UJ the kings of rugby in Joburg
WESTDENE – UJ win gets the orange army out of the FNB Varsity Cup relegation zone.
UJ beats Wits with a 29–24 victory at home.
The battle of Johannesburg in the 2022 Varsity Cup tournament was won by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) as they beat their cross-town rivals Wits University on March 14.
The orange army bossed the scrums and the breakdowns with co-captain Johannes Terblanche enjoying a big game on the ground. They converted several attacking chances in wet and challenging conditions and showed remarkable fortitude on defence. Wits was competitive at the lineout, though, and managed to build some momentum in the second half. Fullback Setshaba Mokoena breached the hosts’ defence and was also involved in the visitors’ second try, which was eventually finished by Phillip Krause. Chris Humphries converted to level the scores with 20 minutes left in the contest.
A further try by Luhle Matyolweni moved Wits into the lead but UJ wasn’t done yet. Kelvin Kanenungo rounded off a point-of-origin try followed by Shaun-Christian Baxter holding his nerve to slot two important kicks to complete a big win. The result saw UJ moving out of the relegation zone for the time being. In the context of the current season, they remain in the hunt for a spot in the semi-finals. Prior to kick-off, UJ sat in a precarious position as the ninth-placed side on the combined 2021–22 FNB Varsity Cup log. As per tournament regulations, the teams that finish at ninth and 10th at the end of this season will be automatically relegated to the FNB Varsity Shield. The pressure was on UJ to deliver – and deliver they did against their Johannesburg rivals.
UJ will head down the Eastern Cape to face Nelson Mandela University in their sixth-round clash while Wits returns to Braamfontein for their fourth home match against the University of the Western Cape on March 21.
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