Ikey Tigers go into camp
It's high performance all the way this weekend for FNB UCT as they hit the Rugby Performance Centre in Riebeek West to gear up for the second half of the 2009 WP Super League season.
The Ikey Tigers will be back on the 'Green Mile' after a much-deserved break, and with a packed fixture list and a competitive league in their sights, they plan to hit the ground running.
The second round of the WP League - for UCT - kicks-off on Saturday, August 1 against SK Walmers 'on the track' in Green Point, followed by a massive midweek clash against Victorians in Stellenbosch on August 5, and a very exciting friendly on Friday, August 7 against the touring Saracens.
The Vics match, in particular, will be a cracker as the Stellenbosch second XV were one of only two teams (the other, of course were log leaders Hamilton's) to beat UCT in the first half of the league season.
With such a physically demanding introduction to the second round, Ikeys head coach John Dobson has decided once again to gather his forces at Alan Zondagh's RPC in Riebeek West.
This is the Ikeys' second visit this year to the high performance centre; following a very successful week-long camp in preparation for the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International at the beginning of 2009, where the Ikeys took on the might of Western Province and the Stormers in pre-season friendlies.
The camp will take place over the last weekend of UCT's vacation and will be an opportunity for the team to prepare all aspects of their assault on the WP Super League.
The state-of-the-art RPC facilities are ideal for the Tigers who will be put through their paces both on the PPC Park pitch, and in training on the infamous House of Pain grounds. The players will have an intensive two-day stay during which they will hone their skills in the set-pieces, run gameplans and prepare mentally for the task ahead.
They will also play a friendly against Zondagh's highly-rated Ceres team.
"It's been a long season already and I hope the guys had a good break because there's still plenty to play for," Dobson told varsitycup.co.za.
"All the guys had gym and fitness programmes to work through during the break, so I'm expecting some hungry fellows in Riebeek West this weekend."
The WP Super League log:
(Under played, won, points)
1. Hamilton's 11, 11, 51
2. SK Walmers 14, 6, 37
3. Maties 8, 6, 31
4. NNK 11, 6, 30
5. Vics 9, 5, 27
6. UCT 8, 5, 26
7. 'Durbell' 10, 5, 25
8. Villager's 13, 4, 20
9. Helderberg 10, 3, 15
10. Kraaifontein 10, 0, 1