TUT to take on the 'Blue Bulls'

FNB Maties, the back-to-back and defending Varsity Cup champions, are playing like Northern Transvaal and the Blue Bulls in the years when they had the most physical pack of forwards in the country by far.

"In a sense it is ironic that we know have to play a team using a game plan originating in Pretoria," said FNB TUT Vikings assistant coach Jimmy Watt.

"If you want to beat Maties, you first have to contain their pack of forwards. If not they will most certainly scrum and maul you to pieces."

The Vikings and Maties will cross swords at Coetzenburg's Danie Craven Stadium on Monday, February 8.

"After watching their opening match [a 68-20 win against NMMU] it is evident they will also target us up front. They have a basic gameplan; they use their bulky and physical forwards to do the damage in especially the set phases and leave the rest to the backline to ensure the kill.

"They are very well equipped as a scrum pack and did a lot of damage with their clinical mauling against NMMU. After Round One all the secrets are out and it is up to us now to take them on where it count most," Watt told varsitycup.co.za.

"When we discussed our starting line-up for the Maties match, we all agreed that we'll have to stop their onslaught in the front row. That is why Jacques van Rooyen replaces Juan Pike at loose head prop."

There is also a change at hooker, but that was necessitated by the shoulder injury of Johan Pieterse. He is replaced by Dean Muir.

"Johan's injury is already a major setback, but we'll also have to face Maties without our most capped loose forward as Attie Mthya has injured his hamstring."

Mthya is replaced by Alfred Khoza. In the other changes to the Vikings starting XV, Jaco Oosthuizen takes over from Henk de Ridder at outside centre, whilst Manny Raposo makes way for Nico van Zyl at scrumhalf.

The FNB TUT Vikings team: 15 Hansie Graaff, 14 Johan Swartz, 13 Jaco Oosthuizen, 12 Lutho Nyeka, 11 Thabo Motau, 10 Jacques Venter, 9 Nico van Zyl, 8 Wikus Botes, 7 Emile Verster (captain), 6 Alfred Khoza, 5 Werner Lourens, 4 Johan Steenkamp, 3 Braam van der Merwe, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Eugene Cunha, 17 Juan Pike, 18 Dewald van Deventer, 19 Ryno Lopes, 20 Manny Raposo, 21 Felix Godlo, 22 Henk de Ridder, 23 Johann Visser.

Head coach: Alex de Kock

Date: Monday, February 8
Venue: Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm
Referee: Matt Kemp