Ikey Tigers clinch prestigious Varsity Cup title

The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) senior rugby team, Ikey Tigers, were crowned Varsity Cup winners on Monday, 14 April, after a dominant showing against their Cape rivals, Stellenbosch University’s Maties, in front of a sold-out Danie Craven stadium in Stellenbosch. The Ikey Tigers last won the trophy in 2014.

Prior to reaching the final, the team had to contend with a delayed first game of the season as well as losses to the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein and Maties during the group stages. History was also not on their side as they had come agonisingly close to winning the title for two years running. This one proved to be third time lucky.

Just as he was awarded the honour last year, Ntokozo Makhaza, the Ikey Tigers wing, was voted player of the tournament this year. He also took home the backline player of the year award, cash and a car from the one of the tournament’s sponsors.

The Ikey Tigers finished third on the log after seven games, behind Maties and the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Tuks. The team then went on to beat their Pretoria opponents 48–35 in the semifinals. At the final, a sizeable group of UCT supporters were in full voice in Stellenbosch, cheering them on, including Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Mosa Moshabela, who shared in the celebrations with the team at fulltime.

On the field, it was the Ikey Tigers who got things moving quickly, with Makhaza scoring the first of his two tries in the third minute of the game. By the time the Ikey Tigers scored their last points, in the 79th minute, it was clear there was only one worthy winner waiting to be crowned a third time in the competition’s history. Also attending the game was UCT alumnus, donor and president of the UCT Rugby Football Club (UCTRFC), Neville Isdell.

The head coach, Robbie Fleck, said the key was to avoid putting pressure on the players, given what had happened the previous times they contested finals. “I felt we were in control from the word go in the final. It’s how we have been playing all season. I’m stoked that we won it. It’s a big night for UCT who had two teams in a final and I’m relieved that this group finally got a gold medal,” Fleck said after the game.

“This moment is a dream come true.”

“We played the Ikey way during the season and there was no reason to change it for the final.” The Ikey way Fleck referred to is fast, running rugby, which is often shelved when its knockout time, but Fleck believes the team can build a legacy around being confident in their style in whatever situation.

“We took the pressure off the players by enforcing our style, cultures and values as a team. Our challenge was to marry a very good culture at the club with a style of play, and we were able to do that. Having done that, you take the pressure away from the players and they can just focus on what happens on the field and we’ve been getting better and better each week, and this is how it ends,” he reflected.

Fleck also thanked the supporters who showed up at the final. “We’ve painted Stellenbosch blue and white,” he remarked. Sipho Dyonase, captain of the side, recalled the Maties game in round five where they lost 24–31. “We knew we dominated that game, with all respect to Maties. In our post-analysis, we agreed that the better team lost the game, and even from that moment, we knew we needed to stick to our guns; we knew what we were about and that was true in good and bad moments for us.”

“This moment is a dream come true,” he said, reflecting on the gold medal on his chest. “It’s been a hard couple of years [of losing finals] and we’ve sacrificed so much time and effort. To be able to come out victorious like this means everything to us.”

‘A dream come true; an awesome story’

“This is also testament to the hard work the boys have put in throughout the season and to be able to beat Maties the way we did on their home turf is the stuff dreams are made of and I’m grateful to be part of this awesome story,” Dyonase, who famously said in a post-match interview after the Maties loss, “We will be back”, added. His words have come true in the most delightful way.

Professor Moshabela wrote to the UCT community following the result: “This victory does more than add a trophy to our cabinet – it cements UCT’s place as one of South Africa’s leading institutions and affirms our broader goal of being the best. We commend the Ikey Tigers management and every single member of the team’s support staff. This victory is the result of collective effort, and the work done off the field played a crucial role.

“Thank you to the UCT community – students, staff, alumni and loyal supporters. Your unwavering support and belief in our teams fuel their drive to succeed, and your presence in the stands has been truly felt. Victories like this belong to all of us.”

U20 team falls short

The senior men’s team was not the only team in a final. The Ikeys under-20 team played Wits earlier in the day on 14 April and lost 18–3. Reaching the final was an unprecedented achievement, as for the first time ever in UCT’s history, both teams reached the finals in the same year.