Ikey Tigers have it all to do at home against the old enemy

Action from the Maties game against the Madibaz last week. Picture: BackpagePix

Action from the Maties game against the Madibaz last week. Picture: BackpagePix

Published Feb 26, 2017

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JOHANNESBURG - Table-topping Maties will be chasing a hat-trick of wins when they take on their fiercest rivals the Ikey Tigers in a Varsity Cup fifth-round clash at the Green Mile on Sunday (4.45pm kick-off - live on SuperSport).

These sides have met 12 times since the inception of the competition in 2008.

The men from Stellenbosch have won this fixture eight times (one draw in 2015), but the former three-time champions haven’t won at UCT since 2013.

Ikeys claimed a 20-8 home win in 2014 on their way to a second title but were routed 60-13 last season during a nightmare campaign under rookie head coach and former Springbok forward, Hanyani Shimange.

Who will ever forget the record 100-25 mauling at the hands of Tuks at the Cape Town Stadium? And the myriad other one-sided beatings during a seven-game winless run, which left Shimange’s charges propping up the table and having to play a promotion/relegation match against Varsity Shield outfit University of the Western Cape, one they won comfortably enough to hold on to their top-flight status?

Shimange was replaced by former Ikey player Christiaan Esterhuizen, with the change bringing the desired results.

UCT have a 50% win record through four rounds and are in fifth place on the nine-team table.

Their best effort came in round three when they travelled to Bloemfontein to take on 2015 champs Shimlas - who were unbeaten - and won 22-7 for their second win on the trot.

“We weren’t expected to win that one, but we did just that to show that we’re a force,” said Esterhuizen.

“And we showed just that in a narrow loss at Pukke in rain last week. Now we’re back at home for the first time since beating CUT in round two early in February.

“Obviously we want a big crowd to spur us on and it should be a great encounter. I just hope the Cape Doctor stays away.”

But for the disappointing opening-round 36-8 home loss at the hands of NMMU Madibaz, a much better season for Ikeys and a chance of making the knockout phase is there to be had.

Maties also lost their opener against Tuks in Pretoria, but the maroon machine have since rebounded in a big way since that narrow 13-9 defeat by winning their next three games on their home field at the Danie Craven Stadium.

They’ve received huge crowd support on each occasion and in turn have delivered compelling performances, the best of which was against NWU-Pukke who denied them the trophy last season in dramatic fashion. Revenge from that 7-6 home loss in the final was sweet indeed as they smashed the unbeaten men from Potchefstroom 31-9 in a show of force and a warning of what’s to come.

Maties haven’t lifted the trophy since completing a hat-trick of wins in 2010, but with six final appearances to their name, maybe this will be the year that they add to their unmatched tally.

They are the overwhelming favourites to beat the old enemy.

“UCT always lift their game against us and do have home-ground advantage, but we will come at them hard and will show no mercy,” said Maties coach Hawies Fourie.

“I feel like we’ve yet to reach top gear. While we have won three in a row, there have been times where we haven’t been as clinical and creative on attack as we can be, especially in the opposition’s 22.

“Our set-piece plays haven’t been great. We’ve scrummed below-par and lost line-out ball, so now we have another chance to put it all together, and the boys are ready to do just that. I’m sure Ikeys will be all fired up and they do have X-factor in their back seven, while their pack looks good.”

Sunday’s other fixtures (home team first): Shimlas v Pukke (7pm kick-off, live on SuperSport); CUT v UJ; Tuks v Wits

Weekend Argus

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