Intervarsity: The big one is back!

FNB UCT and FNB Maties - the finalists in the 2010 Varsity Cup - will renew rivalries this Saturday afternoon when they go head-to-head in a WP Super League clash at the Green Mile, a match that is also doubling up as an official Intervarsity clash.

UCT, despite losing 14-17 to the Maties in that Varsity Cup Final at the end of March, can easily be considered as favourites going into Saturday.

For starters, the Men in Blue & White have not lost a match in the 2010 Western Province Super League, whilst last weekend they beat defending national and local club champions, Hamilton's, in convincing fashion.

The Maties, on the other hand, went down to Hamilton's a few weeks ago, before also suffering a defeat at the hands of a fired-up False Bay outfit last Saturday.

Of course, losing two matches - from eight starts - is hardly a bad string of results, but Stellenbosch set - and demand - high standards and they are under a fair bit of pressure, despite winning a third successive Varsity Cup Final a few short weeks ago. (And despite also topping the Super League standings at present.)

"No coach likes to lose and I'm no different," Maties head coach Chean Roux told varsitycup.co.za.

"However, these past few weeks have been tough... We've played eight matches since the Varsity Cup Final on March 29 and I'm simply just hoping to get my guys through 80 minutes come Saturday."

To top it all off - having to battle a hectic playing schedule in recent weeks - Roux also has a few injury worries, with eighthman Tertius Daniller, centre Paul Bosch and fullback Jurgen Visser all under injury clouds.

"I'm definitely not trying to play the underdog card," added Roux, "but it's been tough building (any) momentum over these past few weeks and UCT will be thinking that this is as good a chance as ever to put one over us - so, I guess, fair enough.

"They key for us is to make a good start - if they get on top of us early on, it could be a long day, but I guess that's the beauty of sport... However, at the end of the day - and no matter what challenge we're facing - we will not roll over and play dead!"

UCT head coach John Dobson is well aware of the Maties' playing schedule - not to mention their injury count.

The wily Ikeys boss, however, knows what the Men in Maroon are capable of - especially with his team having suffered narrow losses during the 2010 Varsity Cup (in a league match and the final), not to mention a 16-16 draw in this corresponding fixture at Newlands last season.

But the home side are 'due' a win against their old foes and a possible victory on Saturday could see the Ikeys (the only unbeaten team in the Super League at present) sitting pretty in terms of league - and other - aspirations.

"Maties have a phenomenal amount of quality players with loads of provincial experience and, as I say, they will turn up for this game which they may not have always done in recent weeks," Dobson told varsitycup.co.za.

"I think we have to dispel things like tiredness or recent results - whenever UCT plays Stellenbosch the teams are up for it and tear into each other - they both lift their games.

"Other than the Intervarsity element, this is a must-win game if we are to have any ambitions in the local league," added Dobson - no doubt fully aware that a win over Maties will all but secure them a spot at the 2011 National Club Championships.

"I must say we would like to do well in a  very competitive league - the past few seasons after strenuous Varsity Cup campaigns we have looked to sort of maintain in the league and see how it goes, but that approach does not engender excellence."

* A Maties team was not available at the time of going to press with this article, but Dobson announced an unchanged starting line-up from the side that beat Hammies 21-12 last weekend.

The Ikeys, however, have been boosted by the inclusion of a fit-again Nick Köster on their bench - having recently returned from a long-term knee injury, suffering during the 2010 Super 14 - and the option of also playing Dylan Rogers off the bench.

Rogers - a quality tighthead prop, who can also pack down at loosehead - was a member of the Griquas Vodacom Cup squad, but has since been released and has returned to Cape Town.

The inclusion of Köster and Rogers - not to mention the retention of the likes of Tiger Bax, Marcel Brache, JJ Gagiano, Jody Burch, Martin Muller, Hanyani Shimange and Ash Wells - simply adds to the magnitude on Saturday (Intervarsity between these two sides dates back to 1911!), with the Maties no doubt also set to call upon a host of big names, many of whom played in the 2010 Varsity Cup and Vodacom Cup.

The teams:

FNB UCT: 15 Tiger Bax, 14 Marcel Brache, 13 Mark Esterhuizen, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee (vice-captain), 9 Nic Groom, 8 JJ Gagiano, 7 Jody Burch, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), 5 Bodo Sieber, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Hanyani Shimange, 1 Ashley Wells.
Replacements: 16 Mark Goosen, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Don Armand, 19 Yaya Hartzenberg, 20 Nick Köster, 21 Sharief Hendricks, 21 Pete Haw, 22 Paul Cohen, 23 Dylan Rogers.

Head coach: John Dobson
Assistant coach: Kevin Foote

FNB Maties: TBC.

Head coach: Chean Roux
Assistant coaches: Germaine Brinkhuis, Sollie Goosen

Date: Saturday, May 8
Kick-off: 4pm
Venue: Green Mile (Groote Schuur, Cape Town)