Two-time Varsity Football champions, UP-Tuks, will be looking to utilise last season’s disappointing semi-final exit at the hands of TUT to fuel them on during the 2016 Varsity Football competition.
UP-Tuks snuck into the last year’s semi-finals when they beat VUT in the final round of the regular season but were shown the door by TUT in the semi-final, losing 4-1 in a penalty shootout.
As the saying goes, the past is in the past, and UP-Tuks will be looking to bring the trophy back to the capital. According to captain, Simbongile Njokwe, training has gone well and the team has been boosted by several new faces.
In fact, thirteen players of the 25-man strong squad will experience Varsity Football in UP-Tuks colours for the first time but Njokwe believes that their experienced players will help the new faces settle in quickly ahead of a very demanding competition.
“Although there are slightly more new comers than old campaigners, I feel we have the perfect mix of experience and youthfulness,” Njokwe told varsitysportssa.com. “Our experienced players have really done a great job at making the new players feel a part of the team.
“Having said that, the time has come to get more serious in terms of the looming competition. Training went well before the June/July break as most of the players have gone home. What encourages me the most about this team is the hard work all the players are putting in as we approach our first match of the season,” he added.
UP-Tuks open their 2016 Varsity Football campaign against reigning champions UWC on Monday, 18 July at the UWC Sports Stadium in Cape Town.
UP-Tuks Varsity Football 2016 squad:
David Ribeiro (goalkeeper), Siphesihle Sosibo, Musa Qongo*, Simthembile Ndimande*, Simbongile Njokwe (c), Tiago da Serra*, Thungulethu Ndlovu*, Nicholas Killas, Mbongeni Masilela, Mohau Khwinana*, Richard Moremi, Asande Mbanjwa*, Leonel de Mendonca, James Smith*, Claudio de Almeida, Wandile Makhanya, Odwa Makha*, Clinton Mphahlele*, Frank Mpedi, Jurgen Booysen*, Khumbulani Siluma, Dean Wilkinson, Sabelo Tsambo*, Innocent Mokgothu*, Deodart Kritzinger (goalkeeper)*, Dylan Paterson (goalkeeper).
*Denotes first time being selected for UP-Tuks Varsity Football squad
By Dan Lombard
