Sharp Turn Column
The sand had run out on the clock.
The UCT Ikey Tigers were set to be crowned the inaugural Varsity Cup champions. They were about to erase years of suffering inflicted by old foes Stellenbosch University, aka Maties.
The fact that the coronation was happening at Maties’ citadel, the Danie Craven Stadium, before their passionate home supporters all clad in the famous maroon added significant gravitas.
There was just one play left: an Ikeys scrum on their tryline, with the visitors leading 10-9.
The ball is shifted to the base for Ikeys captain and No 8 JJ Gagiano – who would later earn global fame by scoring a try for the USA Eagles against Australia three years on at the 2011 Rugby World Cup – picks up.
But instead of running the ball over the touchline, Gagiano turns left and takes contact, and the Maties forwards pile in.
The turnover is generated, and Maties recycle the ball quickly and move it through the backline’s hands to unmarked wing Morné Jooste, who has a free run in to send the Danie Craven Stadium into a state of hysteria.
The small Ikeys supporters contingent who had travelled up to the N2 were in a state of shock. Young girls were in tears... Their crowning moment had been stolen from them.
I was sitting on the grandstand that fateful day. My blood is blue and white. I may not be an Ikey alumnus, but my brother had worn the famous striped jersey for five years, and we were hugely invested as a family in John Dobson’s team.
Further salt was rubbed in the still open wound when I received a text just as I was exiting the stadium past the late Doc Craven’s statue, who seemed to be standing just a little bit taller that night, stating: “You will always remember when you almost beat Maties at the DC!” from former Die Burger cricket correspondent Altus Momberg – a proud Matie if ever there was one.
And it's for this reason I celebrated Ikeys’ 44-22 Varsity Cup final demolition of Maties on Monday evening with gusto, with Wikipedia’s description stating “Ikeys moered them in 2025”.
Momberg’s text certainly played through my head all of 17 years later when scrumhalf Monray Daars dived over under the sticks to drill the final nail in the Maties’ coffin.
But Daars was not the only UCT hero of the night.
Ntokozo Makhaza – who is studying towards a Bachelor of Social Science degree in psychology and social development – is a special talent who will go down in the annals of Ikeys rugby for his spectacular 32-point delivery that helped slay the mighty Maties.
Keagan Blackenberg, the robust and mobile hooker, is another that can return to the Green Mile and now sit proudly alongside 2004 Ikey InterVarsity immortals such as Dave Ricketts, Mpho Mbiyozo, Myles Brown, Justin van Winkel and Immanuel McKenzie after his performance.
It was also redemption for Ikeys coach Robbie Fleck and his management staff, having lost successive Varsity Cup finals the past two years.
The extra icing on the Ikeys’ Varsity Cup cake was that the victory scuppered the Maties’ 150-year birthday celebrations.
At the end of the game, I wanted to send a return text to Momberg, stating “You will always remember Maties’ 150-year birthday!”, but resisted the temptation.
It will be much sweeter telling him in person!