Final or bust is the attitude with which the Tuks women's football team will kick off their Varsity Football campaign from today in Potchefstroom.

Tuks is undoubtedly in for a tough challenge. Their opening game is against TUT, who is the defending champions. Tuks lost to them during last year's semifinal. 

Meagan Newman (centre back) confidently predicts that this time around they are going whip TUT. Her confident sprouts from what happened earlier this season when the two teams clashed in the final of the Sello Mokoena Tournament. Tuks won 3-0.  Newman was one of the goal scorers. 

Her teammates concur with her opinion. "You can write that we are going into the game against TUT being quietly confident," said Shannon Morgan while she smiles. 

Amilcare Thobejane, a fifth-year medical student, has extra motivation for wanting Tuks to win. She took a two-year break from the game to focus on her studies, but she is now back playing striker for the team. The previous time she did so was in 2016.

"This is the last time I can play Varsity Football. It would be great to end my career holding the trophy aloft. I guess as a striker it is going to be my responsibility to ensure the ball gets netted into the back of the net regularly."

Tuks coach Maude Khumalo who was recently honoured for her contribution to women's football in South Africa, explained that during the buildup to the tournament she placed a lot of emphases on team discipline. She firmly believes any mistake at a crucial moment can turn out to be costly. 

"If the basics are being done right; the battle on the field is half won," she explains.

On being asked what game plan she favours as a coach Khumalo hinted that she prefers a defensive strategy, but nothing is ever set in stone as each game presents the players with a unique new challenge. The challenge to every player is to be able to adapt to what is happening. 

Khumalo used to be an outstanding player herself. In 2000 she was selected for Banyana Banyana, playing alongside legends such as Portia Modise and Makhosi Ntuli. The team went on to win the COSAFA Cup tournament. She also played the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

She started coaching when her playing career ended. It did not take long before she was appointed as Banyana Banyana's assistant coach. Khumalo also went on to become the head coach of the under-20 Women's National Team (Basetsana) as well as assistant at the U17 Women's National Team (Bantwana).

Kickoff for Tuks's first Varsity Tournament encounter against TUT is at 18:15. The game will be televised on SuperSport Channel Four.

On Friday, Tuks is playing Kovsies (10:00) and CUT (17:00). The playoffs are on Saturday. The women's final will be played next Thursday as a curtain-raiser to the men's Varsity Final in Mafeking.