Fleck: 'Stellenbosch the best'
It’s not often a UCT ‘boytjie’ backs a Stellenbosch team, but Ikey Tigers assistant coach Robbie Fleck has doffed his cap at the Maties ahead of Monday’s 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International Final.
Fleck’s Ikey Tigers side went down 17-19 to Pukke in last week’s semifinals – much to the former Springbok centre’s disappointment – but he cannot see the Men from Potchefstroom giving Maties too much trouble come Monday’s final.
“First things first, I must congratulate Pukke on their win on Monday,” Fleck told varsitycup.co.za. “They played better ‘finals’ rugby than us and deserved to go through.
“We (at UCT) never seem to learn our lessons when it comes to the play-offs, but I’m still proud of the guys – ending second on the log is not a bad effort.”
But looking ahead to the final at the Danie Craven Stadium (kick-off 6.45pm), Fleck commented: “To be honest, I can’t see Pukke giving Maties too many problems – in fact, I think Stellenbosch will run away with it.
“Maties are the best team in the Varsity Cup, their results prove it, but it does leave me wondering what might’ve been had we got into the final.
“I think Maties will be happy that they’re up against Pukke and not us or Tuks,” he added. “We’re two teams that are able to go wide whenever we need, whereas a team like Pukke tend to keep things straight up and down, which is why I think Maties will do it in the final – again.”
Ikeys backline coach Fleck and head coach John Dobson did a fine job at UCT this season, as they did in 2008, having last year taken the Capetonians to the final where they went down narrowly to Chean Roux’s Maties.
“We were written off once again as the team to beat,” said Fleck, “but I think we proved that last year wasn’t a flash in the pan.
“We trained hard and prepared better than we did in 2008, but it wasn’t meant to be. Still, we finished second on the log and we should’ve beaten Maties in our opening game, whilst we got things wrong tactically in our away game against Pukke…
“But all in all it was another pleasant Varsity Cup campaign for UCT and we certainly managed to enjoy ourselves – both on and off the field, a crucial part of UCT’s philosophy towards the game.”
