FNB SPU positive they can bounce back after tough start

The loss to FNB WSU hurt, not because it exposed weakness, but because it interrupted the momentum within the team prior to that game. In varsity rugby, margins are thin and narratives shift quickly. However, for Tadean Barkley perspective matters more than the result.

“So far, so good with the team,” he says evenly. “We’ve been battling with a lot of off-field problems, with senior players not being able to play, but from a rugby perspective it’s been a strong and encouraging campaign.”

Strip away the scoreboard and there’s substance in that claim. This squad has shown bite in contact, discipline at the breakdown and have develop a scrum platform that has held firm under pressure. They have gained fluency with their phase of play, combinations are starting to speak the same language, and the defensive line speed has noticeably sharpened.

Where it slipped against FNB WSU was in those final exchanges.

“There are always areas to sharpen more especially around game management in the final quarter, but the overall trajectory is positive,” Barkley explains.

“We’re improving with every outing.”

That long-view approach has shaped the season. Preparation blocks have prioritised sustained conditioning for repeated high-intensity efforts, defensive cohesion under fatigue, and composure in pressure moments.

There’s also been a deliberate investment in leadership this is done to empower voices within the group so decisions in critical passages are instinctive, not hesitant.

This week’s build-up has been about being clinical. Set-piece accuracy. Breakdown efficiency. Defensive integrity. Ruthlessness finishing inside the opposition half. No noise, just detail.

In campaigns like this, character is forged not in comfort but in response. The FNB WSU result was a reminder of the standards required. Barkley’s message is clear: the foundation is solid, the growth is real but now it’s about translating promise into points.

The Gemmies are away in round 3 and will face FNB CPUT at 19:00 on Friday 27 February.

By: Bradford Petersen