In a fortnight the 2021 edition of the Varsity Cup will finally take place as 10 teams will battle it out for supremacy. The NWU Eagles, as they are now known, will look to turn over a new leaf with a new captain in Lincoln Daniels as well as a couple of exciting players in their ranks.
Last year the NWU played 5 matches, winning 2 and losing 3 before lockdown halted the 2020 season prematurely. Head coach of the NWU, André Pretorius recently spoke to Varsity Cup on a couple of key matters heading into the season:
Last year’s Covid-shortened campaign:
“I have mixed feelings about last year. We underperformed in a couple of games but were starting to hit our straps, against Wits and UJ, before the tournament was suspended. We’ve had a long time to reflect on what we did last year and our systems.’
Expectations for 2021:
“We are extremely grateful to Varsity Cup and SA Rugby for making this year’s tournament happen. We will just be happy to be on the field again. Players won’t take any game for granted after what happened last year. When things get tough on the training field, the guys remember that they could always be doing online “training”. This year’s tournament format will be challenging for players and coaches, and I think the teams that adapt the quickest to it – and accept it for what it is – will do the best.”
The squad:
“We’ve lost [tighthead prop] Matimu Manganyi to Maties and [centre] Evardi Boshoff to UCT, but the guys we have from last year have gained valuable experience, even though we only played five matches. [Wing] Lincoln Daniels will be our captain and he will be supported by a captain’s council made up of [flank] Chris Vermaak, [centre] Marco Donges and [hooker] Gustav du Rand. They will help share the leadership load with Lincoln.”
