The day has finally dawned – a KZN side has a realistic shot at Varsity Cup promotion!
Former Kiwi coach John Mitchell has forged the previously struggling UKZN Impi team into a formidable force this year and they’ll seek to replicate last Monday’s fine win over CUT in today’s final – the only significant challenge being the change of venue. The winner of this fixture wins automatic promotion to the Varsity Cup in 2015, along with the Varsity shield trophy.
Mithcell has named an unchanged 23 for this match, with SAQ under 20 hopefuls Cameron Wright (scrumhalf) and Gideon Koegelenberg (reserve lock) set to join up with Dawie Theron’s trial group after the game. Right wing Shayne Maokme, centre Brandon Bailing, flyhalf Duncan Campbell and loose forwards Deon Carney are go-to men who have been in good form all season, while none epitomises the fighting spirit of this team more than captain Lwazi Ngcungama.
Kick-off in Bloemfontein is at 16h30 and the match will be shown live on SuperSport 1.
FNB CUT Ixias: 15 Charles Hitchcock, 14 Alec Mhlanga, 13 Johan van Schalkwyk, 12 Duan Pretorius, 11 Kholo Ramashala (captain), 10 Noel Marx, 9 Stephan Griesel, 8 Dean Kouprianoff, 7 Vincent Marupeng, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Lyvette Shikwambana, 4 Fanie Coetzer, 3 Danie van der Merwe, 2 Deon Gouws, 1 Len Noort.
Replacements: 16 Daniel de Jager, 17 Gerhard Baard, 18 Moeka Bolofo, 19 Johann Grundlingh, 20 Marius Grobler, 21 Johan Nel, 22 Theuns Truter, 23 Hanro Liebenberg.
FNB UKZN Impi: 15 Hendrik Groenewald, 14 Shayne Makombe, 13 Brandon Bailing, 12 Kurt Mavrodaris, 11 Hendrik Lategan, 10 Duncan Campbell, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Deon Carney, 7 Zwela Zondi, 6 Lwazi Ngcungama (captain), 5 Johan Wagenaar, 4 Adam Wessels, 3 Stefan van Schalkwyk, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Henri Boshoff.
Replacements: 16 Mikyle Webster, 17 Bartholomeus le Roux, 18 Gideon Koegelenberg, 19 Sanele Malwane, 20 Nelson Makhanye, 21 Gavin Nyawata, 22 Yandisa Mdolomba, 23 Sizwe Kuhbeka.
Tweet
GO IMPIS!!!!! 😉 😉 😉
War! O Here Comes War.
Bring it home boys.
This is probably the final cog in John Smit’s plans to revolutionise rugby in KZN and for the Sharks.
After this Varsity shield, John Mitchell is working with the girls UKZN team, help build structures, some coaching etc. Somewhere according to my daughter Butch James is involved.They were registered officially last week and now in the women’s league.
Go Impi!!!!!!
Can someone who’s watching provide some updates once the game kicks off? I’m still stuck at the office.
Bit of a mix up with the anthem but at least singer had the guts to call for a restart. Well done.
Just tuned in still 0-0 after 8 min
0 – 0 after 6 min. Bad handling by both teams. Looking nervous.
Impi loses a line out and cut scores
Conversion missed 5-0 10min
try CUT 🙁
I like the mark anywhere on the field but playing advantage for it is quite stupid
Cut looking dangerous early on
Cut scrum 10m out
Try cut
Conversion over 13-0
CUT 13 – 0.
If the impi lose today is there another way for them to qualify ?
Not looking good for impi at the moment too many errors
CUT 13-0 IMPI
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 20) : hmmm, maybe I should have refreshed before posting that.
Good cross kick knocked forward by the wing penalty impi
Going for touch 5m line out
@BR (Comment 18) : Yes, they will have to play off against which ever team finished 7th in the main section
Impi team is looking slow and lethargic
@sharks_lover (Comment 24) : thank you, they are looking better now
@BR (Comment 18) : yes but then they need to beat team 7 (think it’s UJ) of the Varsity shield.
And they turn it over 5m out and knock it from the clearing kick
eish and another…. CUT are 13-0 up
13-0 21min first strategy break
Strategy break…..let’s hope the u/13 team can now leave the field and the Impi will take up their spots on the field.
@BR (Comment 25) : spoke too early making some silly errors
John can’t be happy
Impi looking nervous. Putting themself under pressure with some basic errors. CUT 13 – 0 at first strategy break. Hopefully Mich can get them to settle.
Great scrumming by the impi on two occasions
@BR (Comment 34) : Only part of the game they are doing well in, seriously playing without any clue at the moment 😕
Basics basics basics!!!!!!!! Come on Impi!!!!!!!
🙄 Impi FB having a shocker of note
13-0 30min
Great touch kick
Impi line out 5m out
IMPI TRY
Fina-freakin-ly….trytime Impi
Campbell tryyyy!!!
Try Impi!!!!!! YES YES YES!!!!!
