With their Round 1 win over UP-Tuks, TUT have marked themselves out as favourites to defend their Varsity Football title; but what are the secrets to their success?
Ahead of their Round 2 clash at UJ, TUT captain Rorisang Rapelang gave varsitysportssa.com some insight into what makes the Red Machine operate smoothly…
How are you helping new players to adapt to the culture of the team?
“We have been together since January so we are used to each other now and all our inductions were successful.
“Our main aim is take every match as it comes and we want to improve from the previous match. This is our mandate and I believe it has sunk in to the new guys.”
PSL club Baroka has allowed Bushy Moloi to continue working with you guys. How is that helping the team considering his previous records, experience and success?
“That is one plus for us. For instance, his track record speaks volumes and having him around helps the team a lot. It eases the pressure knowing we are managed by Bushy who has who has been there and has managed to win the competition more than once.”
TUT, through Varsity Football, has managed to introduce South Africa to several stars playing the PSL such as Thabo Mnyamane and Themba Ndlovu. Do you have any special players who are capable to win matches on their own with the individual brilliance?
“Themba Ndlovu is talented and he is now playing in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). When he was with us, he worked as hard as everyone in the team if not three times as hard. However, ‘special player’ is a term that does not exist in our team.
“Usually, in every team there is a player who is capable to lead the team with their individual brilliance. For instance, Thabiso Lebitso is very good and to prove that, he is also wearing the famous number 10.
“Definitely Lebitso is a very talented player and he is still with us but we are not really looking to an individual to lead us. Everyone in the team is expected to perform to their level best and help the team.”
TUT’s visit to UJ on Thursday will kick off at 18:15 and be broadcast live on SuperSport 4 and SuperSport 10. Tickets to UJ Soweto Campus Stadium are available for just R10 via the Varsity Sports App, downloadable from the Apple Store on iOS devices or Google Play Store for Android users. Alternatively, follow match updates on our Varsity Diski social media platforms.
By Lakhe Thwala
