There is a reason why 2017 will always remain a highlight for the Tuks flanker, Eduan Lubbe. It is the year - Tuks won the Varsity Cup tournament for the third time. 

What made it more special was that they got to beat Maties 28-21 in the final. Tuks has, in fact, twice got the better of Maties. In 2017, it was the year, Lubbe made his Varsity Cup debut.  

"That feeling you get when you beat Maties is something you remember forever. It is camaraderie at its best. As a rugby player, you can only hope to experience it more than once." 

But it has not happened, not for Lubbe or any of his teammates. Since 2018, Maties has not lost against Tuks. It means Lubbe is the last player who knows how it feels to beat Maties. 

The "Maroon Jerseys" won the last five encounters. In April, they won 40-33.

On Friday 28 May, the two teams are at it again when they face off in the first semi-final of the Varsity Cup tournament. All indications are that it will be a humdinger. 

According to Lubbe, no player ever lack motivation when Tuks and Maties clash against each other. 

"Tuks want to win. Maties never play to lose. There can only be one winner. For it to be Tuks means everyone has to be on top of their game. There can't be any half measures. Not winning the past few years had been tough, but it also makes us so much more motivated."

Lubbe is known to put his body on the line to help Tuks win. So far, he has scored four tries. When it comes to loose-forward play, Lubbe describes himself as a ‘jack of all trades'. 

"As a loose-forward, you got three tasks. You got to stop the momentum, create momentum and turnaround momentum. It boils down to doing what it takes to ensure the team is in a 'good' position." 

Lubbe seems to be a forever student of the game, trying to learn from the best. 

"I shall never try and style my way of play on one specific player. If there is something that a player does that impresses me, I try to emulate it in the way I play. 

"Pieter-Steph du Toit's work rate is impressive; David Pocock (Australia)'s technical abilities; Heinrich Brüssow never says die attitude etc." 

The first semi-final match kick-off between Tuks and Maties is 5 pm at Tuks Stadium. Ikeys and CUT play at 7 pm in the second semi-final.