Much better by the Impi
Conversion over 13-8 34min
Impi has been winning the set piece and tactical battle, just execution that has let them down….
@FireTheLooser (Comment 42) : 😆
Go Impi
Great kick Campbell
Great kick line out close to tryline. Go Impi.
Cut going for goal
Missed
13-8 h/t
Half time
CUT 13 – 0 half time.
Varsity Shield rugby must be really testing Mitch’s 12 step anger management program. 😈
@JD (Comment 56) : 😯 13-8
Good stuff…..keep pushing boys.
UKZN playing bulls rugby….14 players and a flyhalf.
If it wasn’t for Campbell, this game would’ve been long gone.
Impi need to catch a wake up. After playing a very bad first half they’re still in the game. Come on Impi!!!!!!!
And UKZN wins Miss Varsity Shield 😆
Well at least UKZN won the miss Varsity Shield, now hope the Impi can do the same.
@JD (Comment 63) : Next year, the cup…will the first princess have a face off vs. the 2nd princess Miss Varsity Cup for promotion? 😈
Impi on attack early on
Second try for impi
Zondi try !!!
Now going up to check something
Obstruction
Looks like obstruction
stupid obstruction…. 😡
😕
Silly silly errors
traaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai IMPI
damn it’s frustrating watching this?
Try Muir, Impi’s can go into the lead if they convert
@sharks_lover (Comment 76) : YES
16-15 Impi
how much time is left guys?
@sharks_lover (Comment 75) : Mitch must be stressed beyond measure, these guys hold his future in their hands.
Very few of them will see the cup comp. next year should they go through.
YES YES YES! !!!! GO IMPI!!!!!!! Impi in front by 1 point.
@robdylan (Comment 79) : 27mins.
Nice defending, now just clear your line Impi!!!!!!!!!
@FireTheLooser (Comment 80) : must be tearing his hair out 🙂
@FireTheLooser (Comment 80) : For sure,
@robdylan (Comment 84) : All he is pulling now is skin lol
Impi playing a tad beter, scrum has been their biggest weapon
Penalty cut
@sharks_lover (Comment 85) : plenty of skin on those ears 😐
Penalty CUT, stupid play by Boshoff.
Going for goal
Over17-16 58 min strategy break
@FireTheLooser (Comment 88) : 😆
@sharks_lover (Comment 89) : props, hey? 🙂
Hell I don’t know if I’m mad or blind but I can’t see the 40km/h (15 point) wind that the commentators are carrying on about?!?!?!
Final twenty….nervous, very nervous…still anyone’s game.
Come on IMPI, time for WAR!
Impi going for goal
Impi go up 18-17
Over 17-18 60min
Impi need to take play back into the Cut half.
Impi 18 – 17 with 20min to go. Go Impi!!!!!!!!!!!
try cut 🙄
Again poor play as CUT score a good try,
16 mins. left
TRY Impi !!!
traaaaaaaaaaaaaaai IMPI!
Conversion to come
Hell thia is a ding dong battle. Great second half by the Impi!!!!!!
26-25 Impi
ova’
11mins. to go
25-26 70min
Try CUT, eish our defense is not good when ever they spread the ball wide
5 pointer cut 🙄
conversion to come
33-26 to CUT 🙄
7 mins to go 😯
drop goal cut over
35-26 after a drop goal by CUT
CUT now 100% in control….5mins to go
scrum cut…..3mins to go
final seconds running out….
Impi #12 cannot tackle to save his life
Congrats CUT best team won on the day, they made the play when they needed to.
Final score CUT 35-26
CUT made better use of their chances. Congratulations to CUT. Now Impi’s must do it the hard way if they what to play Varsity Cup. Congratulations to Impi for playing a very good second half.
never deserved to win it….well done CUT, marginally less mediocre than Impi.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 123) : yes both teams will struggle in Varsity Cup if this is how they play.
Massive gap between Varsity Shield and Varsity Cup
@JD (Comment 124) : It at times felt like watching primary school rugby…cringe invoking
@FireTheLooser (Comment 126) : yes the first half was almost the same as watching 0/9 rugby. Looked as if both teams lost focus after they scored. Must say can’t see the Impi beating UJ to get promoted.
Where will IMPI play UJ? Away or home?
@JD (Comment 127) : Campbel and the loosehead prop would be the only players I’d take to the cup…none of the others….I might consider taking the scrummie with to carry water bottles.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 128) : Away
@FireTheLooser (Comment 129) : only if they can teach Campbel to catch the ball. I think there’s lots of potential in that team, but there must be more cooperation between the Impi’s and the Sharks academy for a team of KZN to play in the Varsity Cup.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 128) : Away.Monday night.
@Caratacus (Comment 132) : Maybe Suzie can visit the UJ team before the game with complementary snacks 😈
Can’t see them winning any other way….but you never know. 😐
@JD (Comment 131) : that’s going to be very difficult to achieve… as from next year, the conditions relating to the bona fides of students playing in these competitions becomes a lot stricter.