The 2014 Ikeys Black Tie Dinner was held last Thursday at The Cape Sun, a fantastic event to celebrate a great season with its magical Varsity Cup win and a very strong season for the club as a whole. 

It was attended by 275 UCT old boys and friends of the club, who enjoyed Ikeys entertainment at its best while celebrating many reunions in a relaxed atmosphere.

Among the invited were acclaimed guests, but also many reunion tables, including the 2004 Intervarsity winning Ikeys, 1994 Ikeys, and three tables of 1974 Ikeys. The 40 year re-union team included Peter Whipp, Chris Pope, Dugald Macdonald, Butch Deuchar and many other varsity greats. 

UCT’s MC Anton Taylor was back in great form and guided the entertaining event with his trademark humour. "We're delighted to have a False Bay Table here tonight! Gents, you'll be handed your plastic knives and forks shortly." The Bay Table and its many familiar faces of course ended up leaving last and had a fantastic night. 

Q&A with Kevin Musikanth and Hanyani Shimange

Tom Dawson Squibb the 'Mental Guy' for the Ikeys proceeded to get the guests to re-live the last 5 minutes of the Varsity Cup Final 2014 in which the Tigers turned a 33:15 deficit into a 33:39 victory. The video had many in the crowd on their feet again as it had in April.   

Coaches Musikanth and Shimange were quizzed and shared insights and experiences around their campaign and what lies ahead in 2015.

Musikanth quibbed about the famous charge down of the NWU Puk flyhalf's drop goal attempt in the dying seconds: "Mike Botha (Ikeys no8) told me later that he had thought the scores were tied at that stage and didn't want Pukke to get a late winner, so he went for the charge down".

Former Bok hooker Shimange made the point that UCT Rugby while being underfunded and trailing its competitors by a mile are not under resourced – due to the way its people apply themselves and on the back of a strong identity, including "Running rugby since 1882".  

Always believe in magic was a mantra of the Ikeys campaign and in this spirit, the Monday training session ahead of the Cup Final was replaced by an on field show with a magician. True to the special ways of the Ikeys.  

"Always believe in Magic" is also the name of a book about the campaign and "The story of the Greatest rugby comeback of all time" written by Prof Tim Noakes, Kevin Musikanth and Jonathan Kaplan which will be published later in the year. 
 

Players honoured

Three players were honoured for having achieved 50 caps for the Ikeys 1st XV. James Kilroe, Digby webb and Ross Jones Davies who was also awarded the Collard Cup Players Player of the Season – a proud trophy and tradition dating back to 1903. 

At last it was the famous “Heads or Tails” game, expertly conducted by the Anton Taylor that had the guests on their feet.   A signed and framed Ikeys Varsity Cup winners jersey was auctioned off to Chris Bosenberg with stiff competition from the Varsity Cup table lead by formet test ref Andre Watson. 

More magic in 2015

Thanks again to all the sponsors and contributors to the event. A big thank you also goes to all the guests who made the dinner so memorable.

Thanks to Tsogo Sun for being fantastic hosts, Zevenwacht for sponsoring table wine and South African Breweries for sponsoring drinks! A special thanks you to our club sponsors FNB, Personal Trust, Steinhoff International, Puma, Sports Science Institute and the companies that joined us with corporate tables; Burger and Wallace, Peninsula Beverages, Haw and Inglis, Civils 2000, Accellerate Sport, Formscaff, Targe Capital, Personal Trust, Varsity Cup, Veritas Wealth and Investec.
 

We look forward to seeing many of you on the Green Mile in 2015! First match Monday 9th February vs Maties! 

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