Maties Maroon Machine ready to rise against high flying UP-Tuks

FNB Maties have their sights set on building on their morale-boosting win at home over FNB UJ. The men from Stellenbosch will be brimming with confidence after a more clinical display in comparison to the opening round, but they’ll need to have their wits about them as they face another stern test at Tuks Stadium in round 3.

The Maroon Machine are third heading into Round three where the unbeaten FNB UP-Tuks side awaits on Monday night.

The men from Pretoria have already taken one scalp of a Western Cape side, having got the better of FNB UCT Ikeys in the opening round. They’d love to cross another big name off their hit list, while Maties will be looking to halt Tuks’ early-season momentum.

CJ Marx starred in Stellenbosch’s 20-point victory and is hopeful of continuing his form against another side from the Highveld. Only this time, Marx and his teammates won’t have the comfort of playing at the Danie Craven.

Marx explained, “We’re sticking to our processes and our systems. We know what we have in the team, we just need to make slight adjustments. Things that have to change – stuff like error rate and just being patient and sticking to the plan, not doing our own thing.”

The Stellenbosch center says his side are confident ahead of their travels to Tuks, “I think the momentum shifted a bit after UJ’s game. Guys found a bit of confidence, and we had a really good week of prep going into it [Round 3].”

Maties know that their work will be cut out for them at Tuks Stadium on Monday with both sides considered as serious contenders to lift this year’s title.

“No plans changing, we’re just sticking to our processes and trusting the plan that has been set out for us and now it’s just executing that plan to the best of our abilities and giving it everything we’ve got.”, said the Maties midfielder of Round 3.

The men from the Cape winelands are confident of getting a win that would move them level on points with the men from Pretoria while a bonus-point victory would see them leapfrog their opponents into one of the top two spots.

By: Kieryn Thompson