UJ in an eight-try thriller over Madibaz

FNB UJ made it three wins in a row as they managed to overcome a spirited performance by FNB Madibaz to win the match 36-28.

The match was played at the UJ stadium on Monday, March 6 in the 2017 Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The home side set the tone of the match early on, as they applied relentless pressure on FNB Madibaz territory and looked likely to break the deadlock, but had to be patient with their build-up as the away side came into the game with a defensive strategy.

FNB UJ eventually took the lead courtesy of some awful handling and butter-fingers from FNB Madibaz, as prop Nico du Plessis was gifted with one of the easiest tries he could have scored, Divan Nel slotted the conversion and it was 7-0 to the home side.

After the first strategic break FNB UJ were gaining momentum and Divan Nel converted a penalty to add another three points. FNB UJ was all over FNB Madibaz as the away side spent the majority of the half defending their try line.

FNB UJ was playing with that swagger, and it was evident when the team touched down from a maul and prop Waldo Weideman scored FNB UJ’s second try. Divan Nel, as usual, made sure with the conversion and FNB UJ were 17-0. However, just on the stroke of half-time FNB Madibaz managed to score a try and added some respect to the scoreline as flyhalf Thomas Kean scored a try but missed the resulting conversion. It was 17-5 going into half time.

The half-time talk seemed to have done the trick for the FNB Madibaz team as lock Wynard Grassmann caught FNB UJ napping and made it a seven-point game as the conversion was missed, 17-10 after 45 minutes.

The tables had turned when FNB Madibaz got their third try in succession and put themselves back in the contest, launching wave after wave of attacks, and they scored courtesy of Nicholas Oosthuizen. The match remarkably turned around with the score at 17-19, 10 minutes into the second half. Credit to the coach of FNB Madibaz, who spurred his team back into the game.

The match was turning into a thriller, as Aphiwe Dyanti stepped his way past the FNB Madibaz defence and managed to offload to scrumhalf Johan Esterhuizen to score a seven-point try and FNB UJ were ahead 26-19.

Divan Nel scored a penalty and made it a 10-point game as FNB UJ were ahead 29-19. The nerves were finally ended when winger Godfrey Ramaboea scored the decisive try, with the conversion scored by Divan Nel to put FNB UJ comfortably ahead 36-19. However FNB Madibaz refused to go down without a fight and scored a try late on by Simon Bolze, and the conversion was successful.

The match eventually ended 36-28 to the home side.

FNB Player that Rocks: Aphiwe Dyanti (FNB UJ)

Surprise win for Wits against Pukke

The FNB Wits came with one goal and that was to put their sharpest performance in against the defending champions, the FNB NWU-Pukke. The visitors claimed bragging rights with a final score of 22-13 in Round Six of this year’s FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

It was the FNB NWU-Pukke’s hooker Louis van der Westhuizen who opened the scoreboard for the home team with a corner try, but Julian Delicado’s kicking boot was unsuccessful and could only put them on 5-0. Van der Westhuizen received a yellow card to leave his team with 14 men on the field.

But flyhalf Gianni Lombard from the FNB Wits showed a classy comeback performance to put the visitors in the lead 7-5 in the 21st minute of the clash. Lombard converted his own try successfully.

With Delicado struggling to get rhythm with his boot, he finally managed to kick a penalty through the poles to turn the match in the favour of his side, 8-7 in the 26th minute.

The tall Marno Redelinghuys set up a try for FNB NWU-Pukke’s Jimmy Mpailane as they took the lead into halftime 13-7 up on the board.

It was the left flanker, Constant Beckerling, who narrowed the gap between the two sides as he stumbled over the try line for FNB Wits to put them one point behind 13-12. Lombard missed a difficult conversion.

FNB NWU-Pukke lacked yet again in their discipline area as the replacement hooker Wilmar Arnoldi had been yellow carded for a high and dangerous tackle, to give Lombard a penalty opportunity to put his team in the lead 15-13 up against the defending champions.

It was Manuel Rass from FNB Wits who took the game away from FNB NWU-Pukke as he went over for a seven-point try to give his team a substantial lead. FNB Wits left the field with a victory of 22-13 over the defending champions as they left with the bragging rights. The FNB NWU-Pukke faced their second consecutive defeat.

FNB Player that Rocks: Constant Beckerling (FNB Wits)

The other results are:

FNB Tuks 100 FNB CUT 0

FNB Shimlas 12 FNB Maties 58

FNB Maties tops the log on 24 points, FNB Tuks second on 19 points, FNB Shimlas third with 19 (points difference) and FNB UJ fourth on 16 points.

Varsity Shield results:

FNB UFH 28 FNB TUT 16

FNB WSU 20 FNB CPUT 15

FNB UKZN 5 FNB UWC 53

FNB UWC currently tops the log with 17 points. FNB UFH is sitting pretty with 16 points with FNB CPUT and FNB UKZN both on nine points.

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