Maties outlast Eagles, Wits klap Madibaz

VARSITY CUP MATCHDAY WRAP: Maties won a hard-fought battle against NWU, while there were also Round Five victories for Wits and UJ at Tuks Stadium on Tuesday.

We look at all Tuesday’s Round Five action below the standings …

UJ 34 (24) UFS SHIMLAS 32 (0)

UJ survived a second-half comeback by UFS Shimlas to claim a second consecutive win in this year’s tournament.

UJ were aggressive in attack from the onset, often fronting up in collision after collision, which appeared to leave Shimlas shell-shocked. However, Shimlas took stock at half-time and reloaded to force themselves back into the match.

The Orange Army took control when inside centre Musawenkosi Tshabalala scored the opening try in the 12th minute before wing Prince Nkabinde rounded off phase play to dot down in the left-hand corner.

UJ hooker Pierre Rabie had his forwards to thank as his brace via rolling mauls in the final minutes of the first half secured the bonus point, with flyhalf Jurich Claasens adding two conversions to bring up a commanding 24-0 lead at the break.

The second half proved to be a different story as Shimlas eventually found their rhythm and scored three excellent tries, courtesy of No 8 Ruwald van der Merwe and a point-of-origin try each for hooker William Moffat and wing Jorell Arries. That allowed them to get within two points of the Orange Army just before the second strategy break.

Claasens pulled back a try for UJ and added the conversion before replacement loose forward Thabo Ndaminde’s converted try in the 70th minute made it a two-point game once again while handing his charges the bonus point for tries scored.

Shimlas pushed hard for another score but lost a late lineout which allowed UJ to wind down the clock.

Player That Rocks: Pierre Rabie (UJ)

The scorers

For UJ
Tries: Tshabalala, Nkabinde, Rabie 2, Claasens
Cons: Claasens 3
Pen: Claasens

For UFS Shimlas
Tries: Van der Merwe, Moffat (seven-point try), Arries (seven-point try), Ndaminde
Cons: Duvenage 4

Teams

UJ: 15 Nqubeko Mkwanazi, 14 Siphamandla Matsinya, 13 Tyreeq February, 12 Musawenkosi Tshabalala, 11 Prince Nkabinde, 10 Jurich Claasens, 9 Eduan Smit, 8 Franco Schutte, 7 Kwagga van Niekerk (captain), 6 Kelvin Kanenungo, 5 Brendon Pawson, 4 Peter-John Steenkamp, 3 Chergin Fillies, 2 Pierre Rabie, 1 Kayden Kiewit.
Replacements: 16 Enrique Coutriers, 17 Luke Fortuin, 18 Coenrad Vrey, 19 Philip Apea-Adu, 20 Siyabonga Masuku, 21 Mpho Kubheka, 22 Boldwin Hansen, 23 Indiphile Tyeda.

UFS Shimlas: 15 Cham Zondeki, 14 Jorell Arries, 13 Francois Agenbag, 12 JP Duvenage, 11 Ayabonga Matroos, 10 Cornel Korff, 9 Rewan Kruger (captain), 8 Ruwald van der Merwe, 7 Kamohelo Chabana, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Pierre Uys, 4 Shine Msipha, 3 Tshepo Nchabeng, 2 William Moffat, 1 Johan Schutte.
Replacements: 16 Jhaques Thyssen, 17 Daniel Wessels, 18 Zéan Augustyn, 19 Uzile Tele, 20 Thabo Ndimande, 21 Hlumelo Klaas, 22 Ethan Wentzel, 23 Janco Klinck.

Referee: Christopher Allison
Assistant referees: Sean Muller, Johre Botha
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni

WITS 77 (42) MADIBAZ 7 (7)

Wits’ dominant scrum laid the platform for their biggest-ever Varsity Cup win and their first of the 2021 campaign.

Wits were awarded three penalty tries in the match – including two in the first quarter – from the set-piece.

Before the game, the teams shared a touching moment when they stood together in memory of former Madibaz manager Ntsikelelo ‘Amigo’ Ngcakana, who passed away last year.

Wits drew first blood through centre Henco van Wyk, before Madibaz flank Jaco van der Walt was yellow-carded. The Wits pack took full advantage, with two penalty tries making it 21-0 after 15 minutes.

Captain Constant Beckerling scored Wits’ bonus-point try, which was followed by centre Aidynn Cupido’s brilliant chip-and-chase point-of-origin try.

Madibaz wing Njabulo Toni crossed the line on the stroke of half-time, but fullback Chadwyn November’s conversion would be the last points they scored.

Wits came out firing in the second half, with replacement flank Mark Snyman scoring two superb tries in quick succession.

Wits’ third penalty try, with five minutes remaining, was followed by two point-of-origin tries from replacement flyhalf Christian Humphries and scrumhalf Hlumelo Ndudula that compounded the Madibaz’s misery.

