Maties book a home Final

The win means Maties will play NWU-Pukke at the Danie Craven Stadium for the 2016 title on April 11.

Maties took an early lead when wing Edwill van der Merwe ran in for a try after sustained pressure by the home side deep inside the Tuks' half.

The home team then extended their lead with a penalty from Ernst Stapelberg and a seven-point try by wing Brandon Asher-Wood as the Maties continued to dominate play. Stapeberg converted the try and the Maties found themselves 19 points in front after 16 minutes. 

Stapelberg added another three points a few minutes later, but that was before Tuks scored a nine-point try after the restart. The home side failed to secure possession after the kick-off and Tuks pounced on the loose ball. The ball then went wide with centre Dies Swanepoel crashing over for a try after a number of phases. Joshua Stander converted and Tuks were just 11 points behind.

However, Tuks were soon on the back foot again with Maties upping the tempo. Captain Beyers de Villiers was the next player to score when he went over the Tuks' tryline after a powerful driving maul from a line-out in the visitors' 22. Stapelberg converted the try and Maties found themselves 18 points in front heading into half-time.

Stapelberg continued where he left off in the first half when he converted a penalty soon after the break to give his team 21-point lead.

The Maties then scored their fourth try a few minutes later when captain De Villiers went over again for his second try of the match. Stapelberg converted and Maties led 39-11 after 50 minutes.

The next points in the game would only come 23 minutes later when Maties were awarded a penalty in the Tuks' 22 after a great build up. Scrumhalf Remu Malan took a quick tap and dived over the tryline. Stapelberg converted once again. 

Stapelberg then put the cherry on top of an outstanding performance with a long-range penalty two minutes from time. 

The scorers:

For Maties:

Tries: Van der Merwe, Asher-Wood, De Villiers 2, Malan 

Cons: Stapelberg 5

Pens: Stapelberg 4

For UP-Tuks:

Try: Swanepoel

Con: Stander

Teams:

Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Brandon Asher-Wood, 13 Paul Streicher, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Kobus van Wyk, 7 Janco Venter, 6 Beyers de Villiers (captain), 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 JE van der Merwe, 2 Freddie Kirsten, 1 Niel Oelofse.

Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Sidney Labuschagne, 19 Saud Abrahams, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Christopher Smith, 22 Brandon Asheer-Wood, 23 Johannes Kleinhans.

UP-Tuks: 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Toko Maebane, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Frederic Eksteen, 6 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.

Replacements: 16 Frederick Binneman, 17 Stephanus Genis, 18 Pieter Jansen van Vuuren, 19 Luke van der Smit, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Tinus de Beer, 22 Keanan van Wyk, 23 Justin Forwood.

Referee: AJ Jacobs

Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Francois Pretorius

TMO: Shaun Veldsman