Somebody stop them!
The University of Stellenbosch once again showed their championship credentials in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International when the two-time defending champions smashed their University of Pretoria rivals by a whopping 64-17 on Monday.
Admittedly it was a very poor effort from FNB Tuks, but it takes a quality side to 'put a team away' and FNB Maties produced a monstrous effort playing into a gale in the second half.
Leading by 29-12 at the break, Maties scored 35 unanswered points in a rout that put them in line for the biggest score of the season. Only one team, NMMU, has conceded more than 64 points this season - when Maties beat the Port Elizabeth team 68-20, with UCT also smashing the selfsame Madibas outfit 65-9.
A late Tukkies rally brought the visitors a consolation score, but it did not distract from the outcome in Stellenbosch - which left the Maties firmly entrenched at the top of the standings and Tukkies in danger of losing out in what is fast becoming a crowded play-off race.
Tukkies - who were joint third on the standings before this game, just ahead of UJ on points' difference - may well slip out of the Top Four as other Round Five results emerge on this, the first day of March 2010. And with Tukkies having to face Shimlas, at home, and UCT, away, in their remaining matches, their chances of reaching the semifinals are looking decidedly slim(mer).
It was the Maties' bigger and stronger pack that set up the rout, by dominating the contact situations and generally making life very unpleasant for Tukkies at the breakdown. Maties' hands were also far more secure against the jittery Tukkies, who were further let down by a lack of discipline in the second half.
Maties got off to the perfect start - from the kick-off the Tukkies' attempted clearance was charged down and No.8 Tertius Daniller was on hand to score the opening try inside 30 seconds. Flyhalf André Kemp, with a strong wind at his back, slotted the conversion for a 7-0 lead.
Tukkies' riposte was swift and decisive - as from the restart they regained possession and fullback Justin van Staden - whose kick had earlier been charged down - went on an arcing run and showed a clean pair of heels to the Maties defenders, scoring in the left corner. The conversion, into the teeth of a strong wind, was however not on target - 5-7.
Kemp stretched his team's lead to 10-5 with a penalty in the 15th minute, before a sublime move produced Maties' second try. It came when the scrumhalf, Johan Herbst, set off on a run and off-loaded to inside centre Stephan van der Merwe, who in turn put right-wing Danie Poolman away for the score.
Maties No.10 Kemp added the extras to make it 17-5 as the teams headed into the 20-minute water break.
However, Tukkies started the second quarter in fine fashion, with Gertjie Smith scoring after cutting back at a good angle and going over under the uprights. Justin van Staden added the conversion to make it a five-point game at 12-17.
On the half-hour Maties went into a 12-point lead again, when the home team were over the Tukkies line in a pile of bodies. Referee Tiaan Jonker played TMO - in a Varsity Cup innovation - when he consulted a field-side monitor and ruled that the try was scored. Lock Andrew Prior was credited with the score and with Kemp added the conversion to put the home team ahead at 24-12.
Jonker had another opportunity to combine his refereeing and TMO skills, this time ruling that the ball was held up, before Maties scrumhalf Johan Herbst went on a weaving run round the Tuks defence to score in the left corner - the bonus-point try. Kemp's conversion was blown away from the uprights in the strong wind, but at 29-12 and with just five minutes to the half-time break, Maties were in a powerful position.
Tukkies launched a strong raid late in the half, but they lost the ball in the process of trying to ground it over the line.
After the break, with that gale now blowing into their faces, Maties struggled to get out of their own 22. The problem was that the Tukkies ball control left a lot to be desired and they failed to convert a host of scoring opportunities.
The Maties then went further ahead ten minutes into the second half - wing Tythan Adams scoring under the uprights after Tukkies again spilled the ball and a floating pass from Kemp found Adams out wide. Kemp added the extras and at 36-12 Tukkies needed a lot more than just a strong wind to help them get back into the game.
Poor ball control and shockingly poor execution continued to haunt Tukkies - despite a host of replacements taking the field for the visitors - with Stephan van der Merwe the next to score for the back-to-back Varsity Cup champions. Kemp's conversion took the margin to 31 points - 43-12.
Prior scored his second as the carnage continued and Kemp's conversion took the home team to the half-century mark - 50-12 - as Tukkies started to slip off tackles all too regularly and their discipline also began to wane.
Replacement No.9 Johan Laker and Adams added further tries for Maties, before scrumhalf Ignick Windvogel scored a consolation try for the visitors after the full-time hooter had already sounded. The conversion was wide - leaving Tuks to ponder a 17-64 hiding.
The scorers:
For FNB Maties:
Tries: Daniller, Poolman, Prior 2, Herbst, Adams 2, Van der Merwe, Laker
Cons: Kemp 8
Pen: Kemp
For FNB Tukkies:
Tries: Van Staden, Smith, Windvogel
Con: Van Staden
The teams:
Maties: 15 Jonathan Francke, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Charl Weideman, 12 Stephan van der Merwe, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Tertius Daniller, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Marinus Pretorius, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Andrew Crausaz, 1 Johan Roets.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Light, 17 Suan Havenga, 18 Cameron Peverett, 19 Sam Mabombo, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Adnaan Oesman, 22 Wilhelm Loock, 23 Buhle Mxunuywa.
Tuks: 15 Justin van Staden, 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Ernie Kruger, 12 Gertjie Smith, 11 Aaron Denenga, 10 Shaun Davids (captain), 9 Ignick Windvogel, 8 Coenie Pieters, 7 Tendaiyi Chikukwa, 6 Louwrens Lombard, 5 Francois van Wyk, 4 Tiaan Nel, 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Chris Crous, 1 Ettienne Breytenbach.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Musa Tukela, 18 Joe Walters, 19 Marius Weber, 20 Wesleigh Marais, 21 Fanie Booysen, 22 Gerhard van der Merwe, 23 Hein Viljoen.
Referee: Tiaan Jonker