Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Internal League preview on uctrfc.co.za

This weeks UCT Koshuis fixtures are lining up to produce a fantastic night of rugby. With six rugby games to be played this Wednesday fans should be treated to quite a spectacle.

This weeks headline fixture would have to be surprise giant killers Leo Marquad against Nadoes in what should be an epic encounter. Since the leagues inception at UCT the Nadoes have been the team to beat, with their awesome aura of invincibility doing more damage to opposing teams that their rugby.

Marquad, however, are fresh off their surprise win against Panthers, the side that lost narrowly to Nadoes in the semi-final of last years tournament, and will not lie down to the Nadoes brand. Marquad have proved in their first game that they have the players and the determination to beat any team on the night and they should prove a sterner test to the Nadoes mettle than Ikhaya house did last week. Provided they don’t let the prospect of playing the Nadoes daunt them, I see no reason why the ‘Kings of Lower Campus’ couldn’t pull off another surprise victory.

Also in action this week are incumbent champions, the Cobras. It is fair to say that this year, fresh off of the Varsity Cup Koshuis Competition; the Cobra’s are approaching the tournament with a very professional air and a massive squad. The Cobra’s will be playing Kopano in both sides first match of the season.

Kopano, once the top Residence side on campus, have had a torrid time in recent years and the 2009 squad will be looking to turn things around, perhaps by pulling off their own David and Goliath style killing a’la Leo Marquad in the first match. Kopano are as yet an unknown quantity this year though, as we saw with Smuts and Marquad, the Residence sides are not prepared to lie down for the sake of a few teams reputations.

If Kopano can play with determination and focus on their shifting defence, we may see them nullify the Cobra’s potent backs leaving room for them to exploit the Cobras forwards who, last year, were perceived the weakest point in the team. The fixture should make for another exciting game though, if only for the fact that it will allow the teams to get a measure of the Cobra’s yardstick to see how the top teams are panning out this year.

Cobra’s vs Kopano
Wildboys vs College
Nadoes vs Marquad
Panthers vs Ikhaya
Ubumbo vs Turtles
Spanners vs Clarendon

Rory Holmes

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