Tuks v UCT in Final
VARSITY CUP SEMIFINAL WRAP: UP-Tuks dethroned Maties, before UCT dominated NWU at Tuks Stadium on Friday.
The Ikey Tigers and Tuks will meet at the same venue on Monday (19.00) in a repeat of the 2011 Final.
UCT will be looking to lift the Varsity Cup for the third time, while UP-Tuks are chasing their fourth title.
MATIES 35 (3) UP-TUKS 44 (18)
Zander du Plessis broke the record for most points scored in a Varsity Cup season as UP-Tuks ended Maties’ reign as champions, writes Dan Lombard.
The fullback surpassed former UCT flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis’ haul of 136 points from the 2012 season and will go into Monday’s Final with his tally on 145.
The Stripe Generation had a score to settle with their old foe, especially after losing out to them in the league stage.
Wing Stefan Coetzee opened their account in the fifth minute and while Du Plessis missed two early shots at goal, he then landed two penalty goals and converted flyhalf David Coetzer’s five-pointer.
The Maroon Machine only had a solitary penalty goal via flyhalf Adriaan van der Bank for their first-half contribution to the scoreboard.
The second half proved to be a points fiesta as Maties wing Munier Hartzenberg touched down a converted try before UP-Tuks struck back with a try to flank Stephan Smit and Coetzee’s second, which was recorded as a point-of-origin try.
The Maroon Machine woke up in the final 20 minutes as wing Siba Xamlashe scored two point-of-origin tries either side of UP-Tuks scrumhalf Clyde Lewis’ simple support-running try.
Maties flank Mitchell Carstens’ 77th-minute converted try reduced the deficit to nine points, but it was UP-Tuks who celebrated winning a late breakdown penalty and the match.
Player That Rocks: Zander du Plessis (UP-Tuks)
The scorers
For Maties
Tries: Hartzenberg, Xamlashe (two seven-point tries), Carstens
Cons: Van der Bank, Fleurs 3
Pen: Van der Bank
For UP-Tuks
Tries: Coetzee (one five-point try and one seven-point try), Coetzer, Smit, Lewis
Cons: Du Plessis 4
Pens: Du Plessis 3
Teams
Maties: 15 Juan Mostert, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 David Brits (captain), 12 Taigh Schoor, 11 Siba Xamlashe, 10 Adriaan van der Bank, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Thys Kitshoff, 7 Gift Dlamini, 6 Mitchell Carstens, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Simon Miller, 3 Duncan du Buisson, 2 HJ Luus, 1 Dian Bleuler.
Replacements: 16 Abri Coetzee, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 James Combrink, 19 Marco van Rhyn, 20 Jesse Johnson, 21 Tomas Bursey, 22 Waqar Solaan, 23 Nevaldo Fleurs.
UP-Tuks: 15 Zander du Plessis, 14 Stefan Coetzee, 13 Sango Xamlashe (captain), 12 Louritz van der Schyff, 11 Tharquin Manuel, 10 David Coetzer, 9 Clyde Lewis, 8 Jaco Bezuidenhout, 7 Hanru Sirgel, 6 Eduan Lubbe, 5 Louis Meiring, 4 Mihlali Stamper, 3 Damien Swartz, 2 Werner Fourie, 1 Cebo Dlamini.
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Dewald Donald, 18 Etienne Janeke, 19 Orateng Koikanyang, 20 Stephan Smit, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 Enrique Oranje, 23 Ambesa Zenzeli.
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison, Sean Muller
TMO: Egon Seconds
UCT IKEYS 54 (21) NWU EAGLES 36 (22)
UCT fought back from 15-0 down to beat NWU and book their place in the Varsity Cup Final, writes Bronwen Bain.
The Eagles came into this semifinal as underdogs having finished fourth on the log, but made a superb start against the table-topping Ikey Tigers, who had top point-scorer James Tedder ruled out just before kick-off.
However, UCT soon rediscovered their form to take a 21-15 lead, and while the Eagles scored a try in first-half stoppage time to go back in front, they faded in the second half as a tough recent schedule took its toll.
NWU wing Keano Windvogel chased down a kick to score a point-of-origin try in the second minute of the match, with flyhalf Nivan Petersen kicking the conversion and adding two penalty goals.
UCT hit back with tries to lock Gary Porter, centre Le Roux Malan and No 8 Christian Stehlik, before NWU hooker Gustav du Rand mauled his way over for his ninth try of the tournament. Petersen’s conversion gave the Eagles a 22-21 advantage at the break.
UCT regained the lead when replacement hooker Josh van Vuuren scored off a driving maul early in the second half.
David Hayes’ up-and-under then resulted in the flyhalf scoring a point-of-origin try and when wing Rihaz Fredericks dived over in the right corner, the Ikey Tigers led 40-22 after 59 minutes.
Replacement Eagles prop Arno Gustafson forced his way over the whitewash, before Ikeys replacement scrumhalf Kyle Bowman scored at the other end.
Van Vuuren’s second maul try took UCT past the 50-point mark, with replacement scrumhalf Caleb Louw then scoring a late consolation try for NWU.
Player That Rocks: David Hayes (UCT)
The scorers
For UCT Ikeys
Tries: Porter, Malan, Stehlik, Van Vuuren 2, Fredericks, Hayes (one seven-point try), Bowman
Cons: Hayes 4, Bowman 2
For NWU Eagles
Tries: Windvogel (ibe seven-point try), Du Rand, Gustafson, Louw
Cons: Petersen 2, Donges, Genis
Pens: Petersen 2
Teams
UCT Ikeys: 15 Athi Gazi, 14 Rihaz Fredericks, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Le Roux Malan, 11 Rethabile Louw, 10 David Hayes, 9 William Rose, 8 Christian Stehlik, 25 Niel Otto, 6 Liam Greenhalgh (captain), 5 Gary Porter, 4 Byron Cranswick, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Devon Arendse, 1 Luthando Woji.
Replacements: 16 Josh van Vuuren, 17 Seth Christian, 18 Jovan Bekker, 19 Byron Bowes, 20 Taariq Kruger, 21 Kyle Bowman, 22 Sibabalwe Mzanywa, 23 Duran Koevort.
NWU Eagles: 15 Shane van Rooyen, 14 Sylvester Hassien, 13 Lincoln Daniels (captain), 12 Marco Donges, 11 Keano Windvogel, 10 Nivan Petersen, 9 Riaan Genis, 8 Didintle Sekati, 7 Ruben Dreyer, 6 André Fouché, 5 Jeandré Leonard, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Gustav du Rand, 1 Ruben du Plessis.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Rehann Baumann, 18 Arno Gustafson, 19 George van der Westhuizen, 20 Jandré de Beer, 21 Caleb Louw, 22 Kagiso Woodbridge, 23 Pienaar van Niekerk.
Referee: Griffin Colby
Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira, Sean Muller
TMO: Egon Seconds
Source: @varsitycup
