Nadoes off to a whirlwind start
The Steinhoff Tornadoes, UCT’s representatives in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, got their campaign off to a red-hot start with a comprehensive 38-21 win over a game Steinhoff Madibaz (NMMU) outfit.
The Nadoes hosted the Madibaz in both teams’ first-ever taste of Steinhoff Koshuisrugby action in what was a curtain-raiser to the ‘main’ game at the Green Mile – UCT v TUT in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.
The UCT ‘boytjies’ started off like a house on fire as they scored three quick tries in the first ten minutes of the game, with Mark Winter scoring first and speedster Zubayr ‘Egg’ Abrahams scoring twice.
The home team went into cruise control, after dominating the majority of the ball possession up until then, but they were given a wake-up call after seeing the Madibaz flyhalf slice through their defence to score under the posts.
That try gave the Madibaz new hope and soon the tables were turned as it was the Tornadoes’ turn to defend, and defend they did; keeping the Madibaz side at bay and going into the half-time break with a handy 21-7 lead and that four-try bonus point in sight.
The second half kick-off was a carbon copy of the first… The Nadoes scored straight from the kick-off with none other than impressive loose forward Damion Stander scoring in the corner after some great work from the Nadoes backs.
The Tornadoes, however, once again allowed the NMMU side back into the match with two defensive blunders that saw the Madibaz score twice and cutting the Nadoes’ lead down to just five points.
With the score now at 26-21 in the UCT team’s favour, both sides had everything to play for.
However, it was the Nadoes who came out on top – scoring two tries; Stander getting his second of the match and JP van Huffel also getting his name on the scoresheet.
The Nadoes, with five points, are currently heading up the log in the Southern section of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.
Their next match is against Vishuis, from Shimlas, in Bloemfontein on Monday, March 1 (kick-off 5pm).
The scorers:
For the Steinhoff Tornadoes:
Tries: Winter, Van Huffel, Abrahams 2, Stander 2
Cons: Russell 4
For the Steinhoff Madibaz:
N/a
The teams:
Tornadoes: 15 Mark Winter, 14 JP van Huffel, 13 Justin Bijl, 12 Trent Jenkinson, 11 Zubayr Abrahams, 10 Matthew Russell, 9 Xanti Nesi, 8 Damion Stander, 7 Brennan Wright, 6 Stuart Hablutzel, 5 Grayson Rice, 4 Tom Horne, 3 Simon Bergman, 2 Ryan Dean, 1 Anthony Koudaris.
Replacements: 16 Wade Swannel, 17 Ntsolo Setlaba, 18 Nic van Lierde, 19 Ollie Johnson, 20 Ian Armstrong, 21 Josh Gloak, 22 Kerrick Allenbrook.
Madibaz: 15 FD Vosloo, 14 JD Symington, 13 NS Van Eeden, 12 L Weyer, 11 K Van Rooyen, 10 WE Neveling, 9 HN Mashabela, 8 S Gazi, 7 L Singqomo, 6 L De Villiers, 5 A Ndichawona, 4 H Notle, 3 D Lombard, 2 LJD Mbane, 1 LJ Nortjé.
Replacements: 16 CJ Serfontein, 17 S Mlomzale, 18 C Ferreira, 19 C Shayi, 20 YM Sipeliti, 21 AG Jappie, 22 E Van Eck.
By Clement le Roux
