FNB UCT Ikeys have set their sights on bouncing back from a narrow 23-19 defeat to FNB CUT last time out. They’ll be looking to return to winning ways when they host FNB UP-Tuks in Round Three.
The Ikeys will play their first match in front of their fans at the Green Mile after their clash against FNB NWU Eagles was rescheduled and played behind closed doors due to protests. The UCT Ikeys needed to rely on a late comeback to produce a 32-23 victory.
UCT captain, Sipho Dyonase, praised his team’s fighting spirit in the victory over the NWU Eagles when it seemed like everything was against them. Despite the disruptions and a below-par first-half performance Dyonase and his side refused to accept the cards dealt to them as he credited his team’s strong mentality.
“We couldn’t be victims. We often speak about it in our team – don’t be a victim but rather fight through that adversity.”
That mentality shone through in their first fixture where they didn’t lead until the very end of the clash with FNB NWU Eagles.
The men from Cape Town will see the FNB UP-Tuks fixture as an opportunity to get back on the winning horse but also a chance to set their standard at the Green Mile while entertaining the Ikeys faithful.
“We know that we’ve conditioned well, our S and C’s (strength and condition coach) has done a lot of work with us in the pre-season. So, we know that we can go for a full 80 minutes” said the Ikeys skipper.
Despite their round two defeat to FNB CUT, UCT have the chance to quickly shrug that off and build on their home form – something that will be crucial in their push for the FNB Varsity Cup crown in 2025.
Dyonase admitted that he and his Ikeys teammates expect windy Green Mile conditions to play a role in their home games, although he’s confident they can make it work in their favour. The UCT skipper believes his team’s gameplan is perfectly suited to make their home a fortress.
“At the Green Mile, we play against the wind all the time. So, it’s all about building multi phases and eventually, the defence gets sucked in and then you can go wide… it is hard but you just gotta be able to build those multi-phases that are gonna get us through to be able to score a try”.