Shimlas steal play-off spot from UCT

WRAP: In what was a day of reckoning for four teams vying for a FNB Varsity Cup semifinal place, FNB UFS Shimlas had the answers.

The men from Bloemfontein have been stuttering in recent weeks – opening the play-off door to FNB UCT Ikey Tigers, FNB Wits and FNB CUT Ixias – but beat FNB UJ 31-14 on Monday to move to 22 log points and seal the final play-off berth.

Shimlas showed no signs of nerves at UJ Stadium as they ran into a 23-0 half-time lead courtesy of tries from Albertus de Bod, Menzi Nhlabathi and George Rossouw. Flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela converted two of those.

UJ, semifinalists for the last three years, have had a disappointing season under new coach Dewey Swartbooi and would have wanted to give their supporters something to shout about.

That they did when Dian Schoonees and captain Adrian Bester dotted down (the former converted by Wynard Botha), reducing the deficit to nine points. However, a famous fightback was thwarted by Hendro Scholtz’s charges.

A Kurt Eybers try, converted by Dobela gave Shimlas a two-score lead and then Dobela closed out the scoring with a penalty – leaving Wits to end the season in eighth place on seven points.

In the early kickoff, FNB UCT Ikey Tigers kept their play-off hopes alive by moving into ‘virtual’ fourth place with a 36-10 win over FNB CUT Ixias (who themselves had a slim play-off chance).

To give themselves an even better chance, if Shimlas had only secured a draw, Christiaan Esterhuizen’s men secured the bonus point with a stoppage-time fourth try – to move themselves to 20 log points.

As it turned out, UCT’s efforts were for nought.

At least they did better than the other play-off candidate, Wits, who were thumped 74-15 by FNB NWU Pukke in the late kickoff and will end the season in sixth place on 16 points.

In truth, Wits started strongest at Fanie du Toit Sport Ground and deservedly scored first – Chris Humphries slotting a penalty to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.

However, their failure to gather the restart which followed allowed Wihan Conradie to dot down and begin a sequence of scoring which saw Pukke lead 60-3 after 60 minutes – before Wits scored the first of two consolation tries.

By the time Conradie scored the last of Pukke’s nine tries (all expertly converted by Schalk Hugo), Jonathan Mokuena’s men had sent an ominous message to their semifinal opponents UP-Tuks – who await them at Tuks Stadium next week.

Meanwhile, in the only fixture that had little bearing on the log, defending champions and title favourites FNB Maties thumped FNB UWC 84-26 – hardly what Shimlas would have wanted to hear while celebrating their achievement.

Maties flyhalf Jordan Chait had a match to remember contributing 25 points through a hat-trick of tries and five conversions; but coach Hawies Fourie might feel bittersweet by the fact that his team ended the round-rounding phase with the highest team score but also conceded more than they had in any of their other matches.

Similarly for Chester Williams. His UWC team have finished their debut campaign at the foot of the table on six points (to leave themselves relegation favourites when next season’s log is combined with this year’s), but at least ‘The Bushies’ managed a win and claimed try-scoring bonus points against two of the semifinalists (Maties and Shimlas).

Scores and scorers

FNB UCT Ikey Tigers (13) 36 FNB CUT Ixias (10) 10

The scorers:

For UCT:
Tries: Zungu, Porter, Tedder, Tarusenga
Cons: Hock 4
Pens: Hock 2

For CUT:
Try: Jasper
Pen: Bitzi

Teams:

FNB UCT Ikey Tigers: 15 Darian Hock, 14 Rayno Mapoe, 13 James Tedder, 12 Robbie Ball, 11 Lindelwe Zungu, 10 Jonty Bredell, 9 William Rose, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Josh Moon (capt), 6 Niel Otto, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Duncan Saffy, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Cuan Hablutzel, 1 Devon Arendse
Replacements: 16 Josh van Vuuren, 17 Ntando Mpofana, 18 Tomasz de Rosenworth, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Busanda Mabena, 21 Brandon Salomo, 22 Liam Furniss, 23 Gerard Pieterse

FNB CUT Ixias: 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Dimitrio Tieties, 13 Ruan Wasserman, 12 Marnu van Niekerk, 11 Erasmus Breedt, 10 Heinrich Bitzi, 9 Johannes Hattingh, 8 André Hanekom, 7 Gerhardus Nel, 6 Ruan Smit, 5 Rayno Nel (capt), 4 Sylvester Makakole, 3 Tebogo Masemola, 2 Anrich Alberts, 1 Edward Davids
Replacements: 16 Ruben Cross, 17 Quintin Vorster, 18 Hendrik Smit, 19 Brendon Fortuin, 20 Luvuyo Ndevu, 21 Jaco Wilkinson, 22 Marc Morrison, 23 Karabo Maqeba

Referee: Ruhan Meiring
Assistant referees: Nathan Barry, Wickus Nell
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans

FNB UJ (0) 14 FNB UFS Shimlas (23) 31

The scorers:

For UJ:
Tries: Schoonees, Bester
Con: Botha

For UFS:
Tries: De Bod, Nhlabathi, Rossouw, K Eybers
Con: Dobela 3
Pen: Dobela

Teams:

