The Madibaz rugby team aim to bounce back from their FNB Varsity Shield loss to Wits when they face UWC in Cape Town on Friday. Photo: Varsity Sports
Captain Eddie Kruger’s side went down 63-8 on a sweltering day that never really saw the hosts at their best.
“It’s tough to sum up our performance against Wits,” he admitted earlier this week.
“We struggled to stick to our systems and weren’t able to build good moments on top of other good moments.”
Despite glimpses of promise, the match started slipping away when the eventual winners ran in a barrage of tries at the business end of the first stanza.
The Madibaz were never able to come to terms with the sudden deficit, with Kruger admitting afterwards “it really ran away from us”.
“In trying to catch up too quickly we probably moved away from the processes that normally guide our play.”
While the scoreline makes for tough reading, it does not fully reflect the side’s potential.
After all, they themselves ran amok against UKZN (60-32) and UFH (49-11). Their third victory, against WSU (40-32), is also telling in that their Eastern Cape neighbours are one place ahead of them on the log.
The Madibaz are currently fourth, three points behind WSU and three clear of CPUT.
“We know we can be better and will be,” the skipper said. “It’s about learning.”
Converting opportunities after building pressure inside the opposition’s half is one key area in need of fine-tuning.
“We need to be better at finishing the good moments we create. When we enter the opposition half and create those sequences we need to come away with points.”
Their inability to make it count in their opponents’ half last week came down to “the pressure they put on us” throughout, Kruger said.
The best response from the Mandela University team is now to look forward instead of backwards.
“It’s tough but the only way is to see the new possibilities that a new week holds.”
The first comes in the shape of UWC in Cape Town on Friday and Kruger stresses the importance of staying united as they work to bounce back.
“We still consider ourselves the Madibaz family and nothing can take that away from us. It’s in our mentality to show that we are worth more.”
The Wits match will naturally be analysed to death but the team cannot dwell on it longer than is absolutely necessary.
“We can’t sit on our mistakes for too long. The important thing is to take the lessons and move forward.”
The players appreciate the support received from the Madibaz community throughout their campaign.
“It is a privilege to play in front of our fans,” the outside centre said. “We will continue doing everything we can to make you proud.”
The game, which kicks off at 4pm, will be televised.