UJ loses to NWU in Varsity Cup opening match
WESTDENE – UJ suffers another major loss to North-West University.
WESTDENE – UJ fell in the opening week of this year’s Varsity Cup competition.
In a week that would have served as the chance to get redemption over their semi-finals loss in last year’s edition of Varsity Cup, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) lost their opening games. UJ fell to the North-West University (NWU) 23–8 at home. UJ, who opened the 12th season of Varsity Cup with a home game against NWU started off the game in horrible fashion.
NWU went up 7–0 as a try from their captain Louis van der Westhuizen and a successful conversion by Schalk Hugo got them on the scoreboard within five minutes. A lovely worked try by the backline, which was scored by Pienaar van Niekerk, put the team up 14–0. With stellar defence from NWU, they managed to keep the scoreline there until the end of the first half.
The home crowd turned up the heat at the start of the second half to motivate their orange army. In due time, UJ finally got onto the scoreboard courtesy of a Jeanluc Cilliers penalty. UJ’s first try came next thanks to Cyprian Nkomo and had the score at 8–14. Unfortunately for UJ, the resulting conversion was missed but there was optimism that they could still make a comeback in the game.
NWU was forced to remind the crowd which team still held the bragging rights from last year’s semi-finals match-up. NWU silenced the Johannesburg side as winger Lungelo Gosa further extended the lead against the run of play. NWU led the game 23–8 with 20 minutes to go. With 13 minutes to go, play was halted due to potential lightning and thunder hovering over the UJ Stadium. Officials, after deliberating, called an end to the game, ultimately giving UJ their first home loss of the season.
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