Ikeys stumble at Parow NNK

Sam Peter on the charge
UCT lost against Parow NNK on Friday night – a game where things just didn’t quite work out for the students. UCT played most of the rugby, but crucial passes didn’t go to hand or even to the wrong hands at times. The Ikeys pushed hard in the last 20 minutes having closed the score to 24:30 and with every chance of taking the lead and the win, but it was NNK who had the luck of the bounce when they scored three late tries to hand UCT a dissapoiting 24:51 defeat. (Photo Peter van As)

UCT started well enough, but their scrum was under a bit of pressure so NNK forced three turn-overs wrestling the ball out of the base of the scrum. NNK also opened the score, with a converted try. The Ikeys played a lot of rugby and took the ball through phases, but at crucial times the ball was slowed down or killed at the break-down.

After several phases of play deep in the NNK half it was hooker Matt Page who showed great strength to shrugg off a defender and score UCT’s first try which was converted by Doug Mallet.

Shortly after Nick Fenton-Well, the only specialist fetcher in the squad came off injured, which further limited UCT’s options.  NNK scored a total of three tries in the first half, mainly capitalising on smartly played kicks and pressure on the UCT defenders.

UCT started the second half with purpose, but again NNK managed to score first. The Ikeys were far from done though and clawed they way back into the game, with fullback Therlow Pietersen and no8 Sam Peter doing a lot of damange with the ball in hand.

The Ikey forwards mauled theit opposition at will, but much like at ruck-time the defenders got away with a lot stopping the Ikey’s momentum. It was Matt Page who ran a good angle at very close range and crashed over for his second try of the night.

The third try was scored by Sam Peter who had had some excellent runs – now the game was open again at 24:30 and NNK was visibly tired. But luck was not on UCT’s side who would work their way deep into the home side’s territory only to lose the ball with a knock on or miss a crucial line-out, which allowed NNK to attack from deep again.

The final twelve miutes were frustrating, as NNK managed to score three break-away tries and sealed the win. “It was just one of those games, where things just don’t work out for you” said backline coach Robbie Fleck after the match.

UCT’s hooker Matt Page played well with the ball in hand on debut and young lock Pallo Manuel also showed a promising first match, but it was Sam Peter who played exceptionally well and stepped up to claim the Man of the Match award albeit the dissappointing result.

UCT are severly ravaged by injury and Province call up’s with pretty much an entire team unavailable, but they will no doubt dig deep and get ready for their big match against log leaders Hamiltons on the Gree Mile next weekend.

Scorers:
Tries: Matt Page 2, Peter
Kicks: Mallet

UCT Ikey Tigers
15 Therlow Pieterson, 14 James Martin, 13 Dave Edgar 12 Matthew Rosslee (VC),  11 Rob Hopward , 10 Doug Mallet 9  Stu Commins, 8 Sam Peter, 7 Craig Kleu, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells, 5 Pallo Manuel, 4 Bodo Sieber (captain), 3 Dylan Rogers, 2 Matthew Page, 1 Ashley Wells.

Replacements: 16 Wes Chetty 17 Herbert Mayosie 18 Don Armand, 19 Graham Knoop  20 Sean van Tonder, 21 Justin Bijl 22, Freddie Strange