While two decent wins their opening Varsity Shield fixtures may have propelled Mike Horak and his Impi side to the summit of the log, staying there is going to prove challenging indeed – especially with their itinerary for the next eight days.
Just to remind every one of what’s at stake – the overall log winner this year is guaranteed automatic promotion to an expanded 2017 Varsity cup competition. With six matches still to play (and closest rivals Wits only 2 points behind and boasting a better points difference) the only option for Horak’s side is to keep winning. Tonight’s home game against Fort Hare represents a brilliant opportunity to bag maximum log points (and improve that points difference), but one eye definitely needs to be kept on their upcoming Gauteng tour. Impi play TUT in Pretoria on Thursday, followed by an absolutely vital return clash against WITS in Joburg a week from today.
A loss in any of those fixtures would be catastrophic, with the Wits fixture in particular one that they simply have to find a way to win.
Marius Louw, who was unfairly red carded last week, has had that decision overturned and starts as captain against UFH at Peter Booysen Park in Maritzburg today. Kick-off is at 18h30 and any fans in the area should get down there and give the Impi whatever support they can.
UKZN: 15. Morne Joubert, 14. Shayne Makombe, 13. Tristan Blewitt, 12. Mara Louw (capt), 11. Thobekani Buthelezi, 10. Tristan Tedder, 9. Wikus Badenhorst, 8. Zwela Zondi, 7. Sanele Malwane, 6. Kwezi Puza, 5. Jean Droste, 4. Rikus Zwart, 3. Ntando Mpofana, 2. Kerron van Vuuren, 1. John-Herbert Meyer
Subs: 16. Andrew Acton, 17. Erich Kankowski, 18. Jordan Martin, 19. Langa Shange, 20. Spa Dube, 21. Wayno Visagie, 22. Grant Rattray, 23. Pierre van der Walt
Tweet
Go Impi!
When will Bosch be back? It is great that Impi has a good options at 10
Good luck lads and give them spears!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanx for the reminder Rob, will try my best to be there 😆
@Kabouter (Comment 2) : if I had to guess, I reckon they’re probably saving Curwin for the Wits clash.
@robdylan (Comment 5) : Sound management and Teddar’s performance last week makes this practical.
Having the Red Card overturned does make me a little upset as it almost cost the Impi the game and it clearly was not warranted. Hopefully ref standards improve
@Kabouter (Comment 6) : just glad it did not cost them the win!!!!!!!
What’s happened to nkosi?
Go Impi!!
@Poisy (Comment 8) : remember they have 3 games in 8 days and UFH is not the strongest team they’re going to face…. Reckon Mike is keeping his powder dry here.
@Poisy (Comment 8) : Hope he’s not injured.
@Hulk (Comment 11) : no. Being rested
@Poisy (Comment 8) : @Hulk (Comment 11) : @robdylan (Comment 12) : was also wondering about him, good to hear they’re just resting him.
I just got a chance to watch some highlights of last week’s game…the last try by Nkosi was not an intercept…instead it was a beautiful try from an Impi scrum on their own 22, from which Tedder took a huge gap for a break to put Nkosi in the clear 40m out…great stuff…
@pastorshark (Comment 14) : from all I’ve heard this Tedder boy had a great game and it’s not as clear cut that Bosch will just walk back into the starting team.
bosch looks like the kind of player who can take a gap where there is not one.
The Maties Madibas game is not even 5 minutes old and already a piece of very poor officiating! Maties scored under the poles…but the touch judge’s flag was up…I immediately thought: rubbish! The replay shows that the Maties winger was comfortably not out before the inside pass…my word! Mense!!
@pastorshark (Comment 14) : is there a youtube clip, meneer? I just went on what I read on the Varsity Cup site.
@robdylan (Comment 18) : It was just on the “Rugby that rocks” magazine programme. Really nice try…I’ll have a look…
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Yup…it was reported that way everywhere…makes you wonder where the first bloke that wrote it got his info. Probably half way into his down-down when he looked up to see Nkosi streaking away…
@pastorshark (Comment 20) : aaaah, I miss Varsity
@robdylan (Comment 18) : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gcvEs48XIAY
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
6-5 to the Madibas after 32 minutes…
Maties head into the break with a 6-12 lead…2 tries to 0…
lawdy how embarrassing…. they called Jason Marcus “Jason Marooks”…. guess the commentator is a little dyslexic
@pastorshark (Comment 20) : wow, that was a beaut of a try. Tedder has got something.
@robdylan (Comment 27) : That’s what I thought…real beaut!
@pastorshark (Comment 22) : thanx for link, great break but Nkosi is really impressing me. He looks big and strong but also has some pace!!!
