The 2012 Varsity Cup gets under way this evening, with two televised games to enjoy.
2011 champions, the Ikey Tigers, play host to Shimlas in the opening game kicking off at 17h00 at the Green Mile. The game will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1.
The FNB UCT team: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Adrian Kritzinger (vice-captain), 11 Mark Winter, 10 Nick Holton, 9 Nick Farrar, 8 Greg Mallett, 7 Graham Knoop, 6 Ntsolo Setlaba (captain), 5 Levi Odendaal, 4 Pallo Manuel, 3 Shane Meier, 2 Matt Page, 1 Wes Chetty.
Replacements: 16 Dayne Jans, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 James Kilroe, 19 James Tatham, 20 Steve Wallace, 21 Michael Morris, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Digby Webb.
Head coach: Kevin Foote
The FNB Shimlas team: 15 Shaun Davids, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Rynhardt Erwee, 11 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 10 Erick Colyn, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Fanie van der Walt, 7 Oupa Nohoje, 6 Pieter Labuschagnè (captain), 5 JC Astle, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 JC van Wyk, 17 Kevin Stevens, 18 Wilken Heyns, 19 Armand Koster, 20 Pieter Rademan, 21 Franna du Toit, 22 Earl Snyman, 23 Carl van Heerden.
Head coach: Jaco Swanepoel
Date: Monday, February 6
Venue: UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town
Kick-off: 5pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: François Groenewald, Marius van der Westhuizen
TMO: JC Fortuin, Deon van Blommestein
Later on, at 19h00, Tukkies play host to neighbours UJ at LC de Villiers in Pretoria.
UP-Tuks team: 15 Clayton Blommetjies; 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Dabeon Draghoender, 11 Hayden Groepes; 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Lohan Jacobs; 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques Verwey, 6 Okkie Kruger, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Mike Williams, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Zane Botha (kaptein), 1 Sabelo Nhlapo.
Replacements: 16 Jacques Momberg, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Jono Janse van Rensburg, 19 Lean Schwartz, 20 Clayton Stewart, 21 Willie du Plessis, 22 Riaan Britz, 23 Basil Short.
The FNB UJ team: 15 Chrysander Botha, 14 Aubrey McDonald, 13 Luan Steenkamp, 12 Divan van Zyl, 11 Andries Oosthuizen, 10 Guy Cronjé, 9 Jacques Pretorius, 8 Justin Wheeler (captain), 7 Wendal Wehr, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Jaco Vermeulen, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Heinrich Terblanche.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Marnus van Huyssteen, 19 Johan van Deventer, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Jaco Viljoen, 22 JR Esterhuizen, 23 Heinrich Terblanche.
Date: Monday, February 6
Venue: TuksRugby stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 7pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee, Johan

Pretty darn impressive Tuks team, no?
@hendrikp (Comment 1) : I think so… hoping they can take it this year
@robdylan (Comment 2) :
Rob,
I’ve been trying to find any news on Bredenhann returning to Australia. Can’t find anything… only news at the end of last year that he’s signed a contract with the Lions!
Think you might’ve got that one wrong?
@hendrikp (Comment 3) :
Ah dw, found it. Requested a release.
I hope Jaco Kriel has a good game. Really like him as a player.
Will be rooting for the Shimlas. Looks like they have a decent team. Fanie vd Walt and Nico Scheepers are 2 guys I like there.
Interesting to see Leyds at 15. Think he could shine in this possie and Luiters in ahead of Rademann – a bit of a surprise
Shimies leading 18-5 18min into the game, not as I predicted 😯
Shimlas leading 18-5 against Ikeys
remember that they’ve fucked up all the scoring rules for Varsity Cup this year, so don’t expect to make sense of what’s going on…
Shimlas have scored 2 tries (10 points) 2 conversions (6 points) and a penalty (2 points) to give them 18.
Ikeys have scored 1 try for their five points.
You just can’t make this shit up 🙂
@beet (Comment 5) : Leyds just scored the Ikeys try
Shimlas nr 4 Horn just got a yellow
@robdylan (Comment 10) : hey Rob, I forgot now, why the pink broekies again?
@Franshark (Comment 12) : Well it`s Varsity cup so I`m guessing he failed a breathalizer before kickoff? 😈
@Franshark (Comment 12) : well, it’s meant to be the guy who got man of the match in the last game… not sure how they decided who gets to wear them in the first game… maybe the team captain?
