Old and new for Shimlas
FNB Shimlas coach Jaco Swanepoel has made some interesting selections for his team's 2012 Varsity Cup opener against the FNB Ikey Tigers in Cape Town on Monday.
The Men in Light Blue have not tasted Varsity Cup success in Cape Town - in fact, they have not beaten UCT in the Varsity Cup at all - but coach Swanepoel has picked a powerful pack of forwards and some speedy backs to do the job.
Out wide, former SA Under-20 flyer Nico Scheepers adds plenty of gas for Kovsies, with regular winger Cameron Jacobs starting at outside centre - alongside Rynhardt Erwee who has plenty of Varsity Cup experience in the No.10 shirt.
Erick Colyn, the brother of former Shimlas stalwart Jaco, will pull the strings at flyhalf, with Kevin Luiters wearing the No.9 shirt and fellow SA U20 star Pieter Rademan providing more than enough scrumhalf back-up from the bench.
Up front, captain and star flanker Pieter 'Lappies' Labuschagnè is good to go after a few injury worries (and that with Hanno Pieterse and Willie Britz missing because of injuries), and he will form a deadly back row with new face Fanie van der Walt (No.8) and the powerful Oupa Nohoje (No.7).
JC Astle is another new face up front in the second row (alongside the more experienced Joubert Horn), but the front row of Charles Marais, PW van Vuuren and Ian Potgieter is as battle-hardened and experienced as one would find in this tournament.
The FNB Shimlas team: 15 Shaun Davids, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Rynhardt Erwee, 11 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 10 Erick Colyn, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Fanie van der Walt, 7 Oupa Nohoje, 6 Pieter Labuschagnè (captain), 5 JC Astle, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 JC van Wyk, 17 Kevin Stevens, 18 Wilken Heyns, 19 Armand Koster, 20 Pieter Rademan, 21 Franna du Toit, 22 Earl Snyman, 23 Carl van Heerden.
Head coach: Jaco Swanepoel
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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