The Champions...

Cobras at the RWC

This image of Cobras Jan, Rob, Blake etc. with a Bokke & Cobras banner was found on News24, seems as if the Cobras Champions status has spread throughout the world...

CAMPIONE CAMPIONE OLE OLE OLE!!!!

The 2011 Internal League Champions!

The Cobras beat the Nadoes 15-8 last night to win the 2011 Internal League..

Oh so fuckin brave!

Here we go...

The final of the 2011 Internal League is finally here as The Cobras look to push for the Number 1 spot this evening. It is bound to be an epic game which stems from a great rivalry between The Cobras and Nadoes. It's time to shine and bring the trophy home...

2011 UCT Internal League Final

The Cobras vs. Nadoes

Meet 18:30 Below Cecil

Kick off 20:30 UCTRFC A-Field

1. Graeme Lucas Bull 2. Khotos Mika 3. Shane Swanich

4. Tom Horne 5. Evan Strauss

6. Callan Artus (c) 7. Dino Loizides

8. Kyle, Kyle Rennie

9. Ian Armstrong 10. Warren Butler 12. James Bailes 13. Nico Loizides

11. Brendan Raubenheimer 14. Mikhail Maasdorp

15. Pete Haw

Believe...

Oh so brave

Camaaan...

Here we are, the end of the road… this whole year, everything we’ve accomplished has come down to the finale come Wednesday night. To be honest as I’m sitting in my chair at the computer, I already feel goosebumps and anxiety starting to set in. At first impression I thought it was nerves, that sickening feeling you get when something big is about to happen, but this is not that. It’s more of an excitement, the realization that our entire season has built up to this one match, and man that gets me pumped up. Hell, we’ve had one awesome a season so far; the Purple Cobras of 2011 have dazzled crowds to no end with large patches of spectacular play, leaving no regrets out on the park and now we’ve reached the last hurdle in the race. This isn’t going to be a long message, wanna try keep it short and sweet because there is not much more to be said, the weatherman covered a lot of it, and the rest is for us to go do on Wednesday night, and I can feel it, by god I can feel it. Every message on the bbm group, every wallpost or conversation is proof how we’ve grown as a squad over this year. Whether someone has played one game or eight, every Cobras member is as excited as the next, and that’s what sets us apart, we are a family. So let’s do this, let’s show them why we are UCT’S NUMBER 1!!! Camaaaan Cobras!!!!

The belief is here, the talent is here, its time.

OH SO BRAVE



Beer Roster: (to bring to changing room after, anyone who is not on the list is please encourage to bring an extra six pack or two, shot)

Warren H
Blanky
Mano
Fridge
Maarzi
Kyle, Kyle Rennie
Bailes
Pete Haw
Raubs
Nico
Dino
Rayaan
Lassen
Geoff
Cobi
Poen

Everywhere you go...

I want to wake up sweating. I want to wake up hearing that last, last, last 'SIIIIIIIIIIIIIING US A SONG YOU'RE the COBRAS MAN! SING US A SONG TONIGHT! FOR WE'RE ALL IN THE MOOD FOR A VICTORY... AAAND ITS GOT US FEELIN ALRIGHT! SIIIIIIIIIIIIING.... I want that fucking TROPHY!

