Wits University will be looking for a great start in the 2017 Varsity Football tournament when they travel down to the Western Cape, to entertain Cape side UWC in the season opener on Thursday evening.
UWC will be full of confidence going into this clash because the last time these two sides met, it was Wits who were playing at home but the men from the Western Cape were the ones that were successful that evening, coming out 4-2 victors, in a highly entertaining match under lights.
This season, the Wits squad have stuck with quite a bulk of last year’s members who played in the tournament that saw them finish seventh overall after a trying season.
A few changes have occurred, however, with a whole new technical team being brought in to swing things a different way this season. The Wits team will still be led out by Kaizer Maphanga, who will also marshal the team’s defence and lead from the back. The technical team will be led by former Bidvest Wits and Moroka Swallows player Mark Haskins, who will bring an interesting way forward for the side, of course bringing forth a whole lot of his professional experience.
READ >>
Varsity Sports caught up with captain Maphanga ahead of this to find out a bit more on how the side have gone about preparing for their season and their readiness.
“The preparations have gone very well,” said the skipper. “The morale of the team is very high. The USSA championship tournament gave us a boost in making sure that we are prepared for the Varsity Football tournament. We ended number one in the so called ‘group of death’ and qualified for next year’s Varsity Football tournament. We are ready!”
On the changes to the team, Maphanga went on to add that they have added three players to the squad and he reinforced that his new troops were ready and knew what was expected of them.
As for their goals for the 2017 season, they are crystal clear.
“The ultimate goal is to win Varsity Football. We want to make history at Wits, we want to be the first team to win Varsity Football. Firstly, to win Varsity Football, we have to be disciplined and win all the matches prior to the semis.”
The Wits team have looked rather exciting in training, with a few of the seniors still looking energetic with a will to win. Before concluding the brief interview, Maphanga gave us a few names of the players the public should look out for in the tournament.
“Ha ha, you want me to choose now? Watch out for no.10, Mahle ‘Jomo’ Mtabane, no.15 Saluleko ‘Cash and Carry’ Mathonsi, no.12 Phuthi ‘Tendai Ndoro’ Leboho, Tristan ‘Yeye’ Gatter, no.4 Junior ‘ Xhi the Khoi San’ Moyakhe… eish mfwethu watch out for Wits. The whole squad for me is to be looked at. No player is average.”
Make sure you catch this exciting Wits team, when they lock horns with UWC in the Western Cape on Thursday evening, with more action also coming your way on SuperSport.
By Sifiso Nyawo
The post Wits stick with core for the new season appeared first on .