PREVIEW: Varsity Cup, Round Four
The tournament ground to a halt after Round Three after the much publicized protest action which interrupted a match in Bloemfontein between UFS-Shimlas and NMMU-Madibaz.
However, after weeks of deliberation and two rounds of action being postponed, the organisers of the competition have opted to have the remaining matches played at neutral venues, in an effort to have better crowd control at the venues.
Monday's action gets underway with a Bloemfontein derby between defending champions Shimlas and neighbours CUT-Ixias. The Shimlas are one of three unbeaten sides in the competition, having claimed three convincing victories from their matches.
CUT, on the hand, have had their best ever start to a Varsity Cup competition. They may have suffered two defeats from their three matches but their famous victory over two-time champions UCT-Ikeys ensured they sit in fifth place on the log on four points.
The back-to-back action continues when winless NMMU-Madibaz take on fourth-placed NWU-Pukke. The Port Elizabeth students have endured a torrid time thus far, coming close in two matches, only to taste defeat in the dying seconds of those encounters.
Pukke, however, have tasted defeat just once in the competition while claiming two victories to bag 11 points from their three matches and will certainly be eyeing this match to climb up the table.
The third match of the day sees last-placed UP-Tuks do battle with UJ. The Pretoria students have had a season they would want to forget as they are rooted to the bottom of the log, having yet been able to claim a victory.
UJ have been one of the form sides in the competition and, like Shimlas, are unbeaten. The Johannesburg students currently occupy third place with 12 points from their three matches.
The final match of the day is probably the biggest of them all. The Cape derby between the high flying Maties and inconsistent UCT.
Maties have been head and shoulders above any of the other sides in the competition with impressive performances that saw them claim 14 points from their three matches to sit pretty at the top of the standings – albeit by points difference.
UCT's campaign has been horrendous. They have yet to claim a win from their three matches and that defeat to the Ixias in Bloemfontein has been the low point of a poor campaign.
*The Varsity Shield continues with Round Six at the same venue as the Cup competition and will have two fixtures on show, including a top of the table clash.
It all kicks off when Chester Williams' UWC take on Fort Hare. UWC find themselves in third place, having picked up eight points from three matches and will be eyeing another victory over the Alice students to keep themselves in touching distance of reaching the final.
The sides met in the opening round of the competition with the Cape side walking away, 15-8 victors in Alice. Victory for Forth Hare will take them off the foot of the table.
The big match of the Shield sees run-away leaders UKZN-Impi face second-placed Wits. The Impi have an unblemished played four, won four record and should their rich form continue, they would be the favourites to claim automatic promotion at the conclusion of the competition.
Wits will be looking to hand their opponents their first taste of defeat and reduce their current seven-point deficit, thus ensuring they put some daylight between themselves and third-placed UWC.
All Monday's action!
Varsity Cup
UFS-Shimlas v CUT-Ixias
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 13.00, 11.00 GMT)
Teams:
UFS-Shimlas: 15 Marco Mason, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Mosolwa Mafuma, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 8 Wilhelm Kotzenberg, 7 Neil Claassen, 6 Musa Mahlasela, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Ntokoza Vidima, 3 Dolph Botha, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Thabiso Khanye.
Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Teunis Nieuwoudt, 18 Nicolaas Immelman, 19 Boela Venter, 20 Renier Botha, 21 Anrich Alberts, 22 Renaldo Meyer, 23 Chase Morison.
CUT-Ixias: 15 Meyer van Tonder, 14 Ruan Wasserman, 13 Charles Hitchcock, 12 Johan Nel, 11 Henry Immelman, 10 Darron Baron, 9 Marius Grobler, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Maruping, 6 Dean Rossouw, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Wikus Davis, 3 Gunter Janse van Vuuren, 2 Theuns Truter, 1 Juan Volkwyn.
Replacements: 16 Len Noort, 17 Gerard Baard, 18 Sylvester Makakole, 19 Junior Burger, 20 Dean Jacobs, 21 Ali Mgijima, 22 Lethole Mokoena, 23 George Marich.
Referee: Jaco Kotze
NMMU-Madibaz v NWU-Pukke
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 15.00, 13.00 GMT)
Teams:
NMMU-Madibaz: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Ivon-John du Preez, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Riaan Esterhuizen, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Simon Bolze, 9 Ivan Ludick, 8 Junior Pokomela, 7 Kevin Kaba, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 2 Warrick Venter, 1 Ronald Beyl.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Pierre Jamieson, 17 Marzuk Maarman, 18 Elandre van der Merwe, 19 Stephanus Nieuwoudt, 20 Sibusiso Ngcokovane, 21 Thomas Kean, 22 Warren Swart, 23 Nemo Roelofse.
NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Elden Schoeman, 13 Sylvian Mahuza, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, 9 Kurshwill Williams, 8 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Jeandre Rudolph, 6 Jaco Jordaan, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 Bart le Roux, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Johan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Mashudu Mafela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Christiaan Liebenberg, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Nkululeko Mcuma, 22 Ryno Wepener, 23 Mogau Mabokela.
Referee: Rodney Boneparte
UP-Tuks v UJ
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 17.00, 15.00 GMT)
Teams:
UP-Tuks: 15 Riaan Britz, 14 Keanan van Wyk, 13 Duncan Matthews, 12 Toko Maebane, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Frederik Eksteen, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Genis du Toit, 18 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Quaid Langeveldt, 22 Max Calitz, 23 Justin Forwood.
UJ: 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Peter John Walters, 13 Bradley Moolman, 12 Robert de Bruyn, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Divan Nel, 9 Hilton Mudariki, 8 Jakobus Porter, 7 Kyle van Dalen, 6 Wian Conradie, 5 FP Pelser, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Nico Du Plessis, 2 Johannes Snyman, 1 Siyakubonga Nzuzo.
Replacements: 16 Emmanuel Morowane, 17 Kyle Kruger, 18 Etienne Oosthuizen, 19 Phenyo Seriteng, 20 Devon Mare, 21 Kobus Engelbrecht, 22 Godfrey Ramaboea, 23 Waldo Weideman.
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Maties v UCT-Ikey Tigers
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 19.00, 17.00 GMT)
Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Paul Streicher, 12 Braam Venter, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Kobus van Wyk, 7 Janco Venter, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Niel Oelofse.
Replacements: 16 Craig Corbett, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Johan Momsen, 19 Saud Abrahams, 20 Geor Malan, 21 Christopher Smith, 22 Jason Worral, 23 JE van der Merwe.
UCT-Ikey Tigers: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Sebastian Roodt, 13 Lihleli Xoli, 12 Rico Lategan, 11 Nathan Nel, 10 Dylan Tidbury, 9 Dylan Tidbury, 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Luke Stringer, 6 Jason Klaassen, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Jade Kriel, 3 Joel Carew, 2 Brenton Greaves, 1 David Maasch.
Replacements: 16 Sean Paterson, 17 Msizi Zondi, 18 Mark Prior, 19 Duncan Saffy, 20 Steven Wallace, 21 Rob Anderson, 22 Suwilanji Chibale, 23 Samuel Theron.
Varsity Shield
UWC v Fort Hare
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 15.00, 13.00 GMT)
Teams:
UWC: TBC
Fort Hare: TBC
Referee: Paul Mente
Wits v UKZN-Impi
(Soccer City Stadium – Kick-off: 13.00, 11.00 GMT)
Teams:
Wits: TBC
UKZN-Impi: TBC
Referee: Mpho Matsaung
