Kevin Durand receives the ball during a line-out drill.
University of Johannesburg (UJ) rugby coach, Werner Janse van Rensburg has expressed mild disappointment at a third-place finish in this year’s FNB Varsity Cup, but chooses to focus on the positives from the tournament.
Junior Moloto and Kevin Durand contest a line-out at practice. Durand wins.
UJ overcame successive home defeats at the start of the cup, to finish with five wins out of eight games in the group but lost 22–14 to Maties in the semi-final in April.
The team’s morale was lifted after the tournament when captain Johannes Snyman, and players, Aphiwe Dyantyi and Nico du Plessis were selected to play in the Varsity Cup Dream Team against the Junior Springboks in a match on 25 April.
UJ’s Jacques Durand was also the strength and conditioning coach of the Dream Team which lost 50–19.
Devon Mare passes the ball from a ruck during a drill.
Now back at practice, the squad is energetic and growing in confidence.
“Everybody wants to win the Varsity Cup but if you take into account how young and small our squad was, we did well,” Janse van Rensburg said.
Snyman, the team’s hooker commented,
“Our team really had the potential to go all the way but unfortunately it always goes with the bounce of the ball and you don’t know which side it will bounce.”
Godfrey Ramaboea holds onto the ball during a drill.
He added that the team came together well during the cup and were friends off the field.
“We know we have the potential and it will be great to see what next year has in store for us.”
Until then, UJ will contest the ongoing Pirates Grand Challenge and the University Sports South Africa in July.
Johann Vermaak does some push-ups before practice starts.
The coach concluded that he aims to create continuity between older and younger players this year and help the younger players reach the level Varsity Cup will require of them next year.
UJ rugby captain Johannes Snyman throws in at a line-out at practice.
TC Sakala and Arne Bognig both hope to win a line-out.
Pierre Rabie prepares to throw the ball in at a line-out.
Blessing Motaung passes down the line during a drill.
Musa Tshabalala leads a run to the try line at practice. With him are Jaco Fourie and Devon Mare.
