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Excitement the only certainty

Johannesburg - The whole of last year's first FNB Varsity Cup series, but the three play-offs in particular when extra-time and two last-minute scores determined the ultimate winners Maties, make a prediction of this season's openers at Groote Schuur in Cape Town and the Fanie du Toit Grounds in Potchefstroom impossible.

What makes it even more interesting is that the two finalists Maties and Tukkies square up in Cape Town while the two semifinalists, Pukke and Tukkies do battle in Potch. Add to that new playing personnel for almost all the sides, and the fact that it is early season with the players still looking for the needed sharpness and the teams for cohesion, and the unpredictability of the first round's four matches is understandable.

At Potchefstroom the NWU Pukke, with a largely new-look side and 10 of last year's Under-21s included by new coach Rudy Joubert, are up against an equally young side with a flyhalf who played schools rugby for Waterkloof in 2008.

Young Jean Claude Roos' performance under pressure could hold the key for a side which also has a new coach in Freddie Grobler and Roos is certain to be targeted by Willem van der Wal and his fellow-loosies.

The Pukke are at home. They also are the national club champions and just these two factors will make them fractional favourites.

In Cape Town, on the other hand, the Maties have a more established side while Ikeys have lost some stalwarts and also some stars as shown up by their six new faces. Former Pukke centre Paul Bosch and Ikeys hooker JP Koster are great acquisitions for Chean Roux's established Maties side, while there will special interesting the exciting Ikeys fullback Tiger Bax, who is a former Matie.

These factors could offset the home advantage of the Ikeys who were last year's most pleasant surprise package and quite unfortunate to lose the final on the bell.

Bloemfontein's Shimlas should sneak it against the Mandela Metropolitan University from Port Elizabeth, although the coastal side is confident that they have a better balanced side than last year and still have the experienced Kolie Brandt as to guide their coaching.

In the other match, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) are up against Tshwane University for Technology (TUT) in the early match in Potchefstroom.

TUT have lost more players than they have gained. Conversely, UJ have embarked on a semi-professional road under Hugo van As who is back as coach of the Johannesburg students and have a number of interesting acquisitions.

They are more than just outsiders for the title - but then they will have to perform with more structure and better finishing than last year against a side that has been amongst the very best in South Africa's club rugby over the past five years or so.

At Groote Schuur Fort Hare and University of the Western Cape clash in a non-competition intervarsity before the start of the Varsity Cup matches.

The programme and the friendly, with all five matches to be televised, is: 12.45pm: UWC v Fort Hare - Groote Schuur Rugby Field, Cape Town 2.45pm: Shimlas v NMMU- Groote Schuur Rugby Field, Cape Town 4.45pm: UCT v Maties - Groote Schuur Rugby Field, Cape Town 4.45pm: UJ v TUT - Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds, Potchefstroom 6.45pm: Pukke v Tukkies - Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds, Potchefstroom.

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