Perfect seven for unbeaten Maties
The FNB Maties on Monday beat a resilient NWU-Pukke side 33-17 in the final round of the 2010 Varsity Cup to become the first team to go through the league phases of this competition unbeaten.
But it was not easy as the FNB Pukke came back from a 6-16 deficit just before half-time to trail by only two points at 19-17 after the third quarter in Potchefstroom.
However, an intercept try by Maties centre Charl Weideman after the final whistle saw the final score distorted to 33-17 in a match that produced some outstanding rugby between last year's finalists.
Playing for second place on the log, and thereby a home semifinal, the Pukke were competitive in the first half - but squandered too many opportunities through poor options or unsure handling. The Pukke nevertheless remained strongly in contention until they conceded a well-worked converted try three minutes before the half-time break.
That try let the Maties increase their lead to 16-6, but the Pukke pulled back three points through a penalty on the half-time siren.
At 16-9 the Maties' half-time lead was probably a fair reflection of a good match where the visitors had the better - albeit slightly - of the first 40 minutes.
The Maties' greater continuity in the first half continued for the first six minutes after the break. And that pressure led to a fourth successful penalty goal by Man of the Match André Kemp - a flyhalf with a good boot and that rare combination of vision and time on the ball.
At 19-9 the visitors seemed to be pulling away, but when Theuns Kotzé kicked his fourth penalty after 50 minutes, the Pukke suddenly sparked at 19-12.
However, playing behind the advantage line and continued breakdowns because of poor finishing and unsure handling kept costing the home side, despite a number of sorties into opposition territory. But they were not to be denied when after 60 minutes the pack drove and mauled over from a lineout with captain Stoffel Duvenage the man in possession. Kotze's missed conversion left the Maties in front at 19-17.
With their forwards now in control in broken play, Pukke then produced some dangerous runs. However, the Maties' class shone through when they exploited an unmarked area behind the ruck with winger Willem Look getting the bounce from a kick-ahead to score in the corner.
Kemp converted to make it six from six and 26-17 after 65 minutes.
It was cruel for the Pukke when, in possession, the final siren sounded just for Weideman to intercept nearly 50 metres out. Kemp added a further two points to bring his tally to 18 and the final score to 33-17.
The Pukke will now have to play a waiting game to see if UCT beat Tuks in Cape Town at 6.30pm. If UCT win, then the Pukke will have to travel to Stellenbosch or Cape Town for next week's semifinals - depending on the Shimlas-UJ result.
The scorers:
For the FNB Pukke:
Try: Duvenage
Pens: Kotzé 4
For the FNB Maties:
Tries: Strauss, Loock, Weideman
Cons: Kemp 3
Pens: Kemp 4
The teams:
Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 Ghafoer Luckan, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Neill Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Thabo Molete, 6 Siya Mdaka, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Francois Robbertse, 3 Stephanus Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenage (captain), 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Janis Terblanche, 21 Willem Barnard, 22 Dane Johnson, 23 Johan Coetzee.
Maties: 15 Adnaan Oesman, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Charl Weideman, 11 Jonathan Francke, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Laker, 8 Cameron Peverett (captain), 7 Sam Mabombo, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Marinus Pretorius, 3 Andrew Crausaz, 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Johan Roets.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Light, 17 Suan Havenga, 18 Andrew Prior, 19 Jonathan Adendorf, 20 Johan Herbst, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Tythan Adams, 23 Lourens Adriaanse.
Referee: Ben Crouse