Maties make it five from five

Even though the defending champion Maties came to Pretoria with almost an entire new team, they still managed to beat FNB TUT 24-14 at the TUT Stadium on Monday night.

FNB Maties came into this game with a new-look backline and even their regular captain, loose forward Wesley Wilkens, was given a rest against TUT, who have struggled in the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

TUT scored first when fullback Adillio Coutriers kicked a penalty in the very first minute.

But immediately thereafter Maties opened the game up and started to run with the ball. A minute later, hooker Mathew Dobson went over in the corner for his team's first try.

The rest of the first half was one-way traffic, with Maties dominating possession and running from every corner to score another two tries.

The Maties pack overpowered TUT and secured enough clean possession for their eager backs to attack with. Only a much improved display from TUT on defence denied Maties more tries.

TUT tried to resist the onslaught for short periods, but Maties outplayed them in every facet of the game. Even when Maties flank JP Mostert was sent to the bin after 25 minutes in the first half, TUT could not capitalise. In fact, Maties just kept on attacking - despite being a man down.

Only Coutriers' boot kept TUT in the game in the first half, as he kicked three penalties to make the half-time score 17-9 in the Maties' favour.

In the second half TUT tried to stage a fightback, but just could not get enough possession to attack with. They managed to score a try, however, and dominate a short period of the play in this half, but when Wynand Willis was sent off with a yellow card in the 25th minute, TUT's game was over.

TUT, if they do not take a drastic step up in their last two games against Pukke and Shimlas, will face a relegation game at the end of the tournament.

At least they defended much better on Monday night than earlier in the competititon, and if they build on this performance, they could still win one, or both, of their final matches.

For TUT, No.8 Wikus Botes, flank Athi Mtya and scrumhalf André Potgieter tried their best, but they were unable to stop the maroon tide on their own.

The scorers:

For FNB TUT:
Try: Swartz
Pens: Coutiers 3

For FNB Maties:
Tries: Dobson, Loock, Hanekom, Winkler
Cons: Stevens, Osman

The teams:

TUT: 15 Adillio Coutriers, 14 Wynand Willis, 13 Tjaart Kleu, 12 Simphiwe Mtimkulu, 11 Johan Swartz, 10 Deon Anderson, 9 Andre Potgieter, 8 Wikus Botes, 7 Athi Mtya, 6 Adrihan Kruger, 5 Wouter Moore (captain), 4 Tiaan Fick, 3 Sangoni Mxoli, 2 Brendan Tshoshane, 1 Jaques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Ruhan de Kock, 17 Jan-Harm Steenkamp, 18 Jaques Venter, 19 Oswin Mentoor, 20 Nico van Zyl, 21 Chanley Williams, 22 TC Losper.

Maties: 15 Jonathan Francke, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Jéan Stemmet, 12 Graham Grant, 11 Lwellyn Winkler, 10 Adnaan Osman, 9 Donald Stevens, 8 Morné Hanekom, 7 JP Mostert, 6 Jonathan Adendorf, 5 Jaco Nepgen (captain), 4 Erich Laubscher, 3 Andrew Crauzar, 2 Mathew Dobson, 1 Johan Roets.
Replacements: 16 JP Koster, 17 Jéan Rossouw, 18 Marinus Pretorius, 19 Cameron Peverett, 20 Koos Eksteen, 21 Paul Bosch, 22 Dabeon Draghoender.

SAPA