It’s history against heart in 2010 SAA Club Champs final
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Maties will have to overcome what coach Chean Roux has called the ‘best-coached’ team at the 2010 SAA National Club Champs if they are to claim an unprecedented 13th national crown at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Friday.
The Stellenbosch students will play KZN champions College Rovers after both teams enjoyed easy victories in their semifinals on Wednesday. Maties dethroned defending champions and Western Province arch-rivals Hamilton 45-19 while Rovers upstaged the more fancied Pukke – winners in 2004, 2006 and 2008 – by running out comfortable 33-14 winners.
The battle between the reigning Varsity Cup champions and the country’s best open club for the title of overall club champion is an intriguing one that pits Maties’ history against Rovers’ heart. The students have won the tournament 12 times and will be up against a team that will be appearing in only their third final and who have never lifted the trophy.
The match also promises to be an interesting tactical battle between two young coaches who have not only played professional rugby but have also worn their club’s colours with distinction.
“We’ve been here before but have never crossed the final hurdle,” said Rovers’ coach Brad MacLeod-Henderson. “Hopefully this year could be our year. Maties are a quality outfit so we are going to have to be at our best. But the guys have stepped up this year whenever they’ve been asked to.”
MacLeod-Henderson, 34, played for the Sharks from 1998-2003 before spending time in England and Italy, where he turned out for Worcester and Parma. The former back-rower retired in 2006 after representing the Barbarians against Georgia, and has since turned to coaching his former club.
“It’s more a pastime and a passion of mine than it is a job but it’s been fantastic to see the guys develop this year,” he said. “We’ve played three games in five days and we’ve got quite a few injuries but all along the guys have had to strap themselves up and get out there and give it a go for another 80 minutes. We’ll give it one final push on Friday.
“Maties have a big set of forwards and quick backs. But we’ll go in with big hearts and we’ll give it all we’ve got. We’ll probably also need a bit of luck on the day but if we do then perhaps we can sneak a famous victory.”
MacLeod-Henderson was loathe to point out individuals but a number of players have caught the eye at this year’s tournament, including prop Sabelo Nhlapo, hooker-cum-flanker Jody Jenneker, centre Rudi Keil, vice-captain and eighthman Eric Ngoie, captain and fullback Chris Jordaan, and lock Byron Egan.
Roux, the former WP and Stormers eighthman, has arguably even more talent to draw from, with the likes of fullback Jonathan Francke, winger Wilhelm Loock, centre Dabeon Draghoender, eighthman Cameron Peverett, flanker Boetie Brits, lock Hugo Kloppers and tighthead prop Lourens Adriaanse playing excellent rugby so far.
“I’m happy for the win (against Hamilton) but it’s just another game,” said Roux. “I want us to play in finals and then what happens on the day will happen. Obviously we want to win but our main goal is to get into finals. That’s why nobody’s jumping up and down and there are no high-fives. We’ve still got a game to go.”
Roux said that Maties’ had Springs to thank for getting into the final, after the tough East Rand side gave the students a tough workout during their 49-27 quarterfinal victory on Monday.
“You need that pressure,” he said. “I think the reason why we beat Hammies is because Springs gave us such a hard time. It’s thanks to them basically. We were lucky to draw them when we did.
“Our guys were quite focused in the semifinal and it was the first time they played to the letter of the game plan. Our defence was brilliant, we played in the right half, we made them turn around, and it worked out well for us. Now it’s all about getting them mentally up for the final.”
Roux said he was impressed with Rovers’ play and predicted a tough match against the KwaZulu-Natalians.
“I think Rovers are the best coached side here at the Club Champs,” he said. “They’ve got structure, good defensive systems and offload well in the tackle. I think guys like Rudi Keil and Chris Jordaan give them stability because they’re veterans of the game. It’s not going to be easy.”
In the Plate competition, East London Police beat Mossel Bay Barbarians 40-10 to book their place in the final. They will meet Shimlas, who overcame Tuks 42-27.
SAA Club Champs Final facts and figures:
• Friday’s final is the 15th that Maties have contested since the tournament started in 1975.
• Of their previous 14 appearances, Maties have won 12, with their only losses coming against Tukkies in 1976 and Villager in 1980.
• Maties won their first four titles in 1975, 1977, 1978 and 1979 but perhaps most significantly they have won all eight finals they have been involved in since 1981.
• Friday is College Rovers’ third final. They lost the previous two to Pukke, in 2006 and 2008, both times at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
• Rovers have won the KZN Moor Cup for the past five years and in 2010 won the ‘double’ by claiming the Murray Cup knockout trophy.
• The Moor Cup is the oldest club rugby trophy in the country, having been first presented by George Moor in 1876 after a match in Kimberley. The trophy has an interesting story – it disappeared for 81 years before being found in 1957 and handed to the Maritzburg Rugby Sub-Union in the former Natal, who decided to adopt it as their own from 1958.
• The Murray Cup is also steeped in history and was first played for in 1890. It became the first sporting competition to be sponsored when South African Breweries attached their name to the tournament in 1958.
Maties in SAA Club Champs finals – P 14 W 12 L 2:
1975 beat Durban Collegians 28-20
1976 lost to Tukkies 0-19
1977 beat Harlequins 12-10
1978 beat Tukkies 15-9
1979 beat Tukkies 27-11
1980 lost to Villager 3-14
1981 beat Pretoria Police 32-9
1982 beat UJ (then RAU) 32-9
1984 beat Tukkies 16-15
1997 beat UJ 30-15
1998 beat UJ 28-10
2000 beat Tukkies 54-37
2005 beat UJ 24-13
2007 beat Tukkies 24-8
College Rovers in SAA Club Champs finals – P 2 L 2:
2006 lost to Pukke 21-33
2008 lost to Pukke 12-17
Fixtures for Friday 24 September:
Plate final:
11h00 – East London Police vs Shimlas
Cup final:
13h00 – Maties vs College Rovers
PLEASE NOTE: Both matches will be televised live on SuperSport 1.
Issued by SARU Communications
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