Impi down determined Wits
Wits held a commanding 21-2 lead at the half-time interval but the Impi showed why they are the only unbeaten side in the competition by running in three unanswered tries, including a Thobekani Buthelezi brace, to claim the dramatic victory.
Wits drew first blood when a powerful driving maul made its way over the line inside the opening 10 minutes. Tijde Visser grabbed the try but the conversion failed to find the target as the Johannesburg students held a 5-0 lead.
It seemed that all the momentum was with Wits as yet another maul led to the second try of the match. This time, hooker CJ Conradie emerging with the ball. Flyhalf Warren Gilbert ensured the extra points to stretch their lead to 13-0.
UKZN would hit back through a Curwin Bosch penalty on the stroke of the first strategic break to get the Impi on the board and trailing 2-13 after 18 minutes.
Wits were making it tough for the log-leaders and soon stretched their lead when centre Joshua Jarvis chased down his own chip ahead to grab his side's third try. Gilbert obliged with the conversion to hand them a 21-2 lead at the half-time break.
UKZN came out firing in the second half and pulled a try back through wing Thobekani Bhuthelezi. Flyhalf Tristan Tedder slotted the conversion to reduce the deficit to 11 points. It was not long before the Impi grabbed their second try of the encounter.
Tedder getting himself over the line before slotting the conversion to see the Impi trail Wits 18-21 after 60 minutes.
The drama continued as the Impi were building up a head of steam. Bhuthelezi grabbed his brace with 12 minutes remaining in the contest. Tedder duly added the extras to hand the Impi a 26-21 lead.
Things went pear-shaped for Wits in the final 10 minutes as replacement Sicelo Champion was sent to the sin bin, meaning the Johannesburg students would finish the match with 14 players.
There would be no further additions to the scoreboard as UKZN continued their dominance of the Shield.
Scorers:
For Wits:
Tries: Visser, Conradie, Jarvis
Cons: Gilbert 2
For UKZN-Impi:
Tries: Bhuthelezi 2, Tedder
Cons: Tedder 3
Pen: Bosch
Yellow card: Sicelo Champion (Wits – 70)
Teams:
Wits: 15 Luxolo Ntsepe, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Joshua Jarvis, 12 Wade Worthington, 11 Thato Mabokela, 10 Warren Gilbert, 9 Ruan Cloete, 8 Constant Beckerling, 7 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt, 6 Ruan Macdonald, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 4 Graham Logan, 3 Luvuyo Pupuma, 2 CJ Conradie, Tijde Visser.
Replacements: 16 Craig Hume, 17 Ameer Williams, 18 Mitchell Fraser, 19 Ayabulela Mdudi, 20 Sicelo Champion, 21 Kyle Weseman, 22 Adriaan van Blerk, 23 Brandon Palmer.
UKZN-Impi: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 S'busiso Nkosi, 13 Tristan Blewett, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Thobekani Buthelezi, 10 Tristan Tedder, 9 Willem Badenhorst, 8 Adam Wessels, 7 Njabulo Zondi, 6 Sanele Malwane, 5 Jean Drotse, 4 Rikus Zwart, 3 Ntandoyenkosi Mpofana, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 John-Hubert Meyer.
Replacements: 16 Mikyle Webster, 17 Andrew Acton, 18 Michael Meyer, 19 Grant Rattray, 20 Langelihle Shange, 21 Shayne Makhombe, 22 Morne Joubert, 23 Pierre van der Walt.
Referee: Mpho Matsaung
