Wits win turns Joburg royal blue
TSHWANE – Wits and UJ both reach the end of the road as they fail to progress to the playoffs of the rugby tournament.
University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Wits University have been struggling in the 2021 Varsity Cup but 25 May presented the opportunity for both teams to register their third win.
And it was Wits who came out top thanks to an 81st-minute drop goal by flyhalf Keagan Lailvaux to secure a 22–20 win against the Orange Army of UJ. The match was also the last time both teams will feature in the 2021 edition of the Varsity Cup as they did not qualify for the next stage. Wits and UJ finished 8th and 9th respectively out of 10 universities.
UJ flyhalf Jurich Claasens kicked an early penalty before scrumhalf Mpho Kubheka scored in the corner following a powerful driving maul to make it 8–0 after 20 minutes. Kubheka then became the first UJ player to be yellow-carded and two minutes later Wits scrumhalf Hlumelo Ndudula dived over for a try which Lailvaux converted.
Claasens was sent to the sin bin on the stroke of half-time.
An immense defensive effort from Wits saw UJ twice held up over the try line early in the second half, but the Orange Army finally cracked the Wits defence when replacement prop Kayden Kiewit bullied his way over.
UJ replacement lock Philip Apea-Adu was yellow-carded in the 61st minute and Wits fullback Setshaba Mokoena got his name on the scoresheet shortly after.
UJ centre Indiphile Tyeda was sent to the sin bin and Wits took advantage by scoring through Ndudula to take a 19–15 lead. Winger Nkondlo Radebe got UJ back in front when he rounded off a good try but they conceded a late penalty which allowed Wits to attack again and set Lailvaux up in the pocket for a drop goal.
The flyhalf made no mistake to turn Johannesburg royal blue as Wits’ Ndudula was named the FNB Player That Rocks.
