VARSITY CUP, IT’S HAPPENING! Marco van Staden shares his knowledge. AUTHOR: VALERIE BELLADONA Marco van Staden made his Springbok debut in 2018 when South Africa beat Argentina 34-12 in Durban. Playing loose forward, van Staden is a force to be reckoned with which has earned him the nickname “Eskom”. Why “Eskom”? Because he “turns the lights out” with his big hits. van Staden was born in Krugersdorp and studied sport science at the University of Pretoria. He was part of the UP-Tuks team that won the 2017 Varsity Cup title and it was his outstanding performance Covid-19 vs Varsity Cup. during the season that had him recognized by the Springboks. Following that he had an even more impressive season with the Blue Bulls proving to everyone that he meant business. AUTHOR: NINA EVANNA The teams will need to prepare themselves for van Staden shared some of his rugby knowledge empty stadiums bringing about a different with the current UP-Tuks Varsity Cup squad, Covid-19 has come with many adaptations to the psychological challenge. Luckily for all the die- focusing on stealing the ball from a ruck, something normal life. One big change in 2021 will be the hard rugby fans, most of the Varsity Cup fixtures that van Staden has mastered. He believes the most adaptations to the Varsity Cup tournament. It has will be broadcast on television. important aspect of a team is the team dynamics and been confirmed that the 2021 Varsity Cup will One possible huge advantage of the bubble is that the culture, something that UP-Tuks has also UP-Tuks could continuously have the ‘home identified as being of importance. take place however teams will go into what is called a ‘bubble’. When the teams are in the ground advantage’. The University of Pretoria has van Staden described the Varsity Cup tournament as been identified as an ideal location offering an important stepping stone between under 20 and bubble they will all stay in one location and not senior level rugby, providing more opportunities be allowed to leave or be in contact with enough accommodation for all the teams, than some might think for up and coming players. individuals outside of the bubble. UP-Tuks Head capabilities to restrict access to the bubble, an Although van Staden struggled with many injuries coach, Nico Luus, says this setup has not had ample amount of fields with a top quality main leading up to his Varsity Cup debut, when he much of an effect on the teams’ preparations pitch. eventually stepped onto the field he proved how adding that the team decided during the lockdown No matter what challenges may lie ahead of the beneficial it can be for a player to perform in the period to shift their focus to recovery as the team teams preparing for the Varsity Cup, UP-Tuks is Varsity Cup and he believes that if you put in the who is able to recover the best will be the team to ready for anything and is sure to be a force to be work, you will reap the rewards. reckoned with this season. perform the best. Luus is pleased with where his team is in terms of preparation and adds that the players are rearing to play, considering that it’s been almost one year since any of them have played a game. Spectators will not be allowed at the games, bringing about a drastic change to the usual excitement created on campuses during the Varsity Cup season. The student experience to ‘Back your Boytjies’ is no longer what it used to be, but this does not mean that the boys don’t still Van Staden sharing his knowledge with the need your support. Varsity Cup players. IN THIS ISSUE COACHES CORNER: GILBERT GAZETTE PLAYER IN FOCUS: DRAGHOENDER DAVID COETZER PAGE 1 2021 / / MARCH / / 001 KEYWORD OTHER NEWS GILBERT GAZETTE Coaches Corner Nicknames Dabeon Draghoender AUTHOR: MORRIS GILBERT Nicknames, some AUTHOR: MORRIS GILBERT extreme, are also student of the game. As a coach you must part of the UP- Tuks 1 culture. Coaching and for that matter Varsity Cup rugby remain committed to learn every day. I need to be patient and accessible, own up to my And normally are not uncharted terrain for Dabeon they all have very Draghoender. mistakes without passing the buck and have the ability to adapt my coaching styles to interesting and Nicknamed, Hoener, for all the obvious reasons, varying origins. he became part of the TuksRugby set-up as a align with the skills and potential of my players.” One that comes to player in 2012. In fact, he turned 25 on the same mind immediately Monday that UP-Tuks 1 won the coveted Varsity His biggest dream as a coach is to one day own his own development program for