Maroela on fire in opening game

Steinhoff Maroela began their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships on a high note - beating Steinhoff Patriot 42-15 in Pretoria on Monday afternoon.

Maroela made a slow start to this fixture, but as the game progressed, the Tuks team's backline started showing too much class.

The home side eventually scored five-tries-to-two (for the four-try bonus point) in an emphatic win over their university neighbours.

Fullback and captain Adriaan Bornman was in fine form for the home side; scoring 22 points via one try, four conversions and three penalties - a fine individual effort.

Bornman, however, was not voted as Man of the Match, with that honour - instead - going to inside centre Chris Ehlers.

This match was played as curtain-raiser to the Tuks-NMMU FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International match at the Tuks Rugby Stadium.

The scorers:

Steinhoff Maroela:
Tries: Bornman, Jacobs, Beyer, Twiname, Ehlers
Cons: Bornman 4
Pens: Bornman 3

For Steinhoff Patriot:
Tries: Rozz, Cronjé
Con: Niemann
Pen: Niemann

The teams:

Steinhoff Maroela: 15 Adriaan Bornman (captain), 14 Frank Hoffman, 13 Wesleigh Marais, 12 Chris Ehlers, 11 Henri Beyer, 10 Stanley Twiname, 9 Jan-Spruyt Steenkamp, 8 Rudolph Smith, 7 Theunis Jacobs, 6 Fritz Reyners, 5 Francois Webb, 4 Martin Smith, 3 Wihan Visagie, 2 Dirk Landman, 1 Claude Joubert.
Replacements: 16 Peirre Joubert, 17 Jason Arundel, 18 André Erasmus, 19 Wayde O’Donoghue, 20 Luvan Cass, 21 Franna van Wyk, 22 Jaco Myburgh, 23 Ben Burger.

Steinhoff Patriot: 15 Gerhard Strydom, 14 Carlos Augusta, 13 Odendaal Rozz, 12 Rezuaan Kotze, 11 Cebu Masuku, 10 Marius Niemann, 9 AD Nel, 8 Wessel Cronjé, 7 Charl Barnard, 6 Ryno Coetzee, 5 Johan Beukman, 4 Jaco van Emmenis, 3 Simon Cocks, 2 André van Zyl (captain), 1 Lunga Ngezi.
Replacements: 16 Michael Matjela, 17 Brandon de Jager, 18 Tiaan van Zyl, 19 Phanuel Nkuna, 20 Philani Mbatha, 21 Johan Niemann, 22 Louis Swart.

By Morris Gilbert