Upbeat FNB CPUT targets playoffs

After leading the FNB CPUT to a 41-10 triumph over their nemesis, FNB University Fort Hare (UFH) in the opening round of FNB Varsity Shield 2025, coach, Alastair Theys, now fancies an outside chance of a spot in the promotional playoffs.

After FNB CPUT roared on home turf, Bellville Stadium, on Friday evening, Theys said their ambitions for the year were to do better than last year, “but we're not promising anything huge, but we want to be in a better space than we have done last year in the tournament”. Prior to last year, the team played in four finals in four tournaments in a row and last year the team almost got relegated, “so our mindset is just getting to a better place, better space and then take it game by game and then hopefully we make [it to the] playoffs and then once you are in a playoffs anything can happen in the playoffs.”

Reflecting on the game against UFH, the thrilled mentor said that was a match that they were looking forward to as the first game of the tournament. “The big aim for us was just to make sure that we started the tournament in a better space than we did last year and the game was tough, Fort Hare is always a physical side, but I think what played in our favour is that we kept the tempo of the game at our pace.” The team started well, especially in the first 20 minutes, and in the 20 minutes after halftime, the hosts came out blazing as well.

The team started their rigorous preparation two weeks before the tournament, focusing on themselves and UFH “because the pre-season was based on self-improvement and self-development and making sure that the team was in the right place beside all the higher education current challenges [in South Africa]. “We started focusing on the first game on Fort Hare”. “I mean we managed to get some footage of their friendly games so we could analyse them and know how, where and what areas to play against them which worked in our favour as well.”

The players and coaching staff’s efforts and the hunger to start the tournament well were the cornerstones for the big win. “The keywords were effort and execution which I think we can't take away from the players that put a big effort in going into the game. From an execution perspective, we executed well but not well enough or not as well as we wanted.”

The coaching staff and players are happy about the good start and the victory and “the way we handled the victory, but I always say to the guys to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. “It was only the first game of the tournament, but it was very important for us to start the tournament on the front foot, and because of the way our tournament has been last year, so getting a good start this year was very important for us.”

In the morning, following their sweet victory against their nemesis, UFH the Theys troops put on their boots in preparation for their next game against the FNB Sol Plaatje University (SPU). “The boys came in and they have done the review and they've done their recovery and medicals so that last night, Monday they could get the ball rolling.”

 “From a preparation perspective going into the SPU game, they have also done well as well as they beat UKZN, and they [SUP] play a similar game to CPUT, but we'll be ready going down to Kimberly.”

Bulelani Mlakalaka, Sport Development Officer, said the match against UFH was one that they took “extremely seriously and personally because we did not get the outcome the last time around in the Eastern Cape”. “The coaching staff is pleased with the path we are taking, but we have identified some faults that we will address for the upcoming away game against SPU. Defensively, the boys showed up and put their bodies on the line, and the points conceded reflect this. On offense, we can be more clinical, which will lead to more scoring possibilities. With all of the hurdles the squad has faced over the last three months, we are pleased with the guys' performance on Friday, but there is still space for development”.

“We can undoubtedly attribute appetite to being back on the winning side and a sense of new beginnings. The last time our boys won a game was probably in February [last year], so we had a tough shield and an even tougher league last year.”

CPUT's crucial top-of-the-log clash with SPU will be on 21 February at 5 pm.