Tuks to host Shield debutants Varsity College in Final

SEMIFINAL WRAP: All roads lead to Pretoria on Friday, April 26 as UP-Tuks will host Varsity College in the 2024 Varsity Shield Final.

The Stripe Generation showed no mercy in beating WSU while debutants Varsity Shield scored an impressive come-from-behind victory over Madibaz.

UP-TUKS 80 – 14 WSU

UP-Tuks thrashed WSU 80-14 in their semifinal encounter in Pretoria to remain the only unbeaten side in this year’s Varsity Shield.

The Stripe Generation opened the scoring through a try by Henry Till and it didn’t take long for Johannes Mare to score the first of his two five-pointers.

The onslaught continued in the one-sided affair as Tuks stretched their lead through fancy pieces of counterattacks. First, it was scrumhalf Chad-Lee Valentine who dummied over the line before Kobus Janse van Rensburg produced a cheeky piece of individual play beating two defenders.

Kyle Cyster added his name to the scoresheet on the stroke of halftime. Walter Visser made no mistake from the tee converting all conversions as Tuks took a dominant 35-0 lead at the interval.

The home team returned from the break and were awarded a penalty try followed by a try through Juandre Jooste.

WSU then lit up somewhat, breaking through the Tuks defence. The result was back-to-back converted tries from Sandisiwe Mkwayimba and Sinethemba Zwelonke.

Tuks however weren’t done yet and went on to score six more tries before the final whistle. Janse van Rensburg and Marais completed their brace while skipper Ethan Burger joined the party. Bayanda Ngubane spent most of the match deep in defence and finally broke away in a give-and-go with Cayno February. Substitute Jacobus Louw powered over the try-line to close out the match in emphatic fashion.

The scorers:

For UP-Tuks:
Tries: Henry Till, Johannes Mare 2, Kobus Janse van Rensburg 2, Chad-Lee Valentine, Kyle Cyster, Penalty Try, Juandre Jooste, Ethan Burger, Bayande Ngubane, Jacobus Louw.
Cons: Walter Visser 7, Jean-Pierre Wentzel 2

For WSU
Tries: Sandisiwe Mkwayimba, Sinethemba Zwelonke.
Cons: Maxwell Klaasen 2

Player That Rocks: Tharquinn Thane Manuel (UP-Tuks)

Teams:

UP-Tuks: 15 Tharquinn Thane Manuel, 14 Bayanda Sinele Ngubane, 13 Zander Reynders, 12 Kobus Janse Van Rensburg, 11 Nqubeko Sbongakonke Mkwanazi, 10 Walter Visser, 9 Chad-Lee Valentine, 8 Juandré Francois Jooste, 7 Haydn Scott Kemp, 6 Kamohelo Tlome, 5 Cayno Douglas February, 4 Johannes Wilhelmus Mare, 3 Dian Stephan Coetzee, 2 Henry Edwin Till, 1 Ethan Lance Burger

WSU: 15 Beon Frendel Hartnick, 14 Bulelani Nondlwana, 13 Awonke Sondishe, 12 Hlumelo Zitha, 11 Simosethu Capa, 10 Maxwell Klaasen, 9 Esenam Mniki, 8 Esethu Zenani, 7 Pernell Mandes, 6 Khanya Solani, 5 Hlomla Mihlali Payi, 4 Kamva Tetani, 3 Sinethemba Zwelonke, 2 Mangaliso Zixesha, 1 Ayabonga Spelt

VARSITY COLLEGE 24 – 20 MADIBAZ

If ever there was a game of two halves, the semifinal clash between FNB Madibaz and FNB Varsity College in Gqeberha was it.

The debutants from Durban managed to turn around a 14-point deficit at half-time in a 24-20 victory over the more fancied Eastern Cape opponents.

With a 17-3 lead at the break, few would have bet against Madibaz marching towards the Varsity Shield final.

Varsity College had other ideas though. Despite losing their talisman flyhalf Frederick Marx to a red card, they rallied back to score 21 points in the second stanza.

There were also huge performances from their back three and the introduction of man-mountain Sonwabo Maseko proved a game-changer in their qualification for the Final in their first year in the competition.

It was heartbreak for the men from Gqeberha, but they still have the chance to play in the Varsity Cup rugby next year. That all depends on the outcome of their promotion-relegation clash against CUT on May 2.

The scorers:

For Varsity College:
Tries: Sonwaso Maseko, Nkazimulo Mzolo, Nathi Ntuli.
Cons: Tshegofatso Ramaloko 2, Luke Horak.
Pen: Frederick Marx.

For Madibaz
Tries: Kyle Erasmus, Qurin Cupido
Cons: Kehan Myburgh 2
Pens: Kehan Myburgh 2

Player That Rocks: Tshegofatso Ramaloko (Varsity College)

TEAMS

Varsity College: 15 Tshegofatso Ramaloko, 14 Sivuyisiwe Mpendu, 13 Mbasa Nkonki, 12 Macmillian Mudara, 11 Nkazimulo Mzolo, 10 Frederick Marx, 9 Abande Mthembu, 8 Mandisi Nkutha, 7 Enzo Van Niekerk, 6 Juan Steyl, 5 Werner Coetzee, 4 Robert Everson, 3 Siyabonga Dube, 2 Jacques Marais, 1 Daniel Van Huizen

Madibaz: 15 Kehan Myburgh, 14 Qurin Cupido, 13 Enrique Franks, 12 Troy Delport, 11 Lwando Davane, 10 Rashied Conrad, 9 Mpumelelo Solani Mavuso, 8 Leon van der Merwe, 7 Alwaba Liyema Elam Bobelo, 6 Mzwakhe Kevin Hlupheko, 5 Christopher Cikuru Kachungunu, 4 Dewald Gerber, 3 Andries Johannes , 2 Kyle Erasmus, 1 Endinako Kuse.

Source: VarsityCup