Although the North West province had an outstanding SA tournament in Margate, claiming all four of the titles on offer, NWU-Pukke will not go in as favourites when they face UFS on Sunday.
The two powerhouses face off in the opening round of the third Varsity Netball Series.
They met in the inaugural final where the Kovsies claimed victory by four goals, but Pukke are without a number of their star players from last year.
They include Nadia Uys, captain of 2014 who is now too old, Bongo Ngubeni and Chanté Steyn who both are no longer students at the Pukke.
Both these two players were named in the Team of the Series in 2014.
The team will rely heavily on their goal shooters Sigi Burger and Kifiloe Tsotetsi, centre court player Lentsa Motau and defender Zandré Kruger who all represented their province with distinction at the Brutal Fruit Series where the North West Flames finished third.
Tsotetsi, who is also a very good defender, is her team’s only Protea player.
In comparison UFS, the only university to have lifted the trophy, have all but two players available again who did duty for them last year. That includes their star players Karla Mostert and Ané Botha, Player of the Series in 2014 and 2013 respectively. The majority of the team played for the champion Free State Crinums in the Brutal Fruit.
Captain Mostert and vice-captain Lauren-Lee Christians have both represented the Proteas in 2015.
Sunday’s fixture at the Callie Human Centre in Bloemfontein starts at 18:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Teams:
Kovsies: Goal shooters: Danelle Willemse, Dénielle van der Merwe, Rieze Straeuli, Lefébre Rademan; Centre court: Lauren-Lee Christians, Ané Botha, Dakalo Tshikala, Tayna Mostert; Defenders: Khomotso Mamburu, Maryke Coetzee, Alicia Puren, Karla Mostert (captain).
Pukke: Goal shooters: Renske Stoltz, Sigi Burger, Kifiloe Tsotetsi, Marna Claassens.
Centre court: Mandolene Hermanus, Izanna Muller (captain), Jomari Myburgh, Lentsa Motau.
Defenders: Zandré Kruger, Jeanté Strydom, Chanté Bester, Monique Reyneke.
Previous encounters:
2013: Pukke 60, Kovsies 47; Kovsies 44, Pukke 40 (final).
2014: Pukke 45, Kovsies 45; Kovsies 51, Pukke 45 (semi-final).
Records:
Kovsies:
Best performance: 2013 and 2014 (1st).
Biggest win: 76 goals (89-13 vs. UCT, 2013).
Biggest defeat: 13 goals (vs. Pukke, 2013).
Most goals scored: 89 (vs. UCT, 2013).
Least goals conceded: 17 (vs. UCT, 2014).
Most goals conceded: 60 (vs. Pukke, 2013).
Pukke:
Best performance: 2013 (2nd)
Biggest win: 72 goals (88-16 vs. TUT, 2013).
Biggest defeat: 22 goals (vs. Tuks, 2014).
Most goals scored: 88 (vs TUT, 2013).
Least goals conceded: 14 (vs.UCT, 2013).
Most goals conceded: 61 (vs. Tuks, 2014).
By Ruan Bruwer, Volksblad