Player That Rocks: Damian Venter (Wits)

The scorers

For Wits
Tries: Van Wyk, Penalty tries 3, Gordon, Beckerling, Cupido (seven-point try), Snyman 2, Humphries (seven-point try), Ndudula (seven-point try)
Cons: Webster 5

For Madibaz
Try: Toni
Con: November

Teams

Wits: 15 Jimmy Mpailane, 14 Sthsaba Mqhatu, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Aidynn Cupido, 11 Matthew Mcdonald, 10 Kurt Webster, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Travis Gordon, 7 Phillip Krause, 6 Constant Beckerling (captain), 5 William Thomson, 4 Kevin du Randt, 3 Ebot Buma, 2 Damian Venter, 1 Banele Mthenjane.
Replacements: 16 Mulalo Sadiki, 17 Bhekisa Shongwe, 18 Keagan Glade, 19 Junior White, 20 Mark Snyman, 21 Dylan Meyer, 22 Christian Humphries, 23 Yanga Hlalu.

Madibaz: 15 Chadwyn November, 14 Khakalethu Bophi, 13 Nkoka Ngobe, 12 Johan Lombard, 11 Njabulo Toni, 10 Siphosethu Dlongodlongo, 9 Wayne Moss, 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Jaco van der Walt, 6 Siyamthanda Jwacu, 5 Laken Gray, 4 Hardus van Eeden, 3 Warwick Griffin, 2 Tembekile Boltina (captain), 1 Robert Lyons.
Replacements: 16 Duan du Plessis, 17 Ruan Jonker, 18 Luyolo Dapula, 19 Cade Cambier, 20 André Gerber, 21 Stephan Botes, 22 Tiaan Swanepoel, 23 Likhona Dywili.

Referee: Phumzile Mbewu
Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Local
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni

MATIES 26 (5) NWU EAGLES 12 (6)

Defending Varsity Cup champions Maties slugged it out against NWU in a scrappy affair, running in four tries.

Proceedings were largely stop-start as unforced errors ruled the day while indecisiveness spoilt many opportunities for both teams.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the 12th minute via the boot of flyhalf Keagan Fortune before the Maroon Machine’s lock pairing linked up brilliantly to allow Albert Liebenberg to canter over the chalk.

The first-half contest, although brutal, did not offer much in terms of points and Maties flyhalf Christopher Schreuder missed several attempts at goal. Collectively, the men from Stellenbosch failed to profit when the Eagles were reduced to 14 men with scrumhalf Riaan Genis spending 10 minutes in the naughty chair.

Fortune slotted a second penalty just after the first strategy break to hand the men from Potch a one-point lead that they protected until half-time.

It didn’t take long for Maties to retaliate when the match resumed as outside centre and captain David Brits was on hand to receive a pop pass from wing Munier Hartzenberg and touch down for a point-of-origin try.

The Eagles were dealt a blow during the act of Brits’ try as wing Pienaar van Niekerk was handed a red card for taking Hartzenberg out in the air and spent 15 minutes with a one-man disadvantage.

The Maroon Machine continued pushing hard and received their just rewards a minute before the second strategy break as replacement utility back George Lourens sneakily scored a converted try off a lineout drive.

No 8 Ben-Jason Dixon then ran fast and hard at the defence to force himself over the line to score a scintillating point-of-origin try.

Player that Rocks: Ben-Jason Dixon (Maties)

The scorers

For Maties
Tries: Liebenberg, Brits, Lourens, Dixon
Con: Schreuder

For NWU Eagles
Pens: Fortune 4

Teams

Maties: 15 Adriaan van der Bank, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 David Brits (captain), 12 Waqar Solaan, 11 Sibabalwe Xamlashe, 10 Christopher Schreuder, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Ben-Jason Dixon, 7 Matthys Kitshoff, 6 Mitchell Carstens, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Simon Miller, 3 Matimu Manganyi, 2 HJ Luus, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 James Combrinck, 19 Dylan de Leeuw, 20 Gift Dlamini, 21 Lian du Toit, 22 George Lourens, 23 Mike Mavovana.

NWU Eagles: 15 Shane van Rooyen, 14 Keano Windvogel, 13 Lincoln Daniels (captain), 12 Marco Donges, 11 Pienaar van Niekerk, 10 Keagan Fortune, 9 Riaan Genis, 8 André Fouché, 7 Sphephelo Mabuza, 6 Chris Vermaak, 5 Jeandré Leonard, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Gustav du Rand, 1 Komape Moloto.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Ruben du Plessis, 18 Arno Gustafson, 19 Wihan Nel, 20 Jandré de Beer, 21 Sylvester Hassien, 22 Kagiso Woodbridge, 23 Meyer Kriel.

Referee: Morne Ferreira
Assistant referees: Sean Muller, Johre Botha
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni

The Varsity Cup will continue on Friday, 30 April 2021, with the following Round Six fixtures:

* CUT Ixias vs Maties (14.00, Tuks B-Field)
* UWC vs UJ (15.00, Loftus Versfeld)
* Madibaz vs UFS Shimlas (16.00, Tuks B-Field)
* UP-Tuks vs UCT Ikeys (17.00, Loftus Versfeld)
* NWU Eagles vs Wits (19.00, Loftus Versfeld)

Source: @varsitycup