Vikings upset All Blacks
VARSITY SHIELD MATCHDAY WRAP: There were wins for the TUT Vikings, UKZN Impi and Rhodes in the final round of league action at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
TUT VIKINGS 64 (38) WSU ALL BLACKS 8 (8)
TUT ended their best-ever Varsity Shield campaign on a high as they ran in nine tries to beat this year’s finalists WSU.
Having already secured a spot in Sunday's final against CPUT, the All Blacks opted to rest 13 first-choice players, which made it somewhat easier for TUT.
Take nothing away from the Vikings – who finished third on the log with five wins from six matches – but an WSU team operating at full capacity is no easy affair as the understrength Tekkies found out in the penultimate round.
Thus the men from Pretoria were able to assert themselves from the get-go and by the time the first strategy break was blown, they had racked up a commanding lead with tries to prop Goabaona Mokone (after just 34 seconds) and flyhalf Lusanda Xakwana, with Xakwana adding two conversions and a penalty.
WSU pulled back a try courtesy of outside centre Mbulelo Totose to add to fullback Sakhele Ngeno's earlier penalty goal.
This did little to halt TUT's onslaught as hooker Laro Delport crossed the chalk, before wing Wanga Shumi and outside centre Franco Stassen touched down for tries four and five respectively. Xakwana converted both to increase their lead to 38-8 at the break.
The second half saw a continuation of the first’s status quo as Stassen bagged his brace before wing Vuyani Vanqa and replacement loose forward Nyakallo Masitha forced their way over the whitewash.
TUT certainly played until the final whistle as Delport secured his brace in stoppage time and Xakwana added the extras to finish with a 24-point haul.
Player That Rocks: Lusanda Xakwana (TUT Vikings)
The scorers
TUT Vikings
Tries: Mokone, Xakwana, Delport 2, Shumi, Stassen 2, Vanqa, Masitha
Cons: Xakwana 8
Pen: Xakwana
WSU All Blacks
Try: Totose
Pen: Ngeno
Teams
TUT Vikings: 15 Mauritz Maritz, 14 Wanga Shumi, 13 Franco Stassen, 12 Musawenkosi Sili, 11 Vuyani Vanqa, 10 Lusanda Xakwana, 9 Ethan Wilson, 8 Handro Horn, 7 Francois de Villiers, 6 Phuzukuvela Sithole, 5 Kazadi Mukendi, 4 Marco du Plessis, 3 Goabaona Mokone, 2 Laro Delport (captain), 1 Heirich Briedenhann.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Kwinda, 17 Gunter Jager, 18 Thabiso Masuku, 19 LJ Viljoen, 20 Nyakallo Masitha, 21 Ngcebo Thusi, 22 Dieter Groenewald, 23 Ayabulela Koza.
WSU All Blacks: 15 Sakhele Ngeno, 14 Soyama Mini, 13 Mbulelo Totose, 12 Yamkela Nyembe, 11 Tebogo Madigoe, 10 Lisolethu Valisi, 9 Azola Mashalaba, 8 Esethu Zenani, 7 Ayabulela Zono, 6 Khanya Solani, 5 Miyelani Ngobeni (captain), 4 Aviwe Tame, 3 Lindokuhle Seteni, 2 Nande Lucas, 1 S'bulelo Roji.
Replacements: 16 Zanokuhle Nkabi, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Asekho Marubelela, 19 Thembani Kori, 20 Lithemba Ngcetane, 21 Asivile Ngcawe, 22 Lwandile Mapuko, 23 Siyasanga Dingezweni.
Referee: Bulelani Naka
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Ben Crouse
UKZN IMPI 40 (17) UFH BLUES 33 (12)
The UKZN Impi secured fourth place on the Varsity Shield log by beating the fifth-placed UFH Blues.
The Impi were outscored by five tries to four but four penalty goals from fullback Sibongile Novuka helped them claim a third win of the campaign.
The Blues were dealt an early blow in this match when they lost inside centre Lethukuthula Mthethwa to injury.
UKZN drew first blood when flanker Carl Cuttings finished off a fantastic team try, before UFH scrumhalf Merlin du Plessis scored at the other end of the field.
Novuka’s first penalty was followed by winger Jarryd Nicholls’ converted try in the right corner after an impressive offload from replacement loose forward Llawdden Roux to make it 17-5.
UFH finally turned their possession into points when winger Lukho Jongizulu forced his way over the tryline just before half-time.
Roux got his name on the scoresheet early in the second half but the Blues then responded through captain Yamkela Mzozoyana.
UFH were reduced to 14 men after outside centre Jonathan Booysen was yellow-carded for a high tackle, and the Impi scored 13 points in his absence – through scrumhalf Johan Maritz’s try and a conversion and two penalties from Novuka – to take a 37-19 lead.
Despite being a man down, UFH got their second wind after the strategy break and Fields snuck through the defence to score a self-converted try.
Flanker Kamvelihle Fatyela kept the Blues’ hopes alive when he rounded off a good team attack, with the conversion reducing the deficit to just four points.
But Novuka then kicked his fourth penalty of the match, before Booysen was handed his second yellow card – followed by a red – at the death for another high tackle.
