Old foes face off in crucial match 

Trustco United host FNB Wanderers in a JSB Gold Cup match tonight which will be crucial for both sides’ chances of reaching the final. 

Although both teams have a match in hand on the rest of the pack, they have now slipped down the log, with Wanderers fourth and United fifth, and victory will be crucial for either side if they hope to reach the final. 

FNB Grootfontein currently lead the log on 19 points, followed by FNB Unam on 16, and FNB Kudus and Wanderers on 13 points each, while United (8) and FNB Rehoboth (4) make up the rear. 

The match was due to take place over the long weekend nearly two weeks ago, but was postponed after the league organisers agreed to United’s request to postpone the game, as their director of rugby Robbie Dickson explained.

“The reason why the game was moved is because it was a long weekend with the public holiday on a Tuesday. We’ve got amateur players who all work for a living and they’ve got holidays when we’ve got holidays. So I dont think it’s very clever to organise a rugby game over a long weekend, especially if there’s no spectators, because everyone’s out of town,” he said. 

“It’s a home game for us, and it’s an income stream for the club, so we try and get as many people as possible through the gates, to make as much money as we can,” he added.

Dickson said the break had given their players some much needed rest, and that they are well prepared and looking forward to the game. 

“A lot of work has gone into our set-pieces and our strategy around the tempo of the game and slowing it down, because Wanderers are really strong on tempo. We are well prepared and looking forward to the game,” he said. 

Wanderers’ coach Dirk Human, meanwhile, said it was a must-win game for them. 

“Each match from now on is very important and we cannot afford to lose, so its a do-or-die match for us. We expect United to come out firing against us – they have a strong pack of forwards and a good backline – and with our long history and their home fans supporting them, we expect a tough match,” he said. 

Human said their national scrumhalf Jacques Theron is still unavailable after suffering concussion a while ago, while wing Jurgen Meyer is also injured, but most of their top players, including national centres Danco Burger and Danie van der Merwe, and lock Ruan Ludick, are available. Furthermore they have been strengthened by the return of former national captain Johan Deysel and wing JC Greyling who have come out of retirement. 

“Both Johan and JC have looked sharp in training and they will add a lot of value and experience. We are well prepared and looking forward to the game and it will be nice to have an evening match again,” Hiuman said. 

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