwane, 21 Maphutha Dolo, 22 Refuoe Rampete, 23 Dolph Botha.
FNB UCT: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Guy Schwikkard, 11 Dylan Sage, 10 Warren Seals, 9 Ryan Dugmore, 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Michael Botha (Captain), 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Kyle Whyte, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew
Replacements: 16 Msizi Zondi, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Stephen Wallace, 21 Nicholas Holton, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 David Maasch.
Referees: Lesego Legoete, Jaco Pretorius
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: JJ Wagner
FNB UP-Tuks vs FNB NWU-Pukke:
(Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time – televised live on Supersport 1)
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 Rudolph Smith, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (Captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Jan Enslin, 1 Justin Forwood
Replacements: 16 Jan Van der Merwe, 17 Nqobisizwe, 18 Dennis Visser, 19 Hein Viljoen, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dewald Human, 22 Adrian Maebane, 23 Dayan van der Westhuizen.
FNB NWU-Pukke: 15 Johannes Briers, 14 Dalen Goliath, 13 Rowayne Beukman, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Juandre Williams, 10 Rhyno Smith, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Captain), 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Armandt Liebenberg, 5 Daniel Jordaan, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Johan Smith
Replacements: 16 Wian Fourie, 17 Mogau Mabokela, 18 Walt Steenkamp, 19 Moletsi Bouwer, 20 Malherbe Swart, 21 Johnny Welthagen, 22 Bouke Tack, 23 Cayle Denner.
Referees: Rodney Boneparte, Francois Pretorius
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Willie Vos
Varsity Shield fixtures:
FNB UKZN vs FNB Fort Hare:
(Howard College, Durban – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
FNB UWC vs FNB Wits:
(UWC Sports Stadium, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time)
Varsity Young Guns fixture:
FNB UJ Young Guns vs Steinhoff Junior Maties:
(Milo Park, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 14:15 SA Time)
Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship fixtures:
Steinhoff Bastion vs Steinhoff Mopanie:
(Milo Park, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 16:30 SA Time)
Steinhoff Patria vs Steinhoff Cobras:
(Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-Off: 16:30 SA Time)