Player That Rocks: Azakhiwe Afrika (UKZN Impi)
The scorers
For UKZN Impi
Tries: Cuttings, Nicholls, Roux, Maritz
Cons: Novuka 4
Pens: Novuka 4
For UFH Blues
Tries: du Plessis, Jongizulu, Mzozoyana, Fields, Fatyela
Cons: Fields 4
Teams
UKZN Impi: 15 Sibongile Novuka, 14 Jarryd Nicholls, 13 Wandile Shabangu (captain), 12 Gacula Poswa, 11 Luyanda Zondi, 10 Azakhiwe Afrika, 9 Johan Maritz, 8 Menzi Mabaso, 7 Charl Cuttings, 6 Byron Booysen, 5 Marnus Botha, 4 Heinrich Cronjé, 3 Minenhle Ngubane, 2 Tristan Trollip, 1 Lindelwe Cele.
Replacements: 16 Bambolunye Dlamini, 17 Benjamin Maseko, 18 Muzomuhle Ncanana, 19 Llawdden Roux, 20 Sinamava Ntsinde, 21 Jodian de Vos, 22 Linamkele Mcwabeni, 23 Thobani Shangase.
UFH Blues: 15 Lakhanya Sam, 14 Brandt Fields, 13 Jonathan Booysen, 12 Lethukuthula Mthethwa, 11 Lukho Jongizulu, 10 Keith Chiwara, 9 Merlin du Plessis, 8 Yamkela Mzozoyana (captain), 7 Kamvelihle Fatyela, 6 Garin Strydom, 5 Ayabulela Xhosana, 4 Walter Moyo, 3 Sibabalo Mnkani, 2 Daniel Caku-Caku, 1 Anele Nkohla.
Replacements: 16 Moeketsi Tuswa, 17 Mesuli Nzima, 18 Lilitha Mdladlana, 19 Bukho Mgatyelwa, 20 Avuzwa Noko, 21 Lwazi Madiba, 22 Apiwe Sidloyi, 23 Yonela Baleni.
Referee: Mpho Matsaung
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Ben Crouse
DUT RHINOS 3 (3) RHODES 46 (15)
Rhodes broke a 13-match losing streak in the Varsity Cup after finding their feet in the final quarter of their meeting against DUT.
The Stallions, facing the Rhinos for the first time, were dominant in the first half. However, they did struggle to put points on the board after scoring their opening try in the second minute courtesy of wing Cameron Marais. The Rhinos could only add a penalty goal three minutes later via the boot of fullback Nelson Mhlongo.
Proceedings subsequently dwindled into a scrappy affair as both teams misfired on attack and were left frustrated. Rhodes finally broke the deadlock when they scored two quick tries through outside centre Damian Morrow and fullback Simamkele Ngantweni to take a 15-3 half-time lead.
The majority of the second half was equally frustrating in terms of points as the scoreboard was only challenged in the 57th minute when Rhodes flank Athenkosi Nkewana flew over the chalk to score his team’s only bonus-point try of the competition.
The final 20 minutes belonged to inside centre Simelela Mbanzi as he collected two tries from strong and direct running, before replacement scrumhalf Dimitri Mngqolo raced through to score. Flyhalf Matthew Royle slotted all three conversions.
Replacement utility back Abonga Manka bagged the Stallions' eighth try to wrap up a 46-3 win that will go a long way in boosting their confidence.
DUT did well not to concede as many points against the Stallions as they did against other Varsity Shield opponents. They should see their participation as a learning exercise as opposed to a failure with the tournament certainly being a step up from what they are used to.
A special mention must be made of Rhodes replacement loose forward Viwe Makeleni, who represented the Stallions for the last time after joining the team in 2016 and becoming an integral part of the purple and white hoops.
Player That Rocks: Simelela Mbanzi (Rhodes)
The scorers
For DUT Rhinos
Pen: Mhlongo
For Rhodes
Tries: Marais, Morrow, Ngantweni, Nkewana, Mbanzi 2, Mngqolo, Manka
Cons: Royle 3
Teams
DUT Rhinos: 15 Nelson Mhlongo, 14 Luyolo Nkwanca, 13 Mpilenhle Mthembu, 12 Moyomuhle Mkhize, 11 Sabelo Ngema, 10 Langelihle Ntombela, 9 Anele Mzobe, 8 Simphiwe Makhubu, 7 Thabani Mnisi, 6 Sithembiso Mthihare, 5 Katambwa Mulumba, 4 Luyanda Miya, 3 Mpumelelo Hlefane (captain), 2 Siyanda Mthembu, 1 Bayanda Mdladla.
Replacements: 16 Ntando Mahlaba, 17 Sinqobile Maseko, 18 Sinqobile Mtshali, 19 Malusi Mkhize, 20 Simphiwe Phiri, 21 Andile Dlamini, 22 Sizwe Nkosikhona Malakoane, 23 Bongumenzi Mkhize.
Rhodes: 15 Simamkele Ngantweni, 14 Cameron Marais, 13 Damian Morrow, 12 Simelela Mbanzi, 11 Tinashe Famba, 10 Matthew Royle, 9 Nicholas Dettmer, 8 Bradley van Heerden, 7 Ongeziwe Shumi, 6 Athenkosi Nkewana, 5 Xhanti Stofile, 4 Bongumusa Mokoena, 3 Sinolwazingekamvalakhe Ralo, 2 Loyiso Isaacs, 1 Sithembele Njokweni.
Replacements: 16 TC Junior Manana, 17 Katlego Petje, 18 Ntsika Ndungane, 19 Qawe Mzawuziwa, 20 Viwe Makeleni, 21 Abonga Manka, 22 Dimitri Mngqolo, 23 Kuhle Mqingwana.
Referee: Jaco Kotze
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Ben Crouse
Source: @varsityshield