Photo Credit - Speedshots.co.za
In the last match in Round 3 of the 2021 Varsity Cup Competition, Maties face Wits at the TUKS Stadium @ 19h00. Wits must be the disappointment of this year. They are pack with provincial players but are still looking for their first win. Maties bounced back after the surprise first-round loss and are still in the race for the crown.
Wits were outplayed by TUKS in round one with 48-25 and suffered another disappointing loss (22-40) against Ikeys on Thursday.
At the back, Lwazi Monakali makes way for Sthsaba Mqhatu at wing with Christian Humpries and Hlumelo Ndudula are the new halfback pair. Ziyanda Msipha is replaced at seven by Lindokuhle Ncusane with Constant Beckerling replacing Mark Snyman at six. Kevin du Rand and Bhekisa Shongwe are the only survivors in the tight five. Cal Smid, Keagan Glade and Morné Brandon are the other new faces up front.
Although Maties lost to the Ikeys(26-20) in round 1 they bounced back in style against UWC (43-21) in round 2.
Only captain David Brits, Sibabalwe Xamlashe and Munier Hartzenburg survived the axe in the backline while flanker Louw Nel is the only survivor up front.
FNB Maties – 15 Adriaan van der Bank, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 David Brits (c), 12 Waqar Solaan, 11 Sibabalwe Xamlashe, 10 Nevaldo Fleurs, 9 Dylan Alexander, 8 Matthys Kitshoff, 7 Louw Nel, 6 Mitchell Carstens, 5 Ben-Jason Dixon, 4 Simon Miller, 3 Matimu Manganyi, 2 Hendrik Luus, 1 Dian Bleuler. Replacements: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Edward Combrinck, 19 Dylan de Leeuw, 20 Johannes Nicolaas Gous, 21 Lian du Toit, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Mike-Junior Zipho Mavovana
FNB Wits – 15 Jimmy Mpailane, 14 Sthsaba Mqhatu, 14 Sthsaba Mqhatu, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Ngia Selengbe, 11 Matthew Mcdonald, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Phillip Krause, 7 Lindokuhle Ncusane, 6 Constant Beckerling (c), 5 Cal Smid, 4 Kevin du Randt, 3 Keagan Glade, 2 Morné Brandon, 1 Bhekisa Shongwe. Replacements: 16 Mulalo Sadiki, 17 Jason Cloete, 18 Ebot Buma, 19 Junior White, 20 Mark Snyman, 21 Runaldo Pedro, 22 Kurt Webster, 23 Yanga Hlalu.