Sorry... I got a little carried away there. Just needed to get that off my chest. Sorry guys. Sorry Raubs, sorry Bailo, sorry Callan, sorry Dil, sorry Junks, sorry Evan, sorry Jamie, sorry Khots. Sorry everyone. Sorry to let you down with that little outburst. I let my emotions get the better of me. But to be honest with you guys, the prospect of this final is a bit bitter, sweet I must say. I am a long way from my home, my physical home and my spiritual home. So what am I meant to do exactly? I mean... I am excited and I am jealous. I am pumped up, but strangely deflated. The prospect of the Cobras winning another trophy is bringing out all sorts of emotions I didn’t realize I possessed. Knowing that our boys face the final and biggest challenge of the season and I can’t be there to contribute makes me a little sad. But this isn’t about me it’s about the Cobras. I went out for dinner last night. A place called Megan’s. Quite nice. Looked like the entire restaurant had been pulled out of an interior decorator catalogue. Jar full of dried lemon rinds for aroma. Tick. Simple, yet elegant tables. Tick. The limited menu that says; “hey, we don’t do a lot of food, but what we do do, we do really well.” Tick. Quirky music pouring out of some hidden speaker that says; "we provide an intimate setting, but we're still here to have fun." Tick. Dull conversation with a girl you’ve never met about a job you don’t care about. Tick. The one irritating girl who doesn’t laugh at your insanely funny comments, and keeps rolling her eyes at you. Tick. The annoying hipster who makes the most obvious observations about the most obvious comments, that you had thought of ages ago but chose not to say because it was too bloody obvious, and then every one laughs with him like he’s some kind of fucking genius. Tick. Basically the kind of restaurant and the kind of night you’re happy to write off at ten. I was roped into it and it won’t happen again. I promise. I promise Shane, I promise Poen, I promise Dino, I promise Marzie, I promise Armo, I promise Warren, I promise Tom, I promise Fridge. (Not Hawski though, Hawski looooves those kinds of evenings. Hawski may or may not have brought his guitar along. Hawski may or may not be the guy who takes his jersey off at the table without keeping his t -shirt down to reveal just the slightest glimpse of a torso that even Ryan Reynolds would be proud of. Hawski may or may not be 'that guy'. Who knows).

Anyway. So we’re chatting away- you know: casual like- and one of the other guys at the table chirps up; “so Dugald do you think Oxford would beat UCT if they had to play a game against each other?” I took a moment because my comment obviously has some serious ramifications and I wasn’t about to get into an argument about such a thing in Megan's. Oh no... Not Megan's, not with el diablo (the bitch sitting opposite me) staring me down. So I simply said;” not sure about that but I am positive the Cobras would beat them both!” Now we all know the Cobras would struggle against UCT First XV. It would be a good game. A bit like Wales VS South Africa, but you always know that a Cobras win is unlikely- less so now that our team is starting to actually resemble the UCT First XV. But that’s not really the point. The point is that we have that beautiful sense of ability that courses through our veins. That inherent self- belief instilled in every member of the Cobras family. This, I believe, is what really separates the Cobras from every other team in the league.

I remember (fuck that sounds old) the days when we first came into the league and we played against a Nadoes team that resembled a French club side more than it did a UCT internal league team. I’ll never forget that game when a young long, greasy haired Graeme Steen was destroyed in a late tackle by the then UCT First team Captain who had at least six years on him. Graeme didn’t moan, didn’t winge to the ref, he just got up and got on with the game. Hard as fucking nails. I remember Wayne Wayzie, a New Zealander drafted in by UCT First XV for the season coming on for them and butchering our players. But fuck me did we get stuck in! Do you think Nick FW stood back and said; “well guys let’s just have fun, we can’t win.” We knew, and he knew that we couldn’t win, but that didn’t stop Nick shitting on us for missing tackles or dropping balls. In that first season the true Cobras ethos of battling for every inch was born. We’ve seen many clubs come and go. Turtles, MOB, SOcO Thocos or whatever their shit names were, all faded like most teams do when they play the Cobras. Those are the foundations on what is today a group of people who live to kill themselves every Wednesday night for the love of their team mates.

So where are we now? Five years on, new faces, new songs but the same fundamental attitude remains. The songs and the change room sessions are a big part of who we are, but it’s that desire to fight every minute of every game that sets us apart from the rest. None of that arrogant Nadoes; we were here first bullshit, just stoic belief in ourselves, and the guys around us. If it isn’t Kyle Rennie picking from the base then it’s Cal groveling at the bottom of the ruck. If it’s not Warren Butler slotting from the half- way line then it’s Poenie sizing up the man in front of him and shunting him backwards. If it isn’t Raubs leg driving then it’s Rayaann sliding effortlessly into the corner. If it isn’t you, then it will be one of your team- mates.

So what am I going to do on Wednesday night? I could ask Mano From Heaven to sort out a live feed for me, but I don’t want to take his focus off the game. I could ask Dil to give me continuous live updates, but unfortunately the oke is arguably the least reliable human being when it comes to answering calls or messages. Bailes would give me brilliant accounts of the game, he could probably even give me all the heights and weights of every player on the pitch. James Bailes is rugby! I could ask any one of the many Cobras crew that will be lining the field, hopefully hurling abuse and encouragement in equal measure (Encouragement!). But I won't.

