Tuks showed immense character to hold off the juggernaut that is Maties to win the tenth instalment of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International with the scoreboard glowing 28-21 after 80 minutes in an exhilarating final at the Tuks Rugby Stadium on Monday, April 17.

FNB Player that Rocks: Clyde Davids (FNB UP-Tuks)

Scorers:

FNB UP-Tuks: 28

  • Tries: Chris Massyn, Divan Rossouw (7 pt try)
  • Cons: Tinus de Beer (2)
  • Pens: De Beer (4)
    Yellow card: Jaco Holtzhausen

FNB Maties: 21

  • Tries: Janco Venter (7 pt try)
  • Cons: Chris Smith
  • Pens: Smith (3), Tiaan Swanepoel
    Yellow card: Janco Venter

Teams
FNB UP-Tuks: 15. Manie Libbok, 14. Dewald Naude, 13. Divan Rossouw, 12. Joshua Stander, 11. Sibahle Maxwane, 10. Tinus de Beer, 9. Andre Warner, 8. Clyde Davids, 7. Chris Massyn (c), 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Aston Fortuin, 4. Brian Leitch, 3. Neethling Fouche, 2. Corniel Els, 1. Andrew Beerwinkel.
Replacements: 16. Jan-Henning Campher, 17. Jaco Holtzhausen, 18. Marius Verwey, 19. Eduan Lubbe, 20. Theo Maree, 21. Toko Maebane, 22. Keanan van Wyk, 23. Franco van den Berg.

FNB Maties: 15. Tiaan Swanepoel, 14. Kyle Steyn, 13. Michal Haznar, 12. Chris Smit, 11. Craig Barry (c), 10. Chris Smith, 9. Brendon Nell, 8. Devon Nash, 7. Kobus van Dyk, 6. Mitchell Carstens, 5. Janco Venter, 4. Ian Groenewald, 3. Niel Oelofse, 2. Craig Corbett, 1. Wesley Adonis
Replacements: 16. HJ Luus, 17. Ricky Ngwabara, 18. Wikus Groenewald, 19. Johan Momsen, 20. Stephan Streicher, 21. Remu Malan, 22. Ernst Stapelberg, 23. Duncan Saal.

Varsity Cup Dream Team to face the Junior Boks 

Following the final of the Varsity Cup on Monday night, Varsity Cup founding member François Pienaar announced the 23-man squad to face the Junior Springboks on 25 April at Danie Craven Stadium. Kick-off will be at 19h00.

The team was selected by a panel of independent selectors, who decided which players have been stand-out performers in their respective positions throughout the competition. The team will be coached by the winning Varsity Cup coach.

Here is the team:

15 Full back Craig Barry (captain) FNB Maties
14 Right wing Sibahle Maxwane FNB UP-Tuks
13 Right centre Aphiwe Dyantyi FNB UJ
12 Left centre Impi Visser FNB UP-Tuks
11 Left wing Duncan Saal FNB Maties
10 Fly half Tinus De Beer FNB UP-Tuks
9 Scrum half Andrew Warner FNB UP-Tuks
8 Number eight Kevin Kaba FNB Madibaz
7 Right flanker Kobus van Dyk FNB Maties
6 Left flanker Daniël Maartens FNB Shimlas
5 Right lock Loftus Morrison FNB NWU-Pukke
4 Left lock Aston Fortuin FNB UP-Tuks
3 Tight head prop Neethling Fouche FNB UP-Tuks
2 Hooker Wilmar Arnoldi FNB NWU-Pukke
1 Loose head prop Andrew Beerwinkel FNB UP-Tuks

Replacements:

16 Hooker Johannes Snyman FNB UJ
17 Prop Luvuyo Pupuma FNB Wits
18 Prop Nico Du Plessis FNB UJ
19 Utility Forward Johan Momsen FNB Maties
20 Utility Forward Phumzile Maqondwana FNB Shimlas
21 Scrumhalf Herchele Jantjes FNB UWC
22 Utility Back Ernst Stapelberg FNB Maties
23 Utility Back Michal Hazner FNB Maties

COACHING STAFF (dependent on who wins the Varsity Cup 2017 title)
HEAD COACH
Hawies Fourie (FNB Maties) / Pote Human (FNB UP-Tuks)
ASSISTANT COACH
Forwards coach: Drickus Hancke (FNB Maties) / Denzil Frans (FNB UP-Tuks)
ASSISTANT COACH
Backline coach: Norman Jordaan (FNB Maties) / Bevan Fortuin (FNB UP-Tuks)
TEAM MANAGER
Quintin van Rooyen (FNB Maties )
PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Robyn Phillips (FNB Wits)
SPORTS SCIENTIST
Jacques Durand ( FNB UJ)