After over seven months of competitive rugby, Stellenbosch University’s Maties Rugby Club’s 2022 season has come to an end.
The season saw Maties claim victory at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) A-division rugby championship, reach the finals of the FNB Varsity Cup and, most recently, make the semi-finals of the Western Province (WP) Club Rugby Super League.
Stellenbosch University’s Maties Rugby Club’s Rhys Fulford (right) pictured in the middle of a lineout during a Western Province Club Rugby Super League game against Brackenfell Rugby Club on 3 August. PHOTO: Cody Hansen
The Maties team was defeated by the False Bay Rugby and Football Club in the semi-finals of the WP Super League on 17 September, in the team’s final competition of the season.
False Bay put on a commanding performance at the City Park stadium in Athlone, sealing a 38-21 victory over a young Maties side.
“We’re obviously disappointed, but we got beaten by a better team on the day,” said Norman Jordaan, Maties first team head coach.
Seen above is Stellenbosch University’s Maties Rugby Club in action against Brackenfell Rugby Club on 3 August during the Western Province Club Rugby Super League. PHOTO: Cody Hansen
Season reflections
In April this year, Maties lost 29-23 to the University of Pretoria (Tuks) in a nail-biting Varsity Cup final, with the Pretoria team snatching the title with a late try in front of the Danie Craven crowd.
“We had a very good semi-final and a good final. I thought we were unlucky in the end not to win it,” said Drikus Hancke, head of rugby at Maties. Hancke said he is proud of Maties’ Varsity Cup campaign but ultimately felt the team wasn’t consistent enough.
Maties claimed their only silverware of the season at USSA, where they avenged their Varsity Cup final defeat by beating Tuks 27-19 in the final in Pretoria on 8 July.
“We’re very proud to have won USSA,” said Hancke. “I thought that was a very good performance and a good achievement.”
SOURCE: Twitter/@MatiesSport
Full-time whistle
This season was Jordaan’s first as the head coach of Maties.
“The whole team bought in, and we went for it. And the guys never let go. It was only in the club season when we started losing guys and had some serious injuries that we started having difficulty. But I’m quite proud of the boys. They showed a lot of character,” said Jordaan.
The goal is always to win every competition, and the team would have loved to go three for three, said Gift Dlamini, Maties first team captain. “We knew we had the individuals to do that and we knew we had a good team,” said Dlamini.
Stellenbosch University’s Maties Rugby Club scored a try against Brackenfell Rugby Club on their way to a 43-10 victory during the Western Province Club Rugby Super League. VIDEO: Cody Hansen
Although the team is disappointed they could not add more to Maties’ trophy cabinet, Dlamini felt they “did really well”, he stated.
Jordaan said he is looking forward to seeing what the team can do next season.
“I think, throughout the season, we sort of played at about 60% or 70% of our capacity. So I’m looking forward to pre-season where we can actually add the other 30% or 40% and see how far these boys can actually push themselves,” he said.
Stellenbosch University’s Maties Rugby Club line up for the national anthem ahead of an FNB Varsity Cup game against Nelson Mandela University. PHOTO: Cody Hansen
Highlight of the season?
“Probably the semi-final versus UCT on the green mile in the Varsity Cup. I think that will be my highlight for the year. It was a fantastic performance” – Drikus Hancke, head of rugby at Maties
“The highlight of our season was probably the semis against UCT. That was the best performance of the season for the boys. I think everything stuck, and it just shows what we as a Maties team can do when everything falls together and everyone is on the same page” – Gift Dlamini, Maties first team captain
“My highlight was seeing our players get contracted by other unions, and also those that didn’t [get contracted] doing well in their studies” – Norman Jordaan, Maties first team head coach