Patriot have an eye on following week
TUT's Steinhoff Koshuis team, Steinhoff Patriot, will travel to Johannesburg on Monday for a must-win Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships fixture - but also with an eye on the following week's proceedings.
Patriot, who lost their opening game 15-42 to Maroela (Tuks) on February 22, will go head-to-head with UJ's top Koshuis team, Bastion, in a game that neither side can afford to lose.
Patriot, and to a lesser degree Bastion, can still make it into the 2010 semifinals, but they have to open their account against the selfsame Bastion on Monday - which, of course, would then mean the end of Bastion's semifinal hopes.
If Patriot beat Bastion that would give them all to play for the following week - March 15 - against Villagers (Pukke); in one of two crucial last-round fixtures that could be hosted in Tshwane, the other, of course, involving the TUT Vikings against NMMU in the Varsity Cup.
"The guys are still positive," said Patriot coach Johan Visser, echoing his views from last week.
"The week off has done us the world of good and we've been able to get a few new faces involved - after they missed our opening game against Maroela - but, now, we're battling with some other players who are writing exams."
Visser is in his first season in charge of Patriot in the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships and he told varsitycup.co.za: "We've been lucky that we haven't had to travel too much this season, but I know the guys are a bit upset that they weren't able to spend a night in Potch (this season)!
"If we win on Monday, next week's game could then become a big one for everyone at TUT, but we know we first have to do the job this Monday before worrying about the following week."
Win or lose, however, Visser and his players have loved being a part of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Champs.
He added: "This tournament is fantastic on so many levels, but a big factor that could work in our favour is that many of my guys are hungry to prove (over the next two weeks) that they, in fact, belong in the Vikings team in the Varsity Cup and that could spur them on to play the games of their lives."