Wits’ third straight win
BRAAMFONTEIN – Wits University's fire start to Varsity Cup 2020 continues.
Wits University maintained their 100 per cent start to the 2020 Varsity Cup rugby tournament. On 24 February the Johannesburg-based side welcomed North-West University (NWU) to their campus in what would be a close encounter for both squads. The NWU team may have felt that victory is theirs but a 76th-minute penalty from Chris Humphries snatched that win out of their hands and into those of Wits.
Wits came into the game well-rested thanks to not participating in last week’s fixtures (17 February) where they beat their cross-town rivals, the University of Johannesburg. No time was wasted for Wits as they came out all guns blazing and were rewarded for their efforts in the 7th minute as Matt McDonald scored the game’s first try. Five minutes later, Wits added another try to their score, this time courtesy of flanker Philip Krause and a Kurt Webster conversion. Wits’ Daniel Kasende managed to get his side another try in the 22nd minute to put them up 17–0. NWU hadn’t given up just yet and did all they can to ultimately get on the scoreline. In the 28th minute, NWU’s captain, Edmund Rheeder, gave the team hope as he scored a try to bring the score up to 17–5 in favour of Wits.
The second half eventually got underway and at the 46-minute mark, NWU scored their second try of the game, this time by Chuiner van Rooyen. NWU’s Lungelo Gosa converted to have the score at 17–12. Wits didn’t waste time in responding and in the 48th minute, Travis Gordon scored a massive point-of-origin try and this resulted in the score standing at 24–12. The game was far from over as NWU took ownership of the next three scoreboard changes. Tries from Lincoln Daniels and Captain Rheeder and one conversion by Wihan von Wielligh tied the game for NWU, at 24–24, with just over 14 minutes of play remaining.
NWU was close to pulling off one of the most spectacular comebacks but, unfortunately, conceded a penalty about 40m out with less than five minutes to play. Clearly there was nothing to worry about as kicker Chris Humphries was cool, calm and collected in slotting away the chance to give Wits the 27–24 victory.
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