The 2016 edition of the Varsity Cup gets underway on Monday 8 February with new laws, try bonus points and some nifty innovations being piloted for the 1st time.
There will no resting on laurels this year as by the end of the tournament, the bottom side will be relegated to the Varsity Shield competition and the 2nd-from-bottom side will enter a promotion / relegation against the Shield’s losing finalist.
The action gets underway in Pretoria where UP-Tuks host NWU-Pukke. Pukke will head into the encounter with a bit of confidence, having beaten Tuks at the Tuks Stadium in the play-offs to book their spot in the 2015 final – their 2nd consecutive appearance in the final.
Pukke fell short at that final hurdle and will be looking to make it 3rd time lucky under new coach, former Springbok Sevens captain Johnathan Mokuena.
The University of Johannesburg will get their campaign started at home to NMMU-Madibaz with an eye on producing more consistent performances throughout the competition. UJ finished the 2015 campaign in 6th place after bagging 3 wins and 4 losses in their 7 matches while the Madibaz had their worst tournament to date.
The Port Elizabeth students managed a solitary victory in their pool matches to finish 2nd last. This year sees wholesale changes being made to their squad, with a focus firmly placed on giving younger players exposure at this level.
Down in Stellenbosch, hosts Maties welcome CUT-Ixias to the Danie Craven Stadium. The Stellenbosch students narrowly missed out on a play-off spot by points difference, when they finished level on points with Pukke. The Ixias, on the other hand, failed to secure a point from their 7 matches and will be hoping to turn things around.
The final match of the 1st Round sees defending champions UFS-Shimlas head to the Cape to face 2-time champions UCT-Ikey Tigers at the Green Mile. Shimlas were phenomenal en route to their maiden title and were the only side to remain unbeaten. Ikeys remained consistent throughout the competition and reached another semifinal, only to be knocked out by Shimlas.
We look at all Monday’s action!
UP-Tuks vs NWU-Pukke:
(Tuks Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-Off: 16:45 SA Time, 14:45 GMT)
Teams:
UP-Tuks: 15 Nicolaas Britz, 14 Keanan van Wyk, 13 Stedman-Ghee Gans, 12 Oskar Calitz, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Gerrit Engelbrecht, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Pieter Janse van Vuuren, 3 Johan Fouche, 2 Cornelius Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel
Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Stephanus Genis, 18 Aston Fortuin, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Quaid Langeveldt, 22 Adrian Maebane, 23 Justin Forwood.
NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Lucian Cupido, 13 Sylvian Mahuza, 12 Hendrik Marais, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Barend Janse van Rensburg, 9 Malherbe Swart, 8 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Jeandre Rudolph (Captain), 6 Jaco Jordaan, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Neil Morrison, 3 Bart le Roux, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Mashudu Mafela
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Estehan Visagie, 20 Kurshwill Williams, 21 Akhona Nela, 22 Elden Schoeman, 23 Mogau Mabokela.
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Maties vs CUT-Ixias:
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time, 16:30 GMT)
Teams:
Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Brandon Asher-Wood, 13 Paul Streicher, 12 Jan Venter, 11 Duncan Saal, 10 Theo Stapelberg, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Jacobus van Dyk, 7 Janco Venter, 6 Beyers de Villiers (Captain), 5 Wilhelm Sluys, 4 John Groenewald, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Craig Corbett, 1 Wesley Adonis
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Niel Oelofse, 18 Geor Malan, 19 Conal Brown, 20 Brendon Nell, 21 Barend Smit, 22 Edwill van der Merwe, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.
CUT-Ixias: 15 Willem van Tonder, 14 Pieter Toua, 13 Charles Hitchcock, 12 Louis Nel, 11 Hnery Immelman, 10 Darron Baron, 9 Maruis Grobler, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Mosoeu Maruping, 6 Sylvester Makakole, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Gunther Janse van Vuuren, 2 Theunis Truter, 1 Gerard Baard
Replacements: 16 Len Noort, 17 Juan Volkwyn, 18 Lodewyk Davis, 19 Abraham Burger, 20 Dean Jacobs, 21 Aliqhayiya Mgijima, 22 Lethole Mokoena, 23 George Marich.
Referee: Francois Pretorius
UJ vs NMMU-Madibaz:
(UJ Stadium, Johannesburg – Kick-Off: 18:30 SA Time, 16:30 GMT)
Teams:
UJ: 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 13 Bradley Moolman, 12 Robert de Bruyn, 11 Andires Oosthuizen, 10 Divan Nel, 9 Hilton Mudariki, 8 Jakobus Porter, 7 Kyle van Dalen, 6 Wian Conradie, 5 David Antonites, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Nico du Plessis, 2 Johannes Snyman, 1 Siya Nzuzo
Replacements: 16 Emmanuel Morowane, 17 Kyle Kruger, 18 Johan Oosthuizen, 19 Phenyo Seriteng, 20 Johan Esterhuizen, 21 Kobus Engelbrecht, 22 Peter-John Walters, 23 Brandon Landsberg.
NMMU-Madibaz: 15 Lindelwe Zungu, 14 Keanu Vers, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Simon Bolze, 9 Ivan Ludick (Captain), 8 Kevin Kaba, 7 Andisa Ntsila, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Wynand Grassmann, 3 Nemo Roelofse, 2 Jean-Pierre Jamieson, 1 Marzuq Maarman
Replacements: 16 Jedwyn Harty, 17 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 18 Elandre van der Merwe, 19 Jayson Reinecke, 20 Davron Cameron, 21 Courtney Winnaar, 22 Khaya Malotana, 23 James Beyl.
Referee: Rodney Boneparte
UCT-Ikeys vs UFS-Shimlas:
(UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time, 17:00 GMT)
Teams:
UCT-Ikeys: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Sebastian Roodt, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Hendrik Lategan, 11 Suwilanji Chibale, 10 Robert Anderson, 9 Dylan-Lee TIdbury, 8 Guy Alexander (Captain), 7 Luke Stringer, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Brenton Greaves, 1 Joel Carew
Replacements: 16 Keagan Timm, 17 Msizi Zondi, 18 Olwethu Hans, 19 Nyasha Tarusenga, 20 Stephen Wallace, 21 Hilio de Abreu, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Samuel Theron.
UFS-Shimlas: 15 Sechaba Matsoele, 14 Mosolwa Mafuma, 13 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 8 Albertus Erasmus, 7 Neil Claassen, 6 Refuoe Rampeta, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Jacob Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Teunis Nieuwoudt
Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Jan Venter, 19 Ntokozo Vidima, 20 Renier Botha, 21 Renaldo Meyer, 22 Daniel Maartens, 23 Jacobus van Vuuren.
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
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