CAPE TOWN – Any rematch of a Cup final is sure to be good. And when NWU-Pukke face Maties in Stellenbosch on Monday night in the Varsity Cup, we’ll get to relive that thrilling 2016 final.
The match (7pm kickoff) at the Danie Craven Stadium will feature the sides that battled it out last year in a contest that Pukke won 7-6, and since Maties boasted an unbelievable crowd of 15 000 last week, Pukke will have to leave it all on the field if they want to deprive Maties of revenge in front of a roaring maroon crowd.
On paper Pukke, who won both their first two matches against the NMMU Madibas and UJ, should bag another win against Maties, who fell short to Tuks in round one before beating Wits last week.
But, as we all know, rugby isn’t just about win-or-lose stats.
The Potchefstroom-based team will have a bit of an easier time at the breakdowns against Maties, now that their captain Beyers de Villiers retired last week after suffering multiple concussions.
De Villiers’ brutal breakdown grinding and his no-nonsense approach to the tackle gave Maties a physical edge, and the fact that they have been struggling to emulate their 2016 form should also have the second-on-the-log Pukke, who have an all-round game, licking their lips.
The other fixtures will see Wits take on CUT in Johannesburg, while log-leaders Shimlas will face UCT's Ikeys (6.30pm kickoff) in Bloemfontein. In the other Cup match, Tuks will host NMMU in Pretoria.
In the Joburg fixture, Wits will be hunting their first win in three rounds, while CUT will also want to get a positive result after losing to Ikeys last week.
In the Shimlas-Ikeys match, the men from Bloem will aim to maintain their unbeaten run. It should be a hot one, as Ikeys are fond of playing exciting, running rugby over a full 80 minutes – a similar style to that of Shimlas. So we are guaranteed to be entertained at Shimla Park.