Wanderers v Kudus cracker in store 

A cracking match can be expected when FNB Wanderers and FNB Kudus meet in a top-of-the-log JSB Gold Cup at the Wanderers field tomorrow. 

Not only will it be a rerun of the Premier League final when Kudus made history by winning the title for the first time, but the two sides are once again setting the pace in the JSB Gold Cup and are heavy favourites to reach the final.

Kudus started their JSB Gold Cup campaign with a comprehensive 43-14 victory against Trustco United last weekend to go to the top of the log, while Wanderers are just behind them in second place after beating FNB Rehoboth 43-37.

After coming close to reaching the Premier League final for several years, Kudus finally made the breakthrough this year when they reached the final for the first time and then went a step further to claim the title as well. 

Their success has a lot to do with former national u20 coach Roger Thompson taking over as director of rugby this year, moulding them into a powerful unit to challenge Wanderers’ dominance of recent years.

Thompson yesterday said they are happy with the progress made so far, but that they can still improve. 

“Although we are happy with the result we got last weekend, we were not entirely satisfied with our performance. This week we zoomed in on key focus areas that we’d like to improve, and in terms of deliverables, we’d like to execute better under pressure,” he said. 

“It’s always exciting playing Wanderers in their own backyard in Pioneer’s Park – that fixture is never easy, but that’s the nature of competition in the Gold Cup. 

“Each week presents a different challenge and each team improves, so the challenge gets bigger each week, but we embrace the opportunity to play club rugby again after an absence of about eight weeks,” he said. 

“We are happy that we’ve built a team over the past few months that possesses the character that when the going gets tough, they can step up when called upon. So, we are looking forward to the game, and hopefully we can travel well and make our Kudu faithful supporters proud again,” Thompson said.

Wanderers coach Dirk Human yesterday said they are looking forward to the match. 

“Our preparations have gone well, there’s a good atmosphere in the camp, and we are looking forward to taking on Kudus. It will also be a replay of the Premier League final, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

“A few players are unavailable due to injury or sickness, but the atmosphere is great and the guys believe they can win the match. Last week, our second team also beat Rehoboth, so that has created a good vibe in the camp, and that will have a big influence on the match,” he said.

“I suppose it will also be a revenge match for us after losing the Premier League final to Kudus, but we are not focusing on that; we are just going to play to the best of our ability,” Human said.

Most of their national players are still unavailable, although Human confirmed that wingers Jurgen Meyer and Danie van der Merwe will be back in the squad.

In other matches tomorrow, FNB Unam host FNB United in an important encounter for both teams. 

Unam got off to a winning start after beating Grootfontein 40-35 last weekend and will be keen to maintain their title challenge, while United need to get back to winning ways if they want to have any say in the competition.

FNB Rehoboth host FNB Grootfontein in another important encounter where both teams will want to register a first win after suffering narrow defeats last weekend.

In the only JSB Silver Cup match tomorrow, the Southern Region XV host FNB Reho Falcon at Oranjemund, while in the women’s competition, Unam Steenbokkies host United Gemsbokkies at the Unam field.

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