Devin Titus urges Stellies to embrace unpredictability to overcome Pirates in MTN8 Final

Stellenbosch have grown into one of the most consistent cup teams in the country, and Saturday’s MTN8 final at Mbombela Stadium against Orlando Pirates will mark their third cup final in as many seasons. 

For midfielder Devin Titus, this run of success is no fluke but the product of hard work, resilience, and belief instilled by coach Steve Barker and his technical team.

“A third final in three years means it's a huge credit to the players because we work hard so we can get into finals and hopefully we can win this final,” Titus said, reflecting on a period that has transformed Stellies from Betway Premiership outsiders into a side feared in knockout competitions.

The Western Cape-based club tasted glory last season when they lifted the Carling Knockout Cup, their first major silverware. 

That triumph was a reward for a group of players who have steadily grown together, combining young talent with experienced leaders. 

But Stellies also endured the pain of falling short in the 2024 MTN8 final against the same opponents they face this weekend.

On that occasion, Pirates edged a gruelling contest in controversial circumstances, leaving Stellenbosch with heartbreak instead of history. 

Titus admits those scars remain fresh but believes they can serve as extra motivation to push his side to greater heights this time.

Still, he cautions against assuming that experience alone makes the task easier.

“I don’t think it gets any easier, it’s just a matter of us preparing very well and even when you prepare well, you don’t know what the opponents are going to bring, so it definitely doesn’t get easier, in fact it gets harder because of the unpredictability,” he explained.

That sense of unpredictability is amplified by the fact that Pirates arrive at Mbombela under a new head coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou. 

The Moroccan mentor has only recently taken over the Buccaneers, meaning his tactical tweaks and approach remain something of a mystery for Stellies to navigate.

“They have a lot of players that we know, that we’ve played against a couple of times,” Titus said. 

“But as a collective, it’s very hard to know what they’re bringing because the players might change under the new coach so it wasn’t easy last year and it won’t be easy this year as well.”

Stellenbosch will again look to their collective strength, compact shape, and transition play to trouble Pirates, while players like Titus himself and Langelihle Phili will be expected to deliver the moments of quality that can swing a tight final. 

For Barker, the challenge is ensuring his side approach the occasion with the right balance of caution and ambition, knowing they face one of South Africa’s most decorated clubs in a showpiece match.

For Stellies, Saturday is about more than just revenge or lifting silverware. It is another chance to underline their rapid rise as a competitive force and to show that their cup pedigree is no accident. 

For Titus, the mission is simple: prepare thoroughly, embrace the unpredictability, and take the next step in Stellenbosch’s growing story.