FNB UJ got their season up and running when they recorded their first win of the season in a nail-biting finale against rivals FNB UP Tuks at the Johannesburg Stadium on Monday, February 20 in the 2017 Varsity Cup, presented by Steinhoff International.
The home side put on pressure from the start, saw themselves get on the score sheet when fly-half Divan Nel converted an early penalty to set the tone early on in the match, 3-0 to FNB UJ.
Winger Godfrey Ramaboea was sent to the sin bin early on and FNB UJ was down to 14 men.
FNB UP Tuks made use of the man advantage and clawed back into the match with a penalty from fly-half Tinus de Beer to make it 3-3 going into the first strategy break. De Beer continued where he left off and scored another penalty to put FNB UP Tuks ahead 3-6.
It was a half of the fly-half as Divan Nel converted his second penalty to make it 6-6 at the end of the first stanza. Nel then made it a hat rick of penalties early on in the second half to make it 9-6 to the home side.
FNB UJ were gaining confidence, as evident when Nel scored his fourth penalty, this time from his own half, and stretched the lead to 12-6.
FNB UP Tuks hit back almost immediately to keep themselves within sight as Tinus de Beer scored his third penalty to make it 12-9.
The match was perfectly poised and Nel was slowly stealing the show when he scored his fifth consecutive penalty.
FNB UP Tuks were refusing to be beat as Tinus de Beer scored his fourth penalty to keep the visitors in the tie at 12-15. However, Nel was running the show and scored his sixth penalty. He scored all the points for FNB UJ as it was 18-12 going into the last 10 minutes.
The final phase of the match saw FNB UJ reduced to 14 men again, as Wian Conradie was sent to the sin bin, and the home side had it all to do to retain their lead.
FNB UP Tuks would eventually score and made it a nail-biting finish as Denzel Hill scored a late try. But the conversion was missed and FNB UJ won the match by a single point, 18-17.
FNB Player That Rocks: Divan Nel (FNB UJ)
The other results are:
FNB CUT vs FNB Shimlas match postponed until Tuesday, February 21 due to waterlogged field.
NWU-Pukke 20, FNB Ikeys 13
FNB Maties 35, FNB Madibaz 16
Varsity Shield results:
FNB UKZN 16, FNB UFH 10
FNB UWC 88, FNB Rhodes 8
FNB TUT 13, FNB WSU 17
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