Ikeys in the Currie Cup Final

Don Armand and co, determined to win silverware with WP

FNB UCT RFC are very well represented in the Currie Cup Final, with a total of seven Ikeys at Kings Park on Saturday.

The Currie Cup final features  the following Ikeys:

Damian de Allende (center)

Demitri Catrakilis (flyhalf)

Nick Groom (scrumhalf)

Don Armand (flank)

Eben Etzebeth (lock)

On the bench for WP:  Marcel Brache (center)

For the Sharks:  Tim Whitehead (center)

All of these players  played for the Ikey Tigers in the 2011 Varsity Cup final at Tuks – the exception is young Damian de Allende who only joined UCT in 2012 and featured in the 2012 Varsity Cup. 

Eben Etzebeth of course is a multi award nominee in 2012 following his meteoric rise from Varsity rugby to the Springboks within a year. 

Damian de Allende who mostly featured for John Dobsons WP U21 team during the Currie Cup is a youngster and a surprise selection, who many expect to shine in the final. 

Dobson explains: “If anyone has the mentality to play in this final it is him, like if he comes down to the U21s from the Currie Cup side and you ask him if he is disappointed he will say ‘no man, I just want to jol’.

“Where he is amazing is that while he has got this massive size at 95 kgs and over 1.8 metres tall, but he has got one of the biggest boots at the union, he is one of the best passers at the union and he has got the most unbelievable feet.

“To my mind, he decides if he wants to play for South Africa or not” said Dobson.

Dobson will certainly miss the game breaking backline player, but has announced a strong team of his own for the final against the Blue Bulls – naturally there are a number of Ikeys included: 

Dillyn Lleyds (wing)

Rick Shroeder (scrumhalf and captain)

Rayn Smid (8th man)

Josh Katzen (flank)

Neil Rautenbach (hooker)

Francois van Wyk (prop)

The likes of Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Wilhelm van der Sluys (the designated U21 captain this season) and mentioned Damian de Allende – all of whom are involved in the senior Absa Currie Cup Final for DHL WP – are all still eligible for this WP Under-21 team, as are injured Ikeys loose forwards Nizaam Carr and Siya Kolisi.

We look forward to an exciting final!

DHL WP team:

Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Marcel Brache, 22 Joe Pietersen.

DHL WP U21 team: 

15. Cheslin Kolbe 14. Dillyn Leyds 13. JP du Plessis 12. Kobus van Wyk 11. Pat Howard 10. Tim Swiel 9. Rick Schroeder (captain) 8. Rayn Smid 7. JP Swanepoel 6. Josh Katzen 5. Gerbrandt Grobler 4. Jan de Klerk 3. Oliver Kebble 2. Neil Rautenbach 1. Francois van Wyk (vice-captain)

RESERVES: 16. Stephan Coetzee 17. Kelvin de Bruyn 18. Jean Kleyn 19. Jody Reyneke 20. Godlen Masimla 21. Clearance Khumalo 22. Dean Hammond