Shimlas are always in the mix

Shimlas - the first team of the University of the Free State - will be competitive in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International. They always have a good side.

Their captain is Jaco Colyn, another of the outstanding scrumhalves in South Africa. He is from Outeniqua, one of South Africa's best rugby schools and played for South African Schools. In 2007 he played for the SA Students team. He is 21.

Earl Snyman is also from Outeniqua and also played South African Schools. Others who played for SA Schools are Paul Roux, Hadley Smith, big Sewes Oosthuizen of Grey College, who has come back to the Free State after going off to the Sharks after school, and Marlin Ruiters who was at Grey in Port Elizabeth.

André Tredoux, like Colyn, played for South African Students in 2007. He and Johan van Niekerk, who is from the Eastern Cape, have provincial experience as has Llewellyn Adonis. Lionel Cronjé of the big boot is from Queen's College in Queenstown.

Shimlas: 15 Llewellyn Adonis, 14 Wouter Stieger, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Niel Jacobs, 11 Hadley Smith, 10 Lionel Cronjé, 9 Jaco Colyn (captain), 8 Arné Grobbelaar, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Paul Roux, 5 Frans la Grange, 4 André Tredoux, 3 Drew van Coller, 2 Hans Grobler, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Sewes Oosthuizen, 18 JP de Klerk, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Johan van Niekerk, 21 Marlin Ruiters, 22 Earl Snyman.

Coach: Jaco Swanepoel
Assistant coaches: Dougie Heymans, Ernest Beck

Kick-off: Monday, February 2, 2.45pm, Groote Schuur