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Shimlas stick to attacking style to secure semi-final spot

07 April 2022 | Story By Jóhann Thormählen | Photo ASEM Engage, Hannes Naude

They did have a more conservative plan in the soaking wet conditions, but it was the attacking style of the University of the Free State (UFS) Shimlas that shone through.

According to André Tredoux, the Shimlas Head Coach, his players followed their attacking instinct against the University of Pretoria (UP) on Monday to book a spot in the Varsity Cup semi-finals.

And that is also why the UFS is the team that scored the most tries in the tournament.

The team defeated UP 26-15 in trying conditions at Shimla Park and will finish among the top four. This, even though the Shimlas are still playing the Madibaz (Nelson Mandela University) in Gqeberha in their last league encounter on Monday (11 April 2022).

The UFS is at the top of the log (32 points) and will play in its first semi-final since 2019.

Anxious moments

Many would say an expansive approach is risky when it rains, but the Shimlas proved them wrong this week.

“Our vision for the team is to play according to our DNA (attacking rugby),” says Tredoux.

He admits that the wet conditions made them tweak this a bit: “But we still encouraged the players to attack the space that our opponents gave us.”

“Our execution and intensity in the first 34 minutes were superb.”

Six minutes before half-time, his side was leading 19-3 against UP when the game was stopped due to impending lightning. It could have been a bad result if play had not continued, as 40 minutes was needed for a result.

“After the good start, we were quite anxious. We knew that we at least had to play until half-time to get a result.”

Outscoring opponents

It is their philosophy of playing without fear and scoring tries that has helped the Shimlas outscore other Varsity Cup teams.

The UFS scored 48 tries in eight rounds, with the University of Cape Town Ikeys second on 38 tries.

But the Kovsies are also solid on defence, as they have conceded only 21 tries. Only UP (20) conceded less.

There is, however, not too much talk in the Shimla camp about a semi-final yet.

“We are very happy with where we are on the log at the moment.

“We will continue working hard and playing good rugby. But we only focus on the next match,” says Tredoux.

News Archive

Prof. Strauss' book is launched

2010-08-18

At the launch were, from the left: Prof. Francois Tolmie, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the UFS; Prof. Pieter Strauss; and Wikus van Zyl, Manager: SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein.

Kerk en orde vandag: Met die klem op die NG Kerk was recently launched at a function in the Faculty of Theology at the University of the Free State (UFS). Prof. Pieter Strauss, Head of the Department of Church History and Polity at the UFS is the author of this book that is published by SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein.

The objective of the book is to provide the reader with an introductory view on the reformed church law. Therefore it concentrates on themes that are spread across the entire spectrum of the reformed church law.

The book endeavours to provide relevant background information for all the articles of the Church Order of the Dutch Reformed Church, but is not exhaustive in this regard. Prof. Strauss refrained from only writing about existing articles as positivist church law on purpose. He wanted to make more of the background, introductory questions and particularly a normative church law.

According to Prof. Andries le Roux du Plooy from the Faculty of Theology at the North-West University, Prof. Strauss gave evidence that he was experienced and excellently informed about all the themes and topics, had personal experience thereof, and that he could write critically and apologetically about it.

“I want to congratulate Prof. Strauss on the publication. To my mind, there are few other theologians that will be able to write about the topic in such a way with emphasis on the DR Church,” said Prof. Du Plooy.

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