When the TuksRugby team takes it to the field on Sunday evening to face Wits in their first 2021 FNB Varsity Cup tournament encounter, one thing for sure is that it will be a humdinger. 

Over the last four years, Tuks had won twice and Wits twice. The statistics favour Tuks to win this time around. Home turf advantage seems to be a big thing when these two teams faceoff. In 2020 and 2018, it was Wits who were victorious when playing at home. Tuks won in 2017 and 2019 when Wits had to cross the Jukskei River.

According to the Tuks head coach, Nico Luus, such statistics are only interesting rugby trivia. He has an "old school" approach to the game, believing it takes heroic on-field exploits and tactical savviness to win on the rugby field. 

Luus predicts that Wits is going to be one of the teams to watch. There is merit in what he says. Last year, the team's only "blemish" was drawing against Ikeys.

"Wits will be fielding the near same team as last year. A few of their players also represented the Lions, so they don't lack experience. What makes them formidable is their no-nonsense approach. They will come at you with all they have."

The Tuks head coach is not one to give away team secrets. When asked if Tuks will stick to a specific game plan, he answered that there could never be one blueprint to secure victories.

"I believe our team has specific strengths, but no game is ever the same. Therefore every player must have the ability to adapt to whatever might be happening at any time.

Luus says the core of last year's team is playing again.

"We will announce our final team on Wednesday. The key players we lost are Marius Verwey (captain), Fiela Boshoff (flyhalf) and Ewart Potgieter (No’8). 

"Cebolenkosi Dlamini is one of our promising youngsters. He is a solid loosehead prop from Maritzburg College. The former Sharks under-21 flanker Lindokuhle Luthuli will also be playing."

The Tuks head coach is excited about the 22-year-old, David Coetzer, who was part of the Blue Bulls team that won the 2020 SA Rugby Under-21 Championship. This year, he will be wearing the stripe colours at Tuks. 

Those who saw the former Junior Springbok play consider him to be an excellent all-rounder. Every time Coetzer has the ball in hand, there is a sense that he can change the outcome of a game. He is also an accurate kicker, as well as a solid defender and a good communicator. 

After Round 1 of the 2021 FNB Varsity Cup, Tuks will clash against UJ on 8 April and NWU Eagles on 11 April. 

The Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield tournaments will be played in a secure bio-bubble at the University of Pretoria from 4 April to 24 May.  The two tournaments will alternate every ten days. 

All 17 teams will be staying at the Varsity Cup Village. Teams will leave and return to the Village between bubbles with players and management tested regularly. 

SuperSport will broadcast 34 of the 48 FNB Varsity Cup matches live and all 22 Varsity Shield fixtures. The tournament venues are the Tuks Stadium, the Tuks B-Field and Loftus Versfeld. The games will be played on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays.