UJ outrun Shimlas

In the fourth round of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International the University of Johannesburg rampaged through the Shimlas of Bloemfontein in the second half, scoring 26 unanswered points to win 44-8, scoring six tries to one.

Both sides deserve accolades for enterprise. Counterattack was the name of the game. If one side kicked, the other side countered. If one side knocked on, the other side countered. It produced a spectacle, even if it became one-sided.

UJ were too fast, too skilful, too direct for the Shimlas whose hands were poor, line-outs  haphazard, defence poorly organised to pose a real threat to the home side.

And yet after 25 minutes the score was 8-8, and the Shimlas captain, Jaco Colyn, said afterwards that his side thought they had the winning of the match. They did not win. Colyn, such a promising scrumhalf, played flyhalf. It was not a success. His scrumhalf Marlin Ruiters was outplayed by Jaco Snyman and he was outplayed by André Smit, the ex Paarl Gim boy whose position really is flyhalf.

UJ fans sang from start to finish and well they might as their team gave them a lot to sing about. The beautiful dancing girls had plenty to dance about and for the rugby enthusiast there were great moments on the field, especially by hat-trick man Edrich van Tonder - big, fast and skilled.

The UJ backline fired with great performances from the halfbacks, Snyman and Smit, centre JJ Pienaar, fullback Earl Lewis and Van Tonder.

The Shimlas had good moments, particularly from Wouter Stieger and Llewellyn Adonis but their efforts were sporadic and usually ended in a handling lapse.

Snyman opened the scoring from a line-out when he ducked under one and sprinted past two more to score a brilliant try. But Shimlas, who were playing with a freshening wind, got more and more into the game  and when Rob Andrew was penalised for obstruction next to a ruck, Johan van Niekerk did well to goal from 35 metres out and just in from touch. 8-3.

Shimlas attacked again but were called back for a forward pass. They opted for a line-out from a penalty but got the throw-in wrong. Then they got a great try, Niël Jacobs started a counterattack. Van Niekerk raced down the left wing. Tackled he popped the ball back to Jacobs who headed for the corner. As he was tackled he miraculously got the ball inside to Frans la Grange, a lock who was up in support in this long movement. He plunged over for the try. 8-8.

There was individual brilliance in the next try as Earl Lewis sped down the right touch-line and then kicked ahead. He and two Shimlas raced for the ball. The three dived, arms reaching, fingers eager. The referee who was right on the spot, asked the TMO for advice and his advice was that a try had been scored. 18-8. That was the half-time score.

What happened in the second half was not the work of the wind at UJ's backs. Whatever coach Hugo van As injected into his side during the break worked a treat as his side went straight onto the attack. They bashed. The Shimlas got free but when play stopped the referee again referred to the TMO who was able to see Andrew just getting the ball onto the goal-line. Smit converted. 25-8.

It still did not seem that UJ were running away with the game, less so when the Shimlas battered at the line and only a clever hand from Torrie Meyer saved a try. Shimlas carried on attacking but then UJ took over.

Van Tonder got his first try when, from a  scrum, UJ went 8-9-15-14.  Van Tonder had the narrowest of overlaps on the touch-line but he sped away. He chipped over Adonis and raced ahead, diving at the ball and gathering it in mid dive for a splendid try. 30-8 with 23 minutes to play.

When UJ knocked on, Shimlas countered. When Shimlas knocked on, UJ came racing back. Oscar Mfundisi kicked ahead and was winning the race easily when he toed the ball again, and toed it over the dead-ball line.

After being held up over the line, UJ attacked  on the right and a great pass by Neil Visagie gave Van Tonder his second try. Lewis converted.

First Lewis and then Pienaar made the Shimlas defence look in disarray.

From a line-out on the left, UJ spread the ball to the right with long passes which gave Van Tonder room for an easy try - for him that is, for he was just too fast for the defenders. Lewis converted.

The hooter had gone when UJ's Clinton de Klerk was tackled out at the corner post.

UJ were worthy winners all right, and they did the game a favour.

Scorers:

For UK:
Tries: Snyman, Lewis, Andrew, Van Tonder 3
Cons:  Smit 2, Lewis 2
Pens:  Smit 2

For Shimlas:
Try: La Grange
Pen: Niël Jacobs

Teams:

FNB UJ: 15 Earl Lewis, 14 Edrich van Tonder, 13 Clinton de Klerk, 12 JJ Pienaar, 11 Oscar Mfundisi, 10 Arno Coetzee, 9 Jaco Snyman, 8 Sisa Mafu, 7 Torrie Meyer, 6 Frikkie Maartens, 5 Andries Nel, 4 Rob Andrew, 3 Clint van Niekerk , 2 Neil Visagie (captain), 1 Wayne Swart.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Ryno Bosman, 18 Martyn Lombard, 19 Julian Erasmus, 20 Bakkies van Zyl, 21 Andre Smit, 22 Itumeleng Mogotsi

Shimlas: 15 Llewellyn Adonis, 14 Wouter Stieger, 13 Cameron Jacobs, 12 Niël Jacobs, 11 Johan Van Niekerk, 10 Jaco Colyn (captain), 9 Marlin Ruiters, 8 Arne Grobbelaar, 7 Andre Tredoux, 6 Paul Roux, 5 Frans La Grange, 4 Philippus Jacobus Steyn, 3 Drew Van Coller, 2 Gert Erasmus, 1 Roelof David Koorsen.
Replacements: 16 Frank Herne, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Barry Landman, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Johann Christoffel Myburgh, 21 Earl Snyman, 22 Hadley Smith.

Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones
Television match official: Michael Cupido
Assessor: André Watson