Newcomers FNB Varsity College are coming into the 2024 FNB Varsity Shield competition with high hopes and expectations. The men from Durban’s promotion did not come by fluke, but rather as the result of a consistently impressive run throughout the build-up games into their debut season.
Head coach Jeremy McLaren believes his team has taken the new challenge head on and they are excited for what lies ahead.
“It’s a really nice opportunity and a blessing for us to now be part of this campaign. We are preparing ourselves mentally as strong as we can. I think there’s a lot of aspects to the game, so we are trying to cover the mental aspects, the human aspects and the physical aspects.”
“With everything being new to us, we’ve taken the challenge by the horns. We are excited about it (promotion) and I think we will grow very strong as Varsity College. It’s still early days,” McLaren adds.
Varsity College made a big statement at the USSA Championships putting together a string of big scores, a notable one being the 63-0 victory over their city rivals, Durban University of Technology (DUT). Their USSA run earned them a promotion/relegation match where they were victorious over the now-relegated FNB Rhodes by a narrow margin of 12-10.
McLaren says they relish the ticket into their first Varsity Shield opportunity.
“We will always respect any opposition and I think we played well in the sense that we were motivated by the opportunity to be able to play in the Shield campaign. I always say we have to crawl before we walk and at the moment we are crawling and we will slowly walk.
“We will play a good brand for our people to watch and enjoy. As a team, we will do our best to make everyone proud. We don’t want to be too loose and get ourselves knocked out of the Shield campaign. We will bring the fight.”
Varsity College’s first test will be at home in Durban against FNB TUT on Friday 23 February.
PROVISIONAL SQUAD (Subject to change)
Abande Mthembu, Benjamin Brett Field, Bunono Jabavu, Cade Latham, Chumani Nxoyi, Dallyn Johannes Beukes, Daniel Hendrik Van Huizen, Dyllan Nienaber, Enzo Van Niekerk, Erich Carl Ortmann, Ethan Hill, Frederick Nicolaas Marx, Garren Muller, Jacques Theron Du Toit Marais, Johan Cilliers Viljoen, Joshua Aising, Juan Orde Steyl, Laythan Sheehan, Laython Nel, Luke Christopher Horak, Macmillan Zvikomborero Mudara, Mandisi Nkutha, Mbasa Larry Nkonki, Michael Ayibongwe Ngwenya, Michael Jonathan Horak, Okuhlekodwa Asibonge Meyiwa, Philani Dwayne Khoza, Robert Anton Everson, Sivuyisiwe Mpendu, Sonwabo Maseko, Steven Scott, Thabo Njapha, Thendo Netshidzati, Thobelani Jili, Tshegofatso Ramaloko, Werner Coetzee.
by Mpendulo Letsoalo