At the final strategy break (at the end of the third quarter) Maties lead 13-17…
@JD (Comment 29) : Yup…
The officiating is just shocking…just shocking!! 4 tries so far of which 2 should have definitely have been disallowed and one was dicey…and one perfectly legitimate try which was disallowed. Some seriously poor calls by the TMO, some shockers by the one touch judge and generally disappointing reffing…
This ref knows absolutely nothing about advantage…he blows within 5 seconds of putting his arm out, no matter how the move is developing from there. This new head of refs that has just been appointed has got a lot of work to do…
13-20 after 65 minutes…
It’s 20-20 with 6 minutes to go and Maties have two men in the bin…
NMMU score what could be the winning try…25-20 with 3 minutes to go…Maties have let a game that they have dominated slip away…
6 Maties crunch 8 Madibas in the maul and almost score…
Maties score!!!!!! After the hooter the 13 men score, get a 4 try bonus point and have a kick to win it…
Stapelberg nails a tough conversion in a howling wind and Maties steal it at the death…25-27…
More shocking officiating in the last 5 minutes…even the commentators chirped that the ref himself doesn’t know what is going on…
@pastorshark (Comment 40) : was it just poor or was it bias towards a team?
@JD (Comment 41) : Just poor…both sides were awarded tries that should have been disallowed, both sides scored a try where there was a second movement, both sides changed lanes and were guilty of clear obstruction at maul time, and there were a few examples of the ref getting rules wrong. The commentators were getting quite frustrated…and so were viewers if I am anything to go by…
Pukke lead UJ by 7-3 after 10 minutes…
Great try by UJ…and they take the lead…what an offload out the back of the hand…WOW!
@pastorshark (Comment 42) : 2 maties players should have been red carded for that incident in the 70th minute.
@pastorshark (Comment 43) : will watch the pukke game later.keen to see how smith goes.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 45) : Probably…
@50shadesofshark (Comment 46) : Smith drew two men and put his winger in for the first try…
Tuks are leading Shimlas 25-10…
UJ have a man binned for a cynical foul to stop a try…
Ikeys lead CUT by 9-3…
Impi lead 16-2…
This idea of tries being awarded from where they started could work well at primary svhool level
Tuks now 36-15 up against Shimlas…
Impi now 24-2 up…already 3 tries…
UWC leads TUT by 13-10…
@pastorshark (Comment 48) : just feel the sharks have missed out there.he looks a step higher than varsity cup imo.
Big blarney between UJ and Pukke after a shocking tackle by UJ…
Yellow to the UJ fullback so they are down to 13…
Impi lead 32-2 at half time…bonus point wrapped up. Nice work!
Tuks are thumping Shimlas…it is 41-15 now…
@50shadesofshark (Comment 57) : It would be interesting to have an insight into the reasoning not to take him…
Pukke reduce the gap in Potch…12-14 after 25 minutes…
UWC lead UCT 21-10…
CUT leads Ikeys 10-9…
Another try for the Impi as they now lead 40-2…
Two tries to Shimlas pull it back to 43-27 against Tuks…
At halftime UJ lead Pukke 12-17…
Apparently a huge turnaround by Shimlas…they have just taken a 46-47 lead after being 43-15 down… 😯
@pastorshark (Comment 69) : And Shimlas have won…WOW!
By the way…in all the excitement I forgot to update…
IMPIIIIIII!!! Big win…61-10…8 tries to 1…I think…!! Great stuff…a bit scrappy in the middle somewhere, but all in all a great win…
@pastorshark (Comment 71) : Kept me in suspense there pastor…thanks for the score update – excellent win indeed.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 72) : 😀
This rugby is simply top notch,well done to those innovators for the rule changes and to the detractors well sorry for you,based on what I’ve seen SA rugby now has a chance of not only ctching up but surpassing NZ ans Aus in the future as this will enforce the much needed change
@pastorshark (Comment 71) : great news for Impi!!!! Give them spears!!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 73) : bit of a shock that Ikeys lost to Ixias and Pukke lost to UJ!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 58) : makes sense.there was an interview during the strategy break for “keep the aggro on the field”.
@pastorshark (Comment 59) :should have been a red card.
@JD (Comment 76) : Yup…both of those results were unexpected…
Great result from the Impi…they seem to be building a fortress at home which is really good. Their away trip to Jhb this next week will be their big test though. I watched some of the Varsity Cup games…some good and bad play. Some nice passing but then also some very individualistic play- guys obviously looking for contracts. Still a very high breakdown penalty count as teams not worried about conceding a penalty only a try. The mobility of the majority of the packs is pleasing too see…just wonder if they can also front up to a tight onslaught-and they wont be tested on that in varsity cup. But overall some pretty decent entertainment
@pastorshark (Comment 79) : ja personally I got both wrong on Superbru.
@SheldonK (Comment 80) : Yup…although it is fun to watch I’m not quite as convinced as Benji that it is going to take us past the All Blacks…
@pastorshark (Comment 82) : I think teams used to run the ball in Varsity Cup anyway, all youngsters run the ball in this country. Its not something new. What i have seen is a lot of selfish play. Pretty average defending and lots of breakdown penalties. But the crowds seem to enjoy the try fest