Blues, Rhodes in vital Shield derby game
THE 2018 Varsity Shield Tournament enters its third round of fixtures today, with all three Eastern Cape sides back in action.
The University of Fort Hare Blues will return to the playing field after having a bye during the second round of fixtures last week Thursday.
The Blues take on fellow EC outfit Rhodes University at the Davidson Stadium in Alice in a massive local derby, with much on the line for both teams.
The Blues lost their opening Varsity Shield match against the University of KwaZulu-Natal Impi at home last week Monday, and will thus be keen to get their campaign back on track with a win.
“It was disappointing to lose in the first match, but there is still a long way to go in the season,” said Blues coach Lumumba Currie.
“This competition is a marathon, not a sprint, so we just need to try and pick up a win in our next game and continue towards our goal of making the semifinals.”
Rhodes are in an even worse position, having lost both of their matches, 26-7 against the Tshwane University of Technology Vikings in Grahamstown on Monday last week and then 47-16 against fellow EC side the Walter Sisulu University All Blacks at the BCM Stadium in East London this past Thursday.
This has left them bottom of the log, with no points, and Rhodes will be desperate to register their first win in the competition.
However, the 2017 runner-up Blues, who only managed a losing point against the Impi, will want a strong response to get them back on track for a semifinal berth.
“We don’t underestimate Rhodes. They are a dangerous side and the guys are fired up for the challenge against them,” said Currie.
The All Blacks will then be travelling to Cape Town for their match against Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
WSU’s big win against Rhodes got them back on track after they suffered a heavy defeat in their tournament opener against defending champs University of the Western Cape last week Monday.
Having picked up five points, it moves the All Blacks into the middle of the log, and they will be keen to make up some more ground when they meet CPUT.
“This travelling is going to be tough. We have some long trips but that is just how it goes, and we just have to prepare for it as best we can,” said All Blacks coach Sipho Metula.
“This is our second trip to Cape Town within a week and we hope to leave on a better foot than last time.”
The home side, however, lost their opening game against the Vikings on Thursday, and will thus be looking for a vital win themselves.
Last year it went right down to the wire between the two sides, and this year could see the same.
“Playing CPUT will be another big match. When we played them last year it was a very close match, so they will be preparing for us and we must be ready for that challenge,” said Metula.
The other match on the night will see the Impi hosting the Vikings in Durban.