Pukke impress on opening night
Last year's losing finalists, NWU-Pukke, started off impressively when they beat a good Tukkies side 35-24 in a match of high class rugby at Tuks Athletics Stadium on Monday night in the first round of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
It was Pukke's first win over the Pretoria students in this competition - and although Tukkies came back with some very good rugby after trailing 21-7 at the break, Pukke were good value for their win which they really clinched in the last few minutes only.
The North West students, trailing 7-0 only five minutes into the game after a precision backline try by Tuks winger Aaron Denenga following a scrum, then took over proceedings - and with fullback Theuns Kotze's boot finding the target, they went into half-time 21-7 ahead with a try each from scrumhalf Anthony Mahoney following a driving maul and from centre Wouter Watermeyer.
Pukke's forwards showed more drive and cohesion, and their backs looked sharp and ran hard and straight.
Tukkies, on the other hand, missed four kicks at goal, were competitive at the breakdown but not dominant, and after their initial try did not look as sharp at the back as the Pukke speedsters.
But whatever their coach Freddie Grobler said to them during the break, worked.
They stepped up their tempo - and after two further tries, one from another full backline move rounded off by winger Dirk Dippenaar and one from lock Tiaan Nel added to Gert Smith's three conversions, they were suddenly tied at 21-21 at the end of the third quarter.
Tuks then, incredibly one might add, took the lead when Smith converted a penalty.
But the Pukke came back impressively and controlled matters in the last ten minutes or so, with the lead changing hands when Mahoney scored his second try - again on the back of some good driving play of his pack - and Kotze converting.
Mahoney repeated it four minutes later, and with Kotze converting again it became 35-24 for a well-deserved win with Mahoney's hat-trick try also bringing the all-too-crucial four-try bonus point.
The scorers:
For FNB Tukkies:
Tries: Aaron Denenga, Tiaan Nel, Dirk Dippenaar
Cons: Smith 3
Pen: Smith
For FNB Pukke:
Tries: Watermeyer, Mahoney 3
Cons: Kotze 3
Pens: Kotze 3
Yellow card(s): Franco Booysen (Tuks - 23rd minute), Thabo Molete (Pukke - 49th minute), Gert Smith (Tuks - 76th minute)
The teams:
Tukkies: 15 Gert Smith, 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Ernie Kruger, 12 Franco Booysen, 11 Aaron Denenga, 10 Shaun Davids (captain), 9 Ignick Windvogel, 8 Marius Weber, 7 Marius Oosthuizen, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Francois van Wyk, 4 Tiaan Nel, 3 Hein Viljoen, 2 Chris Crous, 1 Ettienne Breytenbach.
Replacements: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Musa Tukela, 18 Joe Walters, 19 Oswin Mentoor, 20 Wesley Marais, 21 Donovan Marais, 22 Fanie Booysen, 23 Danie Oosthuizen.
Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 Dane Johnson, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Danie Dames, 10 Niell Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 Thabo Molete, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Savvas Nel, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Dirco Rautenbach (captain), 3 Stephanus Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenhage, 1 Dewald Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 BG Uys, 18 Francois Robbertse, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Cecil Dumond, 22 Wensley Scott, 22 Andrew van Wyk, 23 Johan Coetzee.
Referee: Archie Sehlako