It certainly was not one of Tuks’ best performances, but it does not matter now. What mattered was beating the Madibaz in the Varsity Cup Tournament and getting a bonus point.

Tuks did both on Monday night. They won 22-6, scoring four tries. So, it was mission accomplished in Port Elizabeth. The one sure thing is that Tuks will have to play better next Monday when they play Ikeys at home.

Tuks and Ikeys were last year’s Varsity Cup finalists, with Tuks running out the victors. The big difference is that Ikeys are still unbeaten in the 2022 Varsity campaign while Tuks lost to Maties the previous week.

On Monday night against the Madibaz, Tuks had territorial advantage for most of the game. It was primarily thanks to the dominant play of Tuks’ forwards. It was again Tuks’ execution that led them down at crucial times. There is a truth in saying that a ball in hand is better than a ball going to the ground.

It is why the Tuks mental coach, John-Lafnie de Jager, continuously emphasises the importance of executing the small things to perfection. Jandré Burger (Tuks flyhalf) admits they are not yet doing so, but it is only a matter of time before they do.

He is one of the newcomers to the Tuks team. Last year he was playing for the Blue Bulls under-20 side. His elder brother, Zak, is playing scrumhalf for the Bulls.

It is a dream for the brothers to play for the same team in the foreseeable future. As Zak is the elder by three years, they have not been able to do so. The closest they came to taking to the same field was when they played “backyard tests” as laaties at home in the Paarl.

“Even at home we never played in the same team. It led to many heroic encounters especially since both Zak and I hate to lose. Putting your body on the line to ensure victory was the norm.”

Burger strives to be the complete flyhalf.

“One of my best qualities playing at flyhalf is that I can read the game, knowing when to play the ball wide and when to kick. Tactically kicking is, to me, integral to being a good flyhalf. So, most afternoons, myself and the other ‘kickers’ in the Tuks team will put in the extra hours on the field.

“Handre Pollard might not know it, but he had a significant influence on the way I play as flyhalf. When at primary school, I often watched when he played for Paarl Gimnasium. New Zealand’s Dan Carter is also a role model,” explained Burger, who is himself a former Paarl Gimnasium player.”

After two rounds, Shimlas are the Varsity Cup log leaders, having beaten UWC 56-16 and Maties 50-28. Ikeys also has 10 points after two games. Wits are the only other unbeaten team with nine points after two games. Tuks, Northwest and Maties got five points.

On Monday, kickoff for Tuks’ encounter on their home turf against Ikeys is 19:00.

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