It is never about beating just one team at any Varsity 7s tournament but UP-Tuks men’s sevens rugby side could be forgiven if there is maybe that little sense of extra satisfaction should they beat UJ tomorrow in their first match.
Last year from an UP-Tuks perspective the Varsity 7s was a case of what if. The team’s hopes of reaching the final evaporated within a mere 60 seconds left on the clock. UP-Tuks was leading UJ 12-5. A power play was called. The UP-Tuks defenders were caught napping. UJ scored a ten pointer to win 15-12.
That is not the end of the story. After the completion of the pool games, UP-Tuks and UJ were jointly fourth on the Varsity 7s log even their points difference was the same. However, UJ qualified for the playoffs due to having beaten UP-Tuks. They went on to win the tournament while UP-Tuks had to settle for winning the plate-final.
Tomorrow at the Pirates Club in Johannesburg will be the first time since last year’s tournament that UP-Tuks and UJ will face-off again.
Andries Kruger (UP-Tuks coach) is hesitant to call it a grudge match emphasising that any sevens tournament is about being consistently good. According to him, there is not such a thing as an easy game in Varsity Sevens.
“Winning your first game during any tournament is important because of that sort of set the tone for all the other games. So we will be going all out to beat UJ,” said Kruger.
Kruger is slightly worried about his team’s tendency to often be ‘hot and cold’.
“During the recent USSA Tournament in Margate we had an excellent first day winning four games on the trot, but then when it mattered, we got unstuck against Northwest Pukke. That led to us playing the Plate-final. Losing important matches at crucial times seems to be UP-Tuks Achilles heel.”
Therefore it is no surprise that Lourens Pretorius who will be captaining for the first time at the Varsity 7s tournament made it clear to his teammates that every second of every game is essential.
“In sevens rugby, there is no margin of error. It takes just one moment of lapsed concentration to get exposed. To succeed in sevens, you got to be able to push yourself mentally and physically to the limit game after game.
“Personally I think everything is going to boil down to the team that wants it the most over the two days. That is why I have emphasised to my teammates that from tomorrow there is a job to be done and that is playing to win. Only after the last game can you start to worry about ‘battle wounds’,” said Pretorius who is playing his fifth Varsity Sevens Tournament.
The kickoff for the game against UJ is at 10:44 tomorrow. Afterwards, UP-Tuks will play Wits (13:18) and Ikeys (15:30). Saturday is the play-offs. The final will be played at 15:30.
By Wilhelm de Swardt
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