Although looking forward to this year’s FNB Varsity Cup, FNB Maties coach Kabamba Floors said it remained a challenge to try and get the team back to the top as champions. They last won the title in 2019.
“In terms of university sports it is the biggest competition out there,” Floors explained. “As a coach one’s success is measured by trying to take one’s team all the way. And that is why we see winning last year’s Western Province Super League A competition as a stepping stone to achieving greater things with this group of players that we have assembled. It was a great opportunity for developing players.”
He said managing the team with the movement of players in and out of the system for various reasons also is a factor. “Remember, we lost quite a few players – Jurie Mathee (flyhalf), Thomas Bursey (scrumhalf) and Simon Miller (flank) to the Stormers and Western Province. Waqar Solaan (centre) is at Griquas, while Juan Beukes (lock) has made the move to Ireland (Dublin University).
“We managed to gain some experience by signing a few more experienced players, such as Juan Mostert (flyhalf) from the Bulls and Ryan Manuel (centre) from the Sharks, and two more post-grad students from other universities.”
According to Floors plenty of boxes were ticked in Maties’ warm-up match against 2023 Boland Grand Challenge champions Safcol United.
“A lot of our attacking plays came off, and our defence was good, although we conceded the three tries against the run of play. We played the game in the right areas of the field in terms of our decision-making. It was also a great opportunity for us to work on some of the combinations and see how they fit together in a game situation.”
Maties take on defending champions FNB NWU Eagles at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch in their opening encounter of the 2024 competition tonight (Monday 19 February).
