It is UP-Tuks and NWU-Pukke in the grand finale of Varsity Netball 2016. Here’s everything you need to know about the final getting underway at 18:45.
- It will be the 15th time in the four years of Varsity Netball that Tuks play at home at the Rembrandt Hall in Pretoria. They won nine of the previous 14 encounters. In their two previous play-off matches in Pretoria (2014 final against Kovsies and 2015 semi-final against Maties) both ended in losses for the hosts.
- It will be Marielouw van der Merwe’s second Varsity Netball final and a first one for Anso Kemp. Both are from the Western Cape.
- In the eight most recent encounters between Tuks and Pukke, the Pretoria students won all eight by at least four goals. In the last ten meetings the average score is 46-35 in the favour of Tuks.
- No team has gone through a Varsity Netball campaign unbeaten. Tuks could become the first team to do so.
- Melissa Kotze, Shadine van der Merwe, Izette Lubbe, Tshina Mdau and Ine-Marí Venter of Tuks will play in their second Varsity Netball final.
- Mandy Hermanus, Jeanté Strydom, Zandré Kruger, Kifiloe Tsotetsi, Chanté Bester, Romé Dreyer, Marna Claassens, Renske Stoltz and Sigi Burger of Pukke will all appear in their second final.
- Dreyer’s previous final was in 2014 for Tuks. She moved to Pukke last year, but due to competition regulations could only start playing for the Potchefstroom students this year.
- It will be the third final for Pukke and the second one for Tuks. Pukke has a 67% winning percentage (four from six) in playoff matches in comparison to the 40% (two out of five) for Tuks.
- Kotze is one of only three players in this year’s competition that will turn 26 next year and will become too old (26) to partake any longer.
- The biggest winning margin in a final was last year’s 13 goals when Pukke defeated Maties by 50-37.
- Tuks have four Proteas in Kotze, Van der Merwe, Lubbe and Potgieter in comparison to the three Pukke players – Burger, Tsotetsi and Stoltz – who have represented South Africa before.
- Both teams have a nominee for Player of the Tournament – Dreyer from Pukke and Van der Merwe of Tuks.
- In all eight matches this year Tuks have produced the FNB Player of the Match. Both Van der Merwe and Marlize de Bruin walked away with the prize money on two occasions.
- Kruger, who has received six FNB Player of the Match awards in Varsity Netball (more than any other player), was twice (2013 and 2014) named FNB Player of the Match against Tuks.
- The two players with the best shooting averages in the competition will do battle in the final. They are Potgieter with 91% and Burger with 87.1%.
