Roux: 'We'll take Pukke win'
As FNB Maties head coach Chean Roux experienced last year, rugby can be a cruel match. For that reason, the long-time Stellenbosch coach was not exactly shouting from the rooftops after Round Two of the 2012 Varsity Cup.
The Men in Maroon returned from Potchefstroom with a nailbiting 14-12 win over the FNB NWU-Pukke, but Roux knows it could easily have been different.
"Look, we'll take it [the win]," he told the official Varsity Cup website.
"Back in 2008 we should've won there in a high-scoring game, but (centre) Sarel Potgieter was caught just short of the line in virtually the last movement of the match... so I know how tough it is to win there and how disappointing it is to just finish on the losing side.
"I thought our defence held up well - aside from their first try and when they nearly scored again through their No.8, but I think there was some excellent defence from both sides on the night."
Whilst the match at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds was quite dramatic, in terms of Stellenbosch's late match-winning try, it was not the most flowing of Varsity Cup matches.
"Not to make any excuses, but it was very humid out there and the ball was slippery," said Roux. "The conditions were worse than I'd ever experienced during my playing days in Durban!
"But despite that, I thought there was plenty intensity out there... and it was certainly very physical.
"Don't forget though," he added, "it's quite tough to play a 7pm match away from home, and I was very worried that my guys wouldn't be switched on. As it turns out, we obviously (just) did enough and, like I said, I'll take the win!"
Looking ahead to Round Three action, Roux's Maties will be entertaining the FNB Shimlas at the Danie Craven Stadium next Monday.
This is the same Shimlas side that smashed FNB UCT in the first round of action some ten days ago - only to suffer a shock 27-29 home loss to the FNB Madibaz this past week.
Said Roux: "I actually though the Madibaz were unlucky in their opening game against Pukke - they're a much, much improved team.
"I haven't watched the Shimlas-Madibaz game in its entirety yet, but Shimlas will certainly be heading to Stellenbosch with a point to prove after that loss. We won't be under-estimating anyone."
Centre Stokkies Hanekom hurt his ankle against the Pukke and looks likely to miss out against the Shimlas, but his replacement, Wessel Coetzee, walked off with the Man of the Match honours in Round One.
Coetzee will move up from the bench, should Hanekom be ruled out, and Roux half-asked: "I don't think we've ever had the guy in Pink Shorts (in the Varsity Cup) sitting on the bench, have we?
"Wessel knew that Stokkies was the man in possession, so he understood that he would drop down to the bench (against the Pukke). That's a rule I have, the man in possession comes straight back - it avoids confusion and avoids putting a half-fit player under unnecessary pressure should he feel his place could be on the line if he sits out. At the same time, Wessel is sharp and he will be hungry to get back in.
"It also means that (No.8) Tertius Daniller should come straight back in after missing the Pukke match with a shoulder niggle. He's 100 percent fit... so he will go straight back in."
Monday's Maties-Shimlas match in Coetzenburg kicks-off at 7pm. The fixture will not be televised.
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