FNB UJ powered their way to a 50-28 bonus-point win against FNB UWC on April 4 in Bellville to move clear of the relegation zone.
The Orange Army can breathe easier having secured their place in next year’s FNB Varsity Cup. What’s more, the big win against FNB UWC has kept them in the hunt for a spot in the 2022 playoffs, although they will need to win their next match and hope that other results go their way.
FNB UWC will lament their poor performance in this must-win fixture. They failed to meet the challenge of the FNB UJ forwards at the gain line and lost the territorial battle.
The hosts conceded a series of penalties in their half and flank Godfrey Muzanargwo was shown two yellow cards and ultimately a red before the end of the first stanza.
FNB UJ used their maul and the big kicking boot of Jonathan Viljoen to devastating effect. They went to the break with a 31-14 lead and with the four-try bonus point in the bag.
The visitors maintained the pressure after the break. The attack racked up 50 points, but the defence could not stop FNB UWC from claiming a bonus point for four or more tries.
FNB UWC will face FNB Maties next week. They will need a bonus-point win at the Danie Craven Stadium, and they will need other results to go their way.
In Johannesburg, the FNB UCT Ikeys boosted their hopes of hosting a semi-final with a 47-23 win against FNB Wits. The visitors led 14-0 after 20 minutes thanks to tries by centre Suleiman Hartzenberg (point-of-origin) and hooker Keagan Blanckenberg, before the hosts hit back with two converted tries that levelled the scores.
But FNB UCT crossed the line again in first-half stoppage time through lock Reynhardt Crous and went on to dominate the second half, scoring another four tries.
FNB Wits didn’t help their cause by having two players, flank Alexander Skudder and lock Edward White, yellow-carded within ten minutes of each other.
FNB UFS Shimlas fought hard to claim a 26-15 bonus-point win against FNB UP-Tuks and consolidate their position at the top of the FNB Varsity Cup log. The heavy rain in Bloemfontein on Monday took its toll on the pitch and many feared that the conditions might inhibit the hosts’ attacking ambitions.
In Stellenbosch, winger Marcqiewn Titus scored a hat-trick as FNB Maties thrashed the already relegated FNB Madibaz 61-21.
The FNB Eagles scored two late tries to beat a gutsy FNB CUT Ixias team 33-14 in Bloemfontein.
FNB Varsity Cup Round 9 fixtures (April 11):
FNB UJ vs FNB UP-Tuks (17:00, UJ Stadium)
FNB NWU Eagles vs FNB Wits (19:00, Fanie du Toit Sports Ground)
FNB Maties vs FNB UWC (19:00, Danie Craven Stadium)
FNB Madibaz vs FNB UFS Shimlas (19:00, Madibaz Stadium)
FNB UCT Ikeys vs FNB CUT Ixias (19:00, UCT Rugby Fields)
