Shimlas eyeing Intervarsity battle

Exciting Varsity Cup outfit, FNB Shimlas, won't be lacking any motivation for their most important clash of the season on August 1 when they travel to Potchefstroom to tackle Pukke in the 69th Intervarsity clash between the two old rivals.

One of these motivations will be revenge after Pukke took the Ussa (University Sports South Africa) crown from Shimlas last week in Johannesburg.

The Free Staters were out to win their third consecutive Ussa (previously Sassu) title, but their title dreams were shortlived as hosts - and fellow Varsity Cup team, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), easily got the better of them (34-15) last Wednesday.

Kovsies did nevertheless finish on a high, thumping Varsity College (KwaZulu-Natal) 49-11 on Friday to end third overall in the 2009 tournament.

Shimlas started the week with a great comeback win (31-25) over FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International winners, Maties, after trailing 3-15 at the break. That set them up with a match against the eventual runners-up, UJ.

But, as was the case during the 2009 Varsity Cup (earlier in the year), Shimlas missed too many first-time tackles and also struggled overall in the first half.

Although things went better after the break, the 20-point margin was simply too big to eliminate.

Shimlas coach Jaco Swanepoel was disappointed, and rightly so. "In the game against UJ we had plenty of opportunities which we let slip through our fingers," he told varsitycup.co.za.

"We made too many errors, especially in the first half, and by the time we woke up it was too late to reduce the deficit."

The win over Varsity College did, however, show the Shimlas mentor what his team is capable of.

Swanepoel added: "We really did well on Friday and for the first time played some decent rugby in both halves. That made the UJ match that more disappointing, because I knew we didn't play to our potential on the day."

The Shimlas coash was impressed by centre Hoffman Maritz, a 19-year -old that stood in for the injured Cameron Jacobs in the UJ encounter.

"He combined well with Wayne Stevens (inside centre) and continued his good form in the last encounter when he paired up with Jacobs, who returned from injury," he said.

Flyhalf Reinhardt Erwee also grabbed his chance when first choice Franna du Toit broke his leg.

"We are very thin on flyhalves so I'm relieved he put his hand up. Most of our flyhalves are with the Free State Under-21 team and we will need someone for the Intervarsity," he said.

Marlin Ruiters (No.9, pictured) and Sybrand Mostert (lock) were the other players who impressed during the week.

Shimlas will have little more than a week to prepare for the annual Intervarsity (against Pukke) as the university opens on July 21 only.

For any Kovsie student this is a game they want to see the Shimlas win.

History, however, is not quite on their side. They last tasted victory against the Pukke in 2007 (Ussa), with their last Intervarsity win over Pukke coming in 2004.

By Ruan Bruwer