The truth is I choose to rely on the abrupt score updates from my father. His massive fingers are not ideal for typing text messages on a cold evening on the Green mile, but he’ll persevere because he knows what the Cobras means to me. It’s part of our family now. I think my mum gave up giving me lectures on going to lectures on Thursdays a long time ago because she knows what Wednesday night means. When my bro started playing for Cobras in matric the Cobras logo was sewn on to the chest of every piece of clothing in the house. (That's figuratively speaking. Can hear a couple of you slower lads- not necessarily the props- going: ahhh what? You see what I have tried to do there is explain just how much my family loves the Cobras. How it means something to us. You see? Sure? I could explain it again.) Anyway- we love the Cobras.

So bring me that fucking trophy gentlemen! I want to be tossing in my bed on Wednesday night, I want to be haunted by the thoughts of all of you drinking yourselves to a stand still. I want to wake up sweating with Kyyyyyyyyyle, Kyyyyyyyyyle Rennie! ringing in my ears. I want to feel that cold, wet cement floor on my knees as I go down for one last 'Hoist up the Cobras sail...' I want to fall asleep quietly singing; “I wanna go home, I wanna goo hoooooooooome! This is the best team I’ve ever played for!” da dada da dada…. And on Wednesday night I will truly know what that song means. Those words will never hold such weight as they are going to on Wednesday. I am going to celebrate by myself, not necessarily on Wednesday night but come Friday, I'll have a beer or two, sure.

So that’s my little contribution chaps (Graeme Steen voice). It’s not much, but it’s about all I can give you at this point. It’s not Al Pacino, but it’s probably the best I’ve got. Probably. Much better in person. Of course. If you win, massive sesh at my house on my return. If you lose… Well who we’re kidding. THE COBRAS. DON’T FUCKING. LOSE!

Fucking Cobras ‘til I die! Come on!

So until then…

ALWAYS TAKE THE WEATHER WITH YOU!

Has anyone seen this man?

Through to the final...

The Cobras continued their march when they beat a physical Wild Boys side last night, 19-11 to progress into the final of the 2011 Internal League...

Match report to follow

Final: Wednesday 21st September

Oh so brave

Beer Roster for Semi

Howsit, here's the beer roster, please can everyone bring or arrange for someone to bring your place, we've had a problem over the past two games with people not bringing. Try not to bring it to the side of the field, keep your case of castle cans for the changing room. k LETS DO THIS!!! STEP 2 tonight!

1) Graeme
2) Army
3) Tom
4) Guy
5) Shane
5) Matteo
6) Khoury
7) Shane
8) Evan
9) Callan
10) Warren B
11) Brian
12) Jaime

Oh so brave

Here we go...

It's Semifinal time as The Cobras look to progress to the final of the 2011 Internal League. After a big performance in the Quaters against a powerful Ubumbo side, the boys in purple and white will be looking to add to this when they take on the Wild Boys this Wednesday night.

The two teams have met many times in the past, with the record looking like this:

2007: The Cobras 26 - 14 Wild Boys

2009: The Cobras 28 - 5 Wild Boys, The Cobras 25 - 17 Wild Boys

2011: The Cobras 24 - 0 Wild Boys

Although past results have gone in favor of The Cobras, this semifinal will mean a lot more for both teams, let's do this.

2011 Internal League Semi Final:

Wednesday 7th September

The Cobras vs. Wild Boys

Meet 16:30 below Cecil

Kick off 18:00 UCTRFC B-Field

1. Shane 2. Khotso 3. Dale

4. Tom 5. Jaimie

6. Callan 7. Evan

8. Dino

9. Guy 10. Warren 12. Bailo 13. Nico

11. Maarzie 14. Rayaan

15. Geoff

Please keep checking back for beer boys for this week..

Step two of three, let's leave nothing out there

- Captains Practice TODAY (tues) 16:30 UCT B-Field

Oh so brave

Start looking for that special someone...