Ikeys in Vodacom Cup semi final

Western Province face the Blue Bulls in a classic North South derby this weekend and the team is packed full of Ikeys.

Last weekend, Free State held on to beat Vodacom WP 20-12 (halftime 6-6) in their final Vodacom Cup South section match, placing WP fourth on the South Section log. The Blue Bulls finished top of the North Section log and ended the 2010 Vodacom Cup round robin as the only undefeated team.

Starting forwards Yaya Hartzenberg and Martin Muller both started games for the Ikeys in the 2010 Varsity Cup, before their Vodacom Cup commitments took over, whilst replacement prop Ash Wells was a fixture in the No.1 shirt for the Blue & Whites throughout.

Utility back Tiger Bax – a star from 2009 – missed this year’s Varsity Cup competition because of injury, but makes his return to top-level rugby via the WP bench; a huge boost, perhaps, to UCT’s league aspirations this season.

Other UCT players in the mix include Nick Köster – who, interestingly, has been named at No.8 this week – hooker and captain Hanyani Shimange and replacement loose forward Jody Burch.

Köster, of course, was hoping to use the Varsity Cup as his comeback from a serious knee injury sustained during last year’s Super 14, but he was unable to prove his fitness in time to be considered for the play-offs.

15. Jurgen Visser
14. Danie Poolman
13. Dylan Des Fountain
12. Paul Bosch
11. Johann Sadie
10. Lionel Cronje
9. Conrad Hoffmann
8. Nick Koster
7. Yaya Hartzenberg
6. Pieter Myburgh
5. Martin Muller
4. Rynhardt Elstadt
3. Buhle Mxunyelwa
2. Hanyani Shimange (C)
1. Michael De Neuilly-Rice

Reserves:

16. Callie Visagie
17. Ashley Wells
18. Hugo Kloppers
19. Jody Burch
20. Dustin Jinka
21. Morgan Newman
22. Tiger Bax