is that of the Cup for the first time, beating arch-rivals and newly appointed defending champions Maties in the 2012 final at disadvantaged kids: “Through rugby I can positively change their prospects for life”. UP-Tuks 1 a packed TuksStadium. Hoener was the starting manager, Andries TuksRugby mascot, Chippie. inside center. Kruger, who got renamed only when he became His break as a coach came in 2018 when David a student of the University of Pretoria. Manuel, the then UP-Tuks 1 Varsity Cup head Thanks to his natural athleticism he became the coach appointed Hoener as his skills coach – the obvious choice to run around in the TuksRugby same position he now holds in the coaching team mascot, a squirrel named Chippie. of Nico Luus. Incidentally, Andries in one of only two Tukkies Does the fact that he played rugby at provincial who have played for UP-Tuks 1, coached at level better equip him for his job? Yes and no, TuksRugby and is now a permanent employee of come the reply. ‘Yes’ because he understands the the UP (at TuksRugby). He is in charge of all the speed and pressure of the game, but also ‘no’ High Performance student affairs, something he because coaching is much more technical than has first class knowledge of. He is still in very playing. good physical shape and has already finished his Players can and must expect him to be at the top MA degree at the University, and is set to tackle of his game: “If I cannot improve or sustain their his doctorate studies sooner than later. skills level, I am not the man for the job. So far I In my years as UP-Tuks 1 team manager I crossed am encouraged by the skills standard in the paths with the following players with notable senior group of our Varsity Cup squad, but have nicknames (it is alleged that having nicknames, a lot of challenges when it comes to the junior these individuals are all special, unique and in group. Their skills level is at that of primary some case simply awesome): school players, and I do not say that lightly. I have my work cut out.” UP-Tuks skills coach, Dabeon BOEBOES: Andries Coetzee, fullback/wing; His coaching philosophy is simple: “A am a Draghoender GHOST: Riaan Britz, fullback/wing; BLOKKIES: Vainon Willis, wing; CHIPPIE: Andries Kruger, wing; HABANA: Dewald Naude, wing; MALLES: Zandre Kruger, wingl BOK: Stefan Coetzee, wing/centre; SHNAVY: Ciaran Dayaram, wing/centre; TROMPIE: Jerome Pretorius, centre; MANEATER: Rohan Janse van Rensburg, centre; NAAS: Tinus de Beer, fly-half; BOETA: Christo Hamman, fly-half/fullback; FIELA: Theo Boshoff, fly-half; POERIE: Ruan van Rooyen, scrumhalf; KROKODIL: Dan Nicholls, flanker; BAYWATCH: Rudolph Joubert, loose forward; ESKOM: Marco van Staden, flanker; KAROOLS: Stephan Smit, flanker; SOUS: Franco Mostert, lock; TULU: Marius Verwey, lock; GRIZZLY: Mihlali Stamper, lock; GOOGLE: Adriaan Burger, lock/loose forward; VANILLA GORILLA: Vincent Koch, prop; HUSKY: Juan Schoeman, prop; YSTER: Jan Enslin, hooker. Hoener scoring a tri in the 2012 Varsity Cup game against NMMU COMING UP PLAYER IN FOCUS: THE REAL MVP’S GET INVOLVED AT DAVID COETZER TUKSRUGBY PAGE 2 2021 / / MARCH / / 001 KEYWORD FNB UP-TUKS FLY-HALF Player in Focus: David Coetzer AUTHOR: MARGO MEYER For Coetzer his goal at Tuks is to bring coaches. The confidence and belief that they can pull it home the 2021 Varsity Cup title and through this year can be felt in the team according to Selborne College superstar, David Coetzer, consistently grow with the players for even Coetzer and he also adds that their excellent leaders are matriculated in 2017 and made his way to the big more success to hopefully follow. It would just the little extra push they need to win. leagues directly after. He has made his debut in also be a great honour for Coetzer to one Currently Coetzer is busy with his Bachelor’s degree in multiple jerseys such as Western Province, Blue day play senior rugby representing at accounting at UNISA, however he is waiting to be Bulls, South Africa and even our very own Tuks. provincial level or maybe even overseas admitted into the University of Pretoria to study and Coetzer’s love for the game started at the young age and to experience rugby from all parts of eventually become a chartered accountant. Coetzer also of five and augmented over the years. After school the world. “I wouldn’t say there is has big dreams to one day own and manage a business. he started playing for Western Province u/19, anything specific that makes me stand out Let’s keep an eye on this young man and follow his continuing to SA u/20 and Blue Bulls u/21.