Tough gig for new-look Shimlas

Of the five Varsity Cup teams competing at the 2010 National Club Championships, FNB Shimlas have undergone the most change since the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Most of those changes have occurred amongst the university's playing staff, with just "one or two players" - according to head coach Jaco Swanepoel - returning from Shimlas' 2010 Varsity Cup campaign.

"Those two guys weren't even first-choice players for us during the Varsity Cup," Swanepoel pointed out in conversation with varsitycup.co.za.

"We've lost a lot of guys since then [the Varsity Cup] - due to injuries, studies and various provincial call-ups... don't forget we 'service' Free State, Griquas and the Griffons - that's three unions, not to mention the Free State Under-21 team."

Hooker PW van Vuuren (Griffons) is one example of Free State 'farming' their players to other teams within their region, whilst a host of Shimlas stars - George Whitehead and Jamba Ulenga to name just a few - are currently turning out for the Free State Under-21s.

Then there is also the small matter of losing the likes of Boom Prinsloo (SA Sevens) and Wayne Stevens (Mighty Kings) - two key Shimlas players in the 2010 Varsity Cup - to other representative teams, or unions, and then also being without some injured stars and those with academic commitments.

"Remember, we lost (flyhalf) Reinhardt Erwee to a serious injury during the Varsity Cup and there's also been a few other injuries," said Swanepoel, whose squad is made up predominantly of Irawas (second team) players - most of whom starred for Shimlas during the 2010 club season.

"Jaco Colyn is finishing up his physiotherapy degree, so he's unavailable as a result, and we've got two other guys who cannot make the tournament due to their studies - one of whom is studying medicine," he told varsitycup.co.za.

It is pretty obvious that Shimlas will be up against it at the 2010 Club Champs, but Swanepoel and his charges remain as determined as ever to make their presence felt in Stellenbosch.

"It's all about getting through that first round," said the coach, whose squad will be captained by halfback Danie Cronjé.

"We're up against Roses United - a side we don't know a lot about - but it certainly doesn't get any easier should we get into the next round, with Pukke next up (for us).

"If we can beat Roses, we will be able to plan for the next game... but only then."