Tuks' hookers have proven to be game-changers in the FNB Varsity Cup, consistently making their presence felt on the scoreboard.

The stats back it up—Tuks has crossed the try line 35 times in their seven matches, with their hookers contributing a remarkable 10 of those. Ruaan van Blommestein leads the charge, the team’s top try-scorer with four. Edwin Till and Allister Williams have each added three to their tally.

For Till, scoring tries is almost second nature. The rugby-playing dentist showcased his finishing ability last year in the FNB Varsity Shield, touching down 10 times—the most by any Tuks player.

"Most of the tries I scored resulted from running mauls. I'm the lucky guy who ends up having the ball in my hands when we go over the line. My job is then to finish off the team effort. More meaningful for me as a hooker is making sure there are no mistakes with the throw-in. If I get it wrong, there won't be a maul from which we, as forwards, can launch an attacking move."

As Till speaks, one can't help but wonder what went wrong in Monday's game against Shimlas. Tuks lost the ball on their throw-in with the first four or so lineouts.

"There are various reasons for that – nerves, misunderstandings, and individual mistakes. But once things started to settle down, things went well. I have no doubt that we will be firing on all cylinders from the start in Monday's semi-final against Ikeys.

"Throwing the ball in well comes down to hours and hours of rehearsal. As a hooker, you build a bond with your jumpers. I know more or less when they're going to jump. Then it all comes down to good timing. I have a checklist of do's and don'ts in my head. While walking to the lineouts, I tick off everything one by one. By the time I'm preparing for the throw-in, I'm thinking about almost nothing. That's important because when you overthink something, you make a mistake.

What do you consider to be your strengths as a hooker?

"It's definitely my game in the set pieces. I scrum hard, and my throw-ins are good. As for the rest, I try to play like the Springbok Malcolm Marx. I bring a physical presence to the game. I'm not afraid to go in hard for a tackle. I also like to run with the ball, and I'm good at stealing the ball from the ground."

As for Monday's semi-final against Ikeys, Till said to play a home semi-final is big. At the beginning of the year, few people would have bet money on us doing it. But the war is far from won. Three months from now, nobody will remember who played in the semi-finals.

"So Monday is a big game that we have to win. We will win it. Earlier in Cape Town, we almost beat Ikeys. The score was tied until the 77th minute, but then, unfortunately, Ikeys were able to score.

"On our home field, it will be a different story. What was incredible was the fact that every time we played at home, all the tickets were sold out. As players on the field, we feel the energy coming through, and then you can't help but give it your all. The most important thing is to go into Monday's game hard and execute what we've practised correctly."