Maties, Ikeys the only unbeaten sides
Defending champions, the FNB Maties, and their Western Cape rivals, the Ikey Tigers, are now the only remaining unbeaten sides in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, at the conclusion of Round Three of this exciting competition.
The Maties and the Ikeys both recorded bonus point victories away from home, which sees them occupy first and second place, respectively, on the standings – with all teams having now played three matches.
The back-to-back champs smashed UJ 43-10, despite the wet conditions in Johannesburg, whilst UCT once again walked off with the Monte Taljaard Trophy thanks to a 65-9 victory over a hapless Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth.
Stellenbosch flyhalf Conrad Hoffman scored 23 points for the Men in Maroon – four conversions, four penalties and one drop-goal – to walk off with his second successive Man of the Match Award; no doubt making a Stormers recall a very distinct possibility for the multi-talented halfback.
UCT flanker Yaya Hartzenberg walked off with the Man of the Match honours in PE; his powerful performance being rewarded with four tries and also setting up tries for his teammates as the Capetonians once again stormed the Xerox NMMU Stadium – the weather not doing them any favours either.
Of course, the annual UCT-NMMU fixture – the Monte Taljaard Trophy – is played in remembrance of the late Monte Taljaard, a promising PE-born and raised Ikeys flanker who was tragically killed in a car accident in Cape Town in September 2008.
Taljaard’s life was certainly celebrated by his former teammates as they romped to a nine-tries-to-nil win, but head coach John Dobson will certainly keep his team’s feet on the ground after this win – especially as they are still due to face the fearsome Maties (in Stellenbosch) early next month.
Still, the win was enough to keep the second-placed UCT ahead of Pukke (third position), Shimlas (fourth), UJ (fifth) and Tuks (sixth) on the Varsity Cup log; giving the table a distinct ‘Groundhog Day’ feel to it – the Maties and UCT having qualified for home semifinals in 2008 and 2009.
Pukke, Shimlas and UJ are by no means out of it and the former – losing finalists in last year’s Varsity Cup Final – showed plenty of courage to edge out their Intervarsity rivals, Shimlas, in Potchefstroom.
The home side eventually won 17-16, despite trailling 0-10 after 30 minutes of play and coach Rudy Joubert would have been a happy man – especially after last week’s defeat at the Green Mile in Cape Town.
TUT, meanwhile, will be kicking themselves after their 30-42 loss to Pretoria rivals, Tuks; their discipline letting them down after leading 24-12 at one stage in the match.
However, they conceded three yellow cards in 80 minutes and that lack of discipline, ultimately, proved to the difference between the sides in the end as Tuks picked up their first win of the 2010 Varsity Cup.
Click HERE for the full Varsity Cup log!
