Another win for Wits, another loss for UJ
JOBURG – Wits now two points behind log leaders.
Wits shocked log leaders with a convincing win while UJ registered their second loss out of four.
Wits University put everyone on notice when they defeated top-of-the-table University of Free State (UFS) 53–31 at home on March 7.
They returned to their home ground to host the 2015 champions and got off to a superb start with a Wian de Lange try as soon as the fifth minute, only for UFS to get a try of their own three minutes later. Wits kicked into another gear after their 10th-minute penalty by Chris Humphries followed by another try by De Lange and a conversion and penalty by Humphries.
The score stood at 18–5 after 19 minutes and Wits extended the lead to 25–5 thanks to a point-of-origin try by Hlumelo Ndudula. Wits ended off the half with another two conversions, try and penalty, while UFS registered another try in the 34th minute.
The second half started with Wits in the lead 37–10, but UFS staged a fightback with a try and conversion in the 43rd minute and another in the 61st. Wits was awarded another penalty between the tries and scored a try of their own in the 66th minute. The score stood at 47–24. In the 73rd minute, UFS scored another try and conversion but two more Wits penalties won the game for Wits with a final score of 53–31.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) was hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU) and lost 40–38 on the same night. UJ took the lead early thanks to a try and conversion by Johannes Terblanche and Jonathan Viljoen, respectively, only for SU to get on the scoreboard a minute later thanks to a penalty. In the 10th minute, UJ secured another try but a massive point-of-origin try by SU brought the score to 10–12 in favour of the visitors.
SU would go on to capitalise on two penalties, a try and conversion, while UJ scored their own point-of-origin try thanks to Likhaya Tengimfene. At the end of the half, the score was 23–21 to SU. UJ took the lead once again at the start of the second half with a try and conversion, but SU responded with a penalty, try and conversion of their own to lead the game 33–28 in the 55th minute.
A UJ penalty brought the game with one point but SU scored another try and conversion to lead 40–31 in the 65th minute. Unfortunately, UJ could not add to their 79th minute try and conversion to win the game with the final whistle going off to end the game 40–38.
