Maties chase lucky 13

2008-09-04 13:38

Cape Town - Defending champions Stellenbosch University will be aiming for an unrivalled 13th National Club Championship title when they kick off their 2008 campaign at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Sunday afternoon, against invited team Raiders of Johannesburg.

The Maties' dominance of South Africa's flagship club rugby competition began with the inaugural tournament in 1975, when they beat Durban Collegians 28-20 in the final. That victory ushered in a golden era for the Cape students, who went on to play in another seven consecutive finals from 1976-1982, of which they won five. In total, Maties have appeared in 14 finals, losing only twice - against arch-rivals Tukkies in 1976 and against Villagers in 1980.

The only other team to leave a similar mark on the Club Champs over the past 33 years has been Tukkies. The University of Pretoria students have appeared in 12 finals and won the title on three occasions, the last of which was in 2003 when they were trained by current Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir.

Maties and Tukkies have contested the Club Champs final six times, the most recent of which was last year when Stellenbosch ran out comfortable 24-8 winners in front of their home crowd. Maties also lead the historical head-to-head 5-1.

Three other former champions will also be in action at this year's tournament: six-time finalists Despatch, who famously won the title in 1985 and 1988 (both against Tukkies); four-time finalists Pukke, who lifted the trophy in 2004 and 2006; and five-time finalists the University of Johannesburg, whose sole title came in 1992.

New champions

In addition, only eight of last year's 14 provincial champions were able to defend their respective league titles this year. Apart from Maties (WP), Tukkies (Blue Bulls), Pukke (Leopards) and UJ (Golden Lions), Welkom (Griffons), Kimberley Police (Griqualand West), College Rovers (KZN), and Buffalo (Border) will return to the Club Champs with high hopes of lifting the trophy.

Apart from Despatch (EP), the five new champions on show in Stellenbosch this year will be Nelspruit (Mpumalanga), CUT Ixias (Free State), Bridgton (SWD), Brakpan (Falcons) and Roses United (Boland).

The 14 provincial champions will be joined in the main draw by top black teams Raiders, who lost to Pukke in the quarter-finals of the Golden Lions' Pirates Grand Challenge Cup, and 2007 Plate winners SK Walmers of Western Province, who currently lie in second position in the WP Super League.

Another four invited black clubs - Eersterust, Barbarians, Gardens and Nova Wesbank - will contest the Bowl competition, to be played on a round-robin basis. All four teams play in their respective provincial premier leagues: Eersterust finished seventh in the Blue Bulls' Carlton Cup, Barbarians were runners-up in the SWD Premier League and Cup, Gardens finished second to Despatch in the EP Grand Challenge league, and Wesbank are currently second behind Roses United in the Boland Premier League.

Sunday's fixtures:

Bowl:

10:00 - Barbarians v Eersterust
11:30 Wesbank v Gardens

Premier:

10:00 - College Rovers v Buffalo; Despatch v Brakpan
11:30 - Pukke v Bridgton; UJ v Welkom; Ixias v Kimberley Police
13:00 - Roses United v Nelspruit
14:30 - Tukkies v SK Walmers
16:15 - Maties v Raiders

National Club Champs winners 1975-2007:

2007 - Maties 24 Tukkies 8
2006 - Pukke 33 College Rovers 21
2005 - Maties 24 UJ 13
2004 - Pukke 41 TUT 10
2003 - Tukkies 46 Pukke 25
2002 - Shimlas 34 Pukke 26
2001 - Pirates 37 Tygerberg 13
2000 - Maties 54 Tukkies 37
1999 - Shimlas 45 Welkom Rovers 9
1998 - Maties 28 UJ 10
1997 - Maties 30 UJ 15
1996 - Pretoria Police 70 Old Greys 29
1995 - Pretoria Police 26 Crusaders 12
*1994 - Crusaders 34 Oudstudente 2
*1993 - Crusaders 8 Despatch 2
1992 - UJ 40 Harlequins 22
1991 - Old Greys 36 Despatch 6
1990 - Tukkies 22 Despatch 20
1989 - Roodepoort 29 Goudstad Onderwyskollege 22
1988 - Despatch 13 Tukkies 12
1987 - Defence (Cape) 26 Despatch 8
1986 - Shimlas 14 Tukkies 6
1985 - Despatch 28 Tukkies 6
1984 - Maties 16 Tukkies 15
1983 - Harlequins 29 Tukkies 12
1982 - Maties 25 UJ 6
1981 - Maties 32 Pretoria Police 9
1980 - Villager 14 Maties 3
1979 - Maties 27 Tukkies 11
1978 - Maties 15 Tukkies 9
1977 - Maties 12 Harlequins 10
1976 - Tukkies 19 Maties 0
1975 - Maties 28 Durban Collegians 20

*Kicks worth two points

- Sport24