FNB UJ: 15 Shaun Williams, 14 Odwa Nkunjana, 13 Tyreeq February, 12 Wynand Botha, 11 Tatendaishe Mujawo, 10 Mashudu Raphunga, 9 Jack Hart, 8 Edwin Jansen, 7 Adriaan Bester (capt), 6 Dian Schoonees, 5 Khanya Ncusane, 4 Tyler Brown, 3 Coenrad Vrey, 2 Willem du Plessis, 1 Pierre Rabie
Replacements: 16 Lehlohonolo Mphuthi, 17 Kayden Kiewiet, 18 Sibusiso Lali, 19 Jacobus ‘Henro’ Liebenberg, 20 André Meyer, 21 Johan Esterhuizen, 22 Siphesihle Radebe, 23 Musawenkosi Tshabalala

FNB UFS Shimlas: 15 Ruan Henning, 14 Charl Pretorius, 13 Kurt Eybers, 12 William Eybers, 11 Marthinus Boshoff, 10 Lubabalo Dobela (capt), 9 Zinedene Booysen, 8 Albertus de Bod, 7 Menzi Nhlabathi, 6 Jan ‘Bakkies’ Rossouw, 5 Sibabalo Qoma, 4 Nathan Jordan, 3 Cornelis ‘Ruan’ Kramer, 2 Willen Marais, 1 Thembinkosi Mangwana
Replacements: 16 Christian Wijburg, 17 John Henry Fincham, 18 Mogau Mabokela, 19 Henk Pretorius, 20 Olehile Losaba, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Sechaba Matsoele, 23 Christiaan Schutte

Referee: Paul Mente

FNB Maties (33) 84 FNB UWC (5) 26

The scorers:

For Maties:
Tries: Jooste 2, Mavovana 2, Chait 3, Dixon, Erasmus, Malan 2, Nwagbara
Cons: Chait 5, Van der Bank 6

For UWC:
Tries: Van Zyl, Manuel 2, Mbete
Con: Fortune 2

Teams:

FNB Maties: 15 Edwill van der Merwe, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 David Brits, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Mike Mavovana, 10 Jordan Chait, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Stephan Streicher, 7 Chris Massyn (capt), 6 Johann van Niekerk, 5 Bernard Jansen, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, , 3 Piet-Louw Strauss, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Wayrin Losper
Replacements: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Ricky Nwagbara, 18 Leon Lyons, 19 Jesse Johnson, 20 Jordan Sesink-Clee, 21 Logan Boonzaaier, 22 Adriaan van der Bank, 23 Anton du Toit

FNB UWC: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Rohaan Adams, 13 Lubelo Scott, 12 Darren Jaftha, 11 André Manuel, 10 Keagan Fortune, 9 Clayton Daniels, 8 Adrian Paarwater (capt), 7 Reece Bocks, 6 Bronlee Mouries, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Matthew le Roux, 3 Justin Theys, 2 Jacques van Zyl, 1 Luvo Bazi
Replacements: 16 Luan du Randt, 17 Alex Mbete, 18 Tyler Gessler, 19 Schalk Carstens, 20 Luke Cyster, 21 Labib Kannemeyer, 22 Hendrik Carstens, 23 Hendrick Calitz

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Assistant referees: Nathan Swartz, Bennie Bothma

FNB NWU Pukke (46) 74 FNB Wits (3) 15

The scorers:

For NWU:
Tries: Conradie 2, Van der Merwe 2, Van Rooyen, Van Niekerk 2, Rheeder, Retief
Cons: Hugo 9
Pen: Hugo

For Wits:
Try: Kapepula, Brandon
Con: Humphries
Pen: Humphries

Teams:

FNB NWU Pukke: 15 Chuiner van Rooyen, 14 Lungelo Gosa, 13 Lincoln Daniels, 12 Evardi Boshoff, 11 Pienaar van Niekerk, 10 Schalk Hugo, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Edmund Rheeder, 7 Wian Conradie, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Jan du Plooy, 4 Johannes Retief, 3 Matimu Manganyi, 2 Louis ‘Chucky’ van der Westhuizen (capt), 1 Tshegofatso ‘Botter’ Moloto
Replacements: 16 Marius Stander, 17 Nelius Theron, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Reuben du Plooy, 20 Muziwandile Mazibuko, 21 Eugene Hare, 22 Keagan Tait, 23 Nkululeko Mcuma

FNB Wits: 15 Jared Fuller, 14 Yanga Hlalu, 13 Sicelo Champion, 12 AJ van Blerk, 11 Moemisi Mosheledi, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Ruan Cloete, 8 Cal Smid, 7 Phillip Krause, 6 Constant Beckerling (capt), 5 Kevin du Randt, 4 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt, 3 Keagan Glade, 2 CJ Conradie, 1 Bhekisa Shongwe
Replacements: 16 Justin Brandon, 17 Luyolo Qinela, 18 Ebot Buma, 19 Pascal Snyman, 20 Sipho Siboza, 21 TJ Janse van Rensburg, 22 Daniel Kapepula, 23 Kurt Webster

Referee: Griffin Colby
Assistant referees: Daniel Victor, Jonathan Lottering
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe