With this in mind, a lot of hard word went into preparing the players as well as humanly possible in the off-season which started in October last year.

“I can find little or no fault with our conditioning and to add to that we have more depth than in 2009. We are particularly blessed with an almost over abundance of quality locks and loose forwards,” said Freddie.

Another improvement on the 2009 preparations is that Tuks will undertake a short tour of the Free State and Southern Cape prior to the Varsity Cup Series, which starts on 1 February with the home game against 2009 runners-up, NWU Pukke.

“Last year we only played Russia before the Varsity Cup opener. In 2010 we will secure much more valuable game time with the matches against Russia on 13 January (LC de Villiers A), Shimlas on 16 January (Bloemfontein) and the SWD Eagles on 19 and 22 January (George). The week in George will also serve the double purpose of a training camp,” commented Freddie.

Tuks’ Varsity Cup squad of 35 players will be announced on 14 January, but Freddie gave the assurance that this by no means closes the door for other players’ chances.

“We will stay open to conviction as we really have a quality bunch of players to choose from. Just to make sure of our squad selection there will be another match on 13 January in which two additional Tuks teams (one for very half) will take on TUT,” said Freddie.

• The teams for 13 January are:

Tuks v Russia (19:30, LC de Villiers A)

Tuks: GERT SMITH; PIETER GOTHAN, ERNIE KRUGER, FRANCO BOOYSEN, AARON DENENGA; FANIE BOOYSEN, IGNICK WINDVOGEL; MARUIS WEBBER, FRANCOIS VAN WYK, WARRICK TECKLENBERG, ERICH Van DER WESTHUIZEN, JOE WALTERS, MORNE MALLETT, CHRIS CROUS, ETTIENNE BREYTENBACH. Replacements: KURT HAUPT, MOESA TUKELA, TIAAN NEL, LOUIS VAN BILJON, WESLEIGH MARAIS, JUSTIN VAN STADEN, DONNOVAN MARAIS, HEIN VILJOEN, OSWIN MENTOOR, COENIE PIETERSE, MARUIS OOSTHUIZEN, TOM SIABELA.

Tuks v TUT (18:00, LC de Villiers A)

First half team: FRANCOIS SENEKAL; RIKUS DE BEER, DEVON KRUGER, BENNIE BESTER, PIETER PEENS; STANLEY TWINAME, WESLEY MOOLMAN; CHRISTIAAN RADEMAN, MEYRING DE KLERK, GEO BOTHA, FRANCO MOSTERT, AN OTHER, DANIE OOSTHUIZEN, ROBBIE COETZEE, SYLVESTER BOOYSEN.

Second half team: JW BELL; PIETER GEYER, BRADLEY MOOLMAN, ADRIAAN BORMAN, DIRK DIPPENAAR; LOUIS BOSHOFF, ZYLON MCAFFEN; FRITZ KALP, NOG EEN, TOY LOMBAARDT, ARMAND MARX, AN OTHER, VARKIE JANSEN, BRANDON THOSTANE, DONOVAN JOOSTE. Replacements: EUGENE LUBBE, TOKO MASHELE, RYNO WASSERMAN, TERENCE JACOBS, RUAN COETZER, LWELLYN LOTTERING.