TuksRugby head coach, Nico Luus, can be forgiven if thinking, "I love it when a plan comes together" after their seventy-five-nil victory against Madibaz in the FNB Varsity Cup on Thursday, 20 May 2021. 

"For the first time, the players stuck to the game plan from start to finish. It is not the score that mattered. What excited me is that the players managed to execute the game plan to perfection," a smiling Luus said.

"After the UFS Shimlas game, we had some serious discussions as to how it is that we can play excellent rugby for 30 minutes and then allow things to go into disarray."

Luus is also excited about how his forwards are starting to play with more confidence. 

"At the start of the tournament, I knew we were bound to be somewhat disadvantaged in the scrums and lineouts. We don't have two-metre locks. Our props are novices when it comes to Varsity Cup-rugby. Cebolenkosi Dlamini and Damian Swartz are both only 19."

Dlamini ended up scoring a try.

Tuks's leftwinger, Tharquinn Manuel, really impressed Luus. 

"His made the winger's position his for the rest of the tournament."

Clyde Lewis was Tuks's “general”. Time and again, he made the vital break that led to Tuks scoring a try. 

Zander du Plessis (fullback) is the top point’s scorer of the tournament. Yesterday against the Madibaz, he added another 26 points (2 tries and 7 conversions) to up his tally to 133. 

According to Luus, Tuks will face off against Maties in the semi-final. 

"Ikeys are definitely going to remain on top of the log. As thing stand, Tuks is second and Maties third. Depending on the outcome of Sunday's games, it is how it is going to remain. It does not really matter if we drop to third and Maties move up to second. We are still going to play each other." 

The battle to finish fourth on the log is going to be interesting. In all probability, it is going to be either CUT Ixias or NWU Eagles. 

Tuks is playing CUT on Sunday, 23 May. Luus expects the Free States representatives to come out "guns blazing" because, for them, it is a do or die game. 

"As team management, we got a big decision to make. Naturally, the aim is to win every time we play. But as the outcome will not change anything for Tuks, we have to decide whether to play our best team or give other players valuable game time? We can't really afford any of our key players to get injured five days before a semifinal. In the end, it is a 'Catch22-situation. It is always risky to make too many changes."

The kick-off: 7pm.

FNB Player That Rocks against Madibaz: Clyde Lewis (FNB UP-Tuks)

FNB UP-Tuks – Tries: Tharquinn Manuel (1x5, 1x7), Sango Xamlashe (1x7, 1x5), Zander du Plessis (1x5, 1x7), Cebolenkosi Dlamini, Werner Fourie, Llewellyn Classen (3). Conversions: Zander du Plessis (7).