Kritzinger back for champions
Defending Varsity Cup champions, FNB UCT, will have their star playmaker Adrian Kritzinger lining up in the No.12 jersey in Monday's 2012 tournament-opener against FNB Shimlas in Cape Town.
Kritzinger suffered a shoulder injury in last season's Varsity Cup semifinal clash against the selfsame Shimlas outfit, but spent the next few months of 2011 training with Western Province before a groin injury put paid to his provincial aspirations.
However, the highly-rated Ikeys inside centre has bounced back to form and fitness this year, which saw him turn out for the Stormers in a pre-season friendly against Boland last month before returning to Varsity Cup training this week.
Twenty-three-year-old Kritzinger will line up in a new-look Ikeys backline (from last year) and one which boasts three debutants - the talented Dillon Leyds at fullback, winger Richard Stewart and powerful outside centre Damian de Allende - and slightly more familiar faces in the form of Mark Winter, Nick Holton and Nick Farrar.
Up front, new captain Ntsolo Setlaba is one of just two Varsity Cup debutants in the pack, along with fellow flanker Graham Knoop, whilst replacements James Kilroe, James Tatham, Nathan Nel and Digby Webb will be hoping for a first taste of Rugby that Rocks come Monday.
No.8 Greg Mallett, locks Levi Odendaal and Pallo Manuel and front rowers Wes Chetty, Shane Meier and Matt Page all featured prominently for UCT's Class of 2011 and will all, again, be key men for the defending champions against a powerful Shimlas outfit.
The FNB UCT team: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Adrian Kritzinger (vice-captain), 11 Mark Winter, 10 Nick Holton, 9 Nick Farrar, 8 Greg Mallett, 7 Graham Knoop, 6 Ntsolo Setlaba (captain), 5 Levi Odendaal, 4 Pallo Manuel, 3 Shane Meier, 2 Matt Page, 1 Wes Chetty.
Replacements: 16 Dayne Jans, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 James Kilroe, 19 James Tatham, 20 Steve Wallace, 21 Michael Morris, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Digby Webb.
Head coach: Kevin Foote
Date: Monday, February 6
Venue: UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town
Kick-off: 5pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: François Groenewald, Marius van der Westhuizen
TMO: JC Fortuin, Deon van Blommestein
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