Shimlas eventually storm to the win

A strong final fifteen minutes from Shimlas saw them come away from their Varsity Cup opening encounter with a comfortable 37-11 win over the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University at UCT on Monday night.

The match marked the beginning of the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff and certainly provided the entertaining rugby which the tournament is already famous for.

NMMU had to earn the right to compete in this years competition with a qualification round win over Fort Hare but they certainly showed a great amount of heart in the opening hour of the match but were just not able compete with Shimlas in the final quarter.

While they eventually went down 37-11 the Port Elizabeth based side did play some very entertaining rugby. Their opponents though will be delighted to have got the win after dominating so much of the possession during the match and yet going into half time with the scored locked at 8-8.

Shimlas should have opened the scoring with 12 minutes gone. Flyhalf Lionel Cronjé went over the line but was unable to ground the ball. The Pretoria based side were dominating the possession and play but just seemed unable to make it count.

Cronje made up for his earlier error with 25 minutes gone. With a quick turnover the Shimlas produced the play of the match - combining both forwards and back, the men from Bloemfontein scored the first points of the match through their talented No.10.

With 32 minutes of play gone Shimlas No.3 Drew van Coller was clearly seen to stand on an opposition players neck/face. The replay seemed to show the player first holding the player down and then standing on his face before moving away.

After consulting the television match official and his touch judge, referee Kolie Brandt decided just to penalise the player.

As the first half drew to a close the Shimlas were desperate to extend their lead. Playing the first half with the wind at their backs, knew they probably needed more than just the five point lead they had with the scores at 8-3.

To NMMU's credit though they withstood the pressure and, after forcing a couple of vital turnovers, actually draw themselves level just before the break.

Good work from wing Rayn January and fullback Oscar Mazak had forced errors at the back by the Shimlas and ultimately saw them score a try with the last move of half.

Despite having only 40 percent of the possession in the first half NMMU had shown a great willingness to play attractive rugby and were particularly strong with the off-loads. Powerful running No.8 Jaco Swanepoel carried a number of times for the side from Port Elizabeth and flyhalf Laubscher was always willing to give the ball a bit of width.

With just five minutes gone in the second half Cronje had a chance to extend his sides lead with a penalty attempt. He was unsuccessful from the tee but just a couple minutes later added his second try of the afternoon.

NMMU bravely chose to try and run the ball out from their own try line but were turned over some 35 metres out. Quick ball quickly resulted and then Cronje produced a real moment of magic. Stepping first of his left and then his right Cronjé broke the line and raced over the line for his second of the afternoon.

The successful conversion gave Shimlas a 15-8 lead with half an hour left in the game.

The Madiba's enjoyed more of the ball in the early minutes of the second half with Swanepool once again leading the charge. They were rewared after 54 minutes with another Laubscher three pointer, reducing the gap to just four points.

Cronjé added to his points tally on the hour mark, restoring his sides seven point cushion with his second penalty, once again giving the Shimlas side a little bit of breathing space.

With 10 minutes left in the game Shimlas wrapped up the wing with their third try of the afternoon. After a sustained period of pressure they finally went over in the right hand corner to take the score up to the winning margin of 23-11.

Some good hands, with straight running from the line, created a bit of space for fullback Llewellyn Adonis to feed Wouter Stieger to score in the corner.

Full of confidence now the Shimlas began to really stretch the NMMU defence. Having had to defend for much of the match the Madiba's simply could not keen up. A sniping break from Shimlas' replacement scrumhalf Marlin Ruiters uinside the opposition 20 created the try and his fellow substitute Sewes Oosthuizen finished off the try.

NMMU should have had a consolation try on 78 minutes after a fantastic break from Laubscher but Luso Booi just didnt have the pace to finish the the try off.

Shimlas then ended the game with their fifth try of the match, outside centre Cameron Jacobs finishing the job after some more open attacking play from Shimlas.

It took them some time to get going but in the end it was a job very well done by the Bloenfontein men. How different things might have been had van Tonder been red carded earlier in the game but ultimately the better side on the day ran out comfortable winners as NMMU could just not sustain their heroic defensive effort of the first hour for the whole 80 minutes.

The Scorers:

For Shimlas
Tries: Cronjé 2, Stieger, Oosthuizen, C Jacobs
Pen: N Jacobs 2
Cons: N Jacobs 2

For NMMU:
Tries: Mazaka
Pen: Laubscher 2

Shimlas: 15 Llewellyn Adonis, 14 Wouter Stieger, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Niel Jacobs, 11 Hadley Smith, 10 Lionel Cronjé, 9 Jaco Colyn (captain), 8 Arné Grobbelaar, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Paul Roux, 5 Frans la Grange, 4 André Tredoux, 3 Drew van Coller, 2 Hans Grobler, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Sewes Oosthuizen, 18 JP de Klerk, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Johan van Niekerk, 21 Marlin Ruiters, 22 Earl Snyman.

NMMU team: 15 Oscar Mazaka, 14 Rayn January, 13 Wade Roos, 12 Marius Muller, 11 Lutho Zatu, 10 Willem Laubscher, 9 Niel Wetz, 8 Jaco Swanepoel, 7 Morné van der Westhuyzen (captain), 6 Qhamani Mjobo, 5 André Goosen, 4 Luke Beling, 3 Pierre Hammond, 2 Alistair Langson, 1 Tyrone Williams.
Replacements: 16 Wade Lotter, 17 Tashrique Hearne, 18 Frans van der Walt, 19 Jannie Fourie, 20 Luso Booi, 21 Devon Mellville, 22 Dale Geyer.

Venue: UCT, Groote Schuur
Time: 2.45pm