@robdylan (Comment 10) : Ja saw his try. He’s an intelligent player but the only 2 Ikeys players I’ve enjoyed watching are no.13 and 11.
I can see Lappies Labus keeping his pink shorts
18-5 to Shimlas at half time
@beet (Comment 15) : Ok, I have a dumb question…
how did that oke go from being probably one of the top 3 performers in the Cheetahs CC team averaged over the campaign, to not even being in the Super Rugby wider training squad?
@beet (Comment 15) : which school did JC Astle go to?
@robdylan (Comment 17) : @robdylan (Comment 18) : he went to a N Ntl sch either Pionier or Sarel Cilliers.
I think its testimony to FS being fair to Griquas imports but 3 Shimlas must be fringe players for Cheetahs: Lappies, Jacobs and Scheepers
@beet (Comment 19) : maybe even Van Vuuren
For u20 JWC Kevin Luiters has nothing on Vian vd Watt from what I see on display today.
@Original Pierre (Comment 13) : 😆
@robdylan (Comment 14) : thanks
Shimlas have taken all afternoon to figure out that Nico Scheepers shd be doing all the clearance kicking
Kritzinger was part of the Stormers training group a few weeks back so he must be a decent centre but tonight he’s just crap
BWAHAHAHA!!!
One student almost pulled Janine on live tv

@Original Pierre (Comment 26) : ja, lekke wind gat ne 🙄
@Original Pierre (Comment 26) : she’s not the same girl with the bleached hair from previous yrs is she?
@Original Pierre (Comment 26) : who’s Janine?
26-5 Shimlas.
cheers Tigers… guess Charlie Sheen got all your mojo 🙂
@Franshark (Comment 27) : He wouldn`t pass a breathalizer either!
@beet (Comment 28) : Nope dark hair again.
@robdylan (Comment 29) : Janine Oberholzer I think, she`s the sideline presenter.
Shimlas has scored a try to up their score too 28 – 5 Ikey’s
and a penalty takes them to 30 – 5
@Original Pierre (Comment 31) : 😛 , Janine is most the girl that came 2nd in the rugga-girl for SS
Ikeys taking a 5 pointer, rush the kick and miss from straight in front
@Franshark (Comment 34) : it’s a good thing I’m not watching then… I’d just get upset.
I don’t believe in trying to combine rugby and sex.
Shimlas score on full time
FULL TIME
Shimlas 38 – 10 Ikeys
wow… pakslae for the Cape Town English…. vat so, kwaggas!
@Franshark (Comment 34) : That`s right yes.
@robdylan (Comment 36) : Wow I wouldn`t go that far. She`s not even blonde!
@robdylan (Comment 36) : I hear you…. I think she’s not that bad…. could have been worse….
it was the first time Shims beat the ikeys in 5 years
Tukkie 11, Groepes, score in the corner
Dunlop converts
Tuks 8 – 0 UJ
5 min
Tuks take the PK
Dunlop PK
Tuks 10 – 0 UJ
10 min
Tuks smash UJ in the scrum
I was so looking forward to seeing how Guy plays but so far its all Dunlop and Tukies making all the play
This Andries Oosthuizen looks to be a useful player. Good workrate.
Tuks scored right on half time to lead 18-0 at the break
And the first points of the 2nd half goes to Tuks
Dunlop miss
Tuks 23 – 0 UJ
45 min
looks like I’ll have 0 from 2 after this 😳
UJ get some points, good up&under from Cronje, gather and offload started it all
If only UJ could have finished better and Justin Wheeler could have held onto the balls that came his way.
Tuks 23 – 8 UJ
60 min
Maties lead 44-2
PUKKE 26 – 16 NMWU
FULL TIME
Maties 52 – 2 TUT
FULL TIME
75 min
Tuks 23 – 8 UJ
FULL TIME
Ok 3 out of for, didn’t think the Shimlas would beat Ikeys
How did Johan Van Deventer go from playing superrugby to benching for UJ??
I watched the UCT/Shimlas game and I must say that the UCT winger Mark Winter really impressed me.
He looks a strong runner, and broke tackles everytime he touched the ball.
@Mutley (Comment 59) : 1 from 4 😳
I managed 3 from 4 with a single margin point 😕
@Mutley (Comment 59) : That one got me too.