Three Ikeys crack SA students squad

Two Ikey Tigers back and one forward have been named in a 25-man SA Universities squad for a series of matches against a touring American student team in early August.

UCT’s Therlow Pietersen – the Back of the Tournament – is joined by flyhalf Matt Rosslee – who played Currie Cup rugby for Western Province last season, and lock Martin Muller, who played for the Stormers earlier this year.

Another of UCT’s Super 14 players this year, Tiger Bax, is not available for the SA Universities squad, whilst the likes of Johan Roets (Maties – now Boland), Grant le Roux (Pukke – now Boland) and Johan Jackson (Tuks – now Lions) have all signed provincial contracts elsewhere since the 2009 Varsity Cup.

Twenty-four out of the twenty-five players named in this SA Universities group played in the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International – except for Fort Hare loose forward Sokana Mokana, who will no doubt relish the opportunity of rubbing shoulders with players that he will be hoping to compete against in the 2010 Varsity Cup.

The SA Students will play two matches against a Collegiate All-American outfit – on Wednesday, August 5 at Stellenbosch’s Danie Craven Stadium and on Saturday, August 8 in Cape Town.

The second fixture will see the teams play the official curtain-raiser to the Springboks-Wallabies Tri-Nations match at Newlands.

The SA Universities squad – 25:

Forwards:
Willem van der Wal (Pukke, No.8)
Jonathan Adendorff (Maties, flank)
Wesley Wilkins (Maties, flank)
Cameron Peverett (Maties, flank)
Sokana Mokana (Fort Hare, loose forward)
Martin Muller (UCT, lock)
Jaco Nepgen (Maties, lock)
Rob Andrew (UJ, lock)
Lourens Adriaanse (Maties, prop)
BG Uys (Pukke, prop)
Jaco Koch (Pukke, prop)
Pierre Hammond (NMMU, prop)
Stoffel Duvenhage (Pukke, hooker)
Edgar Marutlulle (UJ, hooker)

Backs:
Therlow Pietersen (UCT, fullback)
Earl Lewis (UJ, fullback)
Clayton Blommetjies (Tukkies, wing)
Ziniko Dumaphi (Fort Hare, wing)
Morné Jooste (Maties, wing)
Cameron Jacobs (Shimlas, centre)
Paul Bosch (Maties, centre)
Matthew Rosslee (UCT, flyhalf)
André Smith (UJ, flyhalf)
Donald Stevens (Maties, scrumhalf)
Marlin Ruiters (Shimlas, scrumhalf)