Tigers open their account

Above Dillyn Leyds on his way to the whitewash

Defending champions Ikey Tigers recorded an encouraging 66-2 Varsity Cup Round Three win over the FNB TUT Vikings.

It was UCT’s first win of the 2012 season – after losing to FNB Shimlas (at home) and FNB UJ (away) in the first two weeks of action.

Young No.8 Rayn Smid celebrated his first start at this level single handednly adding four tries to his team’s nine try haul.
 

The result in the battle between the two last-placed sides on the log was all but settled by half-time when the Ikeys were ahead 21-2 after running in three tries by their backs against a solitary penalty by the home side.
 

TUT had put up a fair resistance and the scoreline at half-time was perhaps a little flattering to the Ikeys, but the Vikings squandered too many opportunities to be a threat to the visitors.

They had their moments and their forwards were adequate, but poor handling and options cost the Vikings dearly. Their line-outs were also not up to standard.

In the second half the Ikeys carried on from they had left off, and towards the end there was a deluge of tries as they ran up another six second-half tries for a total of nine against a side that ultimately had little to offer after their initial firm resistance.

While the home team resorted to negative tactics after the break and especially in the last quarter in an effort to keep the scoreline respectable, the Ikeys turned on the charm and at times played some scintillating rugby.

The winners’ nine tries put the FNB Maties’ big 52-2 win against the Vikings in the first round in perspective but it remains to be seen if the Vikings are a team to really measure your prowess against.

The Ikeys will nevertheless be pleased with their effort which sees them creep closer to the other teams on the log after a dismal start to the competition in their first two outings against the FNB Shimlas and FNB UJ.

Scorers for UCT:
Tries: Winter, Slatem, Bax, Smid 4, Kilroe, Nel
Cons: Holton 7

The FNB UCT team: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Damian de Allende, 13 Tiger Bax, 12 Michael Morris, 11 Mark Winter, 10 Nick Holton, 9 Liam Slatem, 8 Rayn Smid, 7 Zandy Macdonald, 6 Ntsolo Setlaba (captain), 5 Levi Odendaal, 4 Brad Bosman, 3 Francois van Wyk, 2 Dayne Jans, 1 Wes Chetty.

Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Adriaan Botha, 18 James Kilroe, 19 Greg Mallett, 20 Ricky Schroeder, 21 Paul Cohen, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Digby Webb.