VARSITY CUP: TUKS MOVE TOP AS UWC BREAK DUCK
ROUND SEVEN WRAP: FNB UP-Tuks are the new FNB Varsity Cup log leaders after beating third-placed FNB NWU Pukke on Monday, while there were significant wins for FNB UFS Shimlas and FNB UWC.
The clash between third-placed NWU Pukke and second-placed UP-Tuks was the showpiece fix-ture of Round Seven but didn’t quite live up to its billing - the visitors winning 28-0.
For all the fervent home support at Fanie du Toit Sports Ground and determination to lay down a marker ahead of a possible semifinal, NWU Pukke weren’t able to match UP-Tuks’ forward domi-nance.
UP-Tuks opened the scoring with a 10th minute try from hooker Johan Grobbelaar and then their gameplan was clear; namely take every available opportunity to score.
Tinus de Beer, their usually reliable flyhalf, didn't have his kicking radar calibrated initially, missing the conversion and a subsequent penalty, but ended the match with three penalties and two conversions to contribute 13 points.
Fullback Damian Bonaparte and replacement loose-forward Brian Leitch scored second-half tries to complete the comfortable win, which all but sealed a home playoff place for UP-Tuks - they’ve now joined FNB Maties on 28 points, though the Stellies have a match in hand.
NWU Pukke retained their third-place on 19 points, but only because FNB UFS Shimlas missed the chance to overtake them after losing a nail-biter against FNB CUT Ixias, who won 38-35.
Spectators at CUT Rugby Stadium were treated to an open game which saw 10 tries being scored - five apiece. The Ixias earned the Bloemfontein bragging rights because their place-kicker, Heinrich Bitzi, was more accurate from the tee.
The hosts also did all the scoring from the 38th to 74th minutes - three tries (two converted) and two penalties - leaving UFS Shimlas with too much to do. Their bonus points from losing by less than seven points and scoring more than four tries moved them up to 17 points - three ahead of the victors CUT.
That left FNB UCT Ikey Tigers as the big losers of Monday night after FNB Wits rocked their playoff hopes by beating them 30-29 in Johannesburg.
It was an emotionally-charged atmosphere at Wits Rugby Stadium with the hosts having suffered two bereavements in their rugby family in the week before the match. Wits duly put UCT under pressure from the get-go and raced into an 18-0 lead at the first strategy break.
Though the Ikey Tigers fought back to lead 19-18 at halftime, and then 22-18 shortly thereafter, Wits weren’t to be denied a third win in three years over the Capetonians.
The hosts’ third converted seven-point try ultimately proved decisive, even if UCT were the last to score.
At least there was something to celebrate in the Cape, as FNB UWC saw off 2018 semi-finalists FNB UJ 29-17 for their first-ever Varsity Cup win.
Despite still being at the bottom of the log, the victory means Chester Williams’ charges move off zero points - to five.
UWC have been punished for poor discipline throughout the season to date, but restricted UJ to on-ly two tries at UWC Sports Stadium - their final home game of the season.
For UJ, it marks a fall from grace as UWC are now only two points behind them and have a match in hand over them.
All the scores and scorers!
FNB WITS (18) 30
FNB UCT IKEY TIGERS (19) 29
The scorers:
For Wits:
Tries: Van Blerk 2, Champion
Cons: Humphries 3
Pen: Humphries
For UCT:
Tries: Porter, Van Vuuren, Moon
Cons: Hock 2
Pen: Hock
Teams:
FNB Wits: 15 Jared Fuller, 14 Kasende Kapepula, 13 Sicelo Champion, 12 AJ van Blerk, 11 Moemisi Mosheledi,, 10 Chris Humphries, 9 Runaldo Pedro, 8 Cal Smidt, 7 Phillip Krause, 6 Cons-tant Beckerling (capt), 5 Kevin du Randt, 4 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt, 3 Luyolo Qinela, 2 CJ Conradie, 1 Bhekisa Shongwe
Replacements: 16 Justin Brandon, 17 Craig Hume, 18 Ebot Buma, 19 Pascal Snyman, 20 Sipho Siboza, 21 Ruan Cloete, 22 Anele Makongolo, 23 Bryan Breda
FNB UCT Ikey Tigers: 15 Darian Hock, 14 Rayno Mapoe, 13 James Tedder, 12 Robbie Ball, 11 Lindelwe Zungu, 10 Jonty Bredell, 9 Brandon Salomo, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Josh Moon (capt), 6 Niel Otto, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Duncan Saffy, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Josh van Vuuren, 1 Devon Arendse
Replacements: 16 Lance Steytler, 17 Tomasz de Rosenworth, 18 Qhawe Bula, 19 Busanda Ma-bena, 20 Kwezi Puza, 21 Armand Pretorius, 22 Michael Brink, 23 Gerard Pieterse
Referee: Paul Mente
TMO: Willie Vos
FNB UWC (7) 29
FNB UJ (10) 17
The scorers:
For UWC:
Tries: Cupido, Hendricks, Theys, Kannemeyer
Cons: Cupido 3
Pen: Cupido
For UJ:
Tries: Bester, Mujawo
Con: Raphunga
Pen: Raphunga
Teams:
FNB UWC: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Sthsaba Mqhatu, 13 Lubelo Scott, 12 Lyle Hendricks, 11 André Manuel, 10 Aidynn Cupido, 9 Clayton Daniels, 8 Adrian Paarwater, 7 Reece Bocks, 6 Bronlee Mouwries, 5 Curtley Thomas, 4 Matthew le Roux, 3 Justin Theys, 2 Jacques van Zyl, 1 Luvo Bazi
Replacements: 16 Ralph Jansen, 17 Alexander Mbete, 18 Tyler Gessler, 19 Rohaan Adams, 20 Labib Kannemeyer, 21 Keagan Fortune, 22 Darren Jaftha, 23 Hendrick Calitz
FNB UJ: 15 Odwa Nkunjana, 14 Shaun Williams, 13 Tyreeq February, 12 Wynard Botha, 11 Tatendaishe Mujawo, 10 Mashudu Raphunga, 9 Jack Hart, 8 Edwin Jansen, 7 Adrian Bester (capt), 6 Dian Schoonees, 5 Tyler Brown, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Coenraad Vrey, 2 Willem Du Plessis, 1 Pierre Rabie
Replacements: 16 Hloni Mphuthi, 17 Kayden Kiewit, 18 Sibusiso Lali, 19 Khanya Ncusane, 20 Henro Liebenberg, 21 Siphesihle Radebe, 22 Johan Esterhuizen, 23 Musawenkosi Tshabalala
Referee: Griffin Colby
FNB CUT IXIAS (21) 38
FNB UFS SHIMLAS (21) 35
For CUT:
Tries: H Nel, Jasper, Tieties, R Nel, Davids
Cons: Bitzi 4
Pen: Bitzi
For UFS:
Tries: Cloete, Snyman, Schutte 2, Taylor
Cons: Dobela 3
Teams:
FNB CUT: 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Dimitrio Tieties, 13 Ruan Wasserman, 12 Marnu van Niekerk, 11 Erasmus Breedt, 10 Heinrich Bitzi, 9 Johannes Hattingh, 8 Gerhardus Nel, 7 Luvuyo Ndevu, 6 Ruan Smit, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Sylvester Makakole, 3 Tebogo Masemola, 2 Anrich Alberts, 1 Edward Davids
Replacements: 16 Ruben Cross, 17 Quintin Vorster, 18 Hendrik Smit, 19 Brendon Fortuin, 20 Stefan Kruger, 21 Jaco Wilkinson, 22 Marc Morrison, 23 Jason Raubenheimer
FNB UFS Shimlas: 15 Lubabalo Dobela, 14 Charl Pretorius, 13 William Eybers, 12 Tiaan Schutte, 11 Marnus Boshoff, 10 Justin Taylor, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Oli Losaba, 7 Menzi Khethukuthula, 6 Janco Cloete, 5 Henk Pretorius (capt), 4 Siba Qoma, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Hanno Snyman, 1 Thembi Mangwana
Replacements: 16 Wian Marais, 17 John-Henry Fincham, 18 Mogau Mabokela, 19 Sihle Dinso, 20 Bakkies Rossouw, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Cham Zondeki, 23 Kurt Eybers
Referee: Vusi Msibi
FNB NWU PUKKE 0
FNB UP-TUKS (11) 28
The scorers:
For NWU:
none
For UP-Tuks:
Tries: Grobbelaar, Bonaparte, Leitch
Cons: De Beer 2
Pens: De Beer 3
Teams:
FNB NWU: 15 Chuiner van Rooyen, 14 Lungelo Gosa, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 AK Nela, 11 Lincoln Daniels, 10 Schalk Hugo, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Wian Conradie, 7 Reuben du Plooy, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Danny du Plooy, 4 Johan Retief, 3 Matimu Manganyi, 2 Louis ‘Chucky’ van der Westhuizen (capt), 1 Botter Moloto
Replacements: 16 Marius Stander, 17 Nelius Theron, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Wandile Mazibuko, 20 Edmund Rheeder, 21 Eugene Hare, 22 BF van Staden, 23 Nkululeko Mcuma
FNB UP-Tuks: 15 Damian Bonaparte, 14 Irvin Ali, 13 Lourens Pretorius, 12 Erich Cronje, 11 Ciaran Dayaram, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Theo Maree, 8 Denzel Hill, 7 Hanru Sirgel, 6 Stephan Smit, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Marius Verwey (capt), 3 JP Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Etienne Janeke
Replacements: 16 Werner Fourie, 17 Jacobus Eloff, 18 Bart le Roux, 19 Brian Leitch, 20 Raegan Oranje, 21 Christo ‘Boeta’ Hamman, 22 Xolisa Guma, 23 Mihlali Stamper
Referee: Divan Uys
TMO: Lesego ‘Pro’ Legoete