UKZN-Impi off to winning start
A 78th minute try by replacement wing Tristan Blewett helped the defending Shield champions UKZN-Impi claim a hard-fought 26-18 victory over last year's finalists Wits in Pietermaritzburg. Handling errors plagued both sides throughout the encounter, however, brief moments of brilliance by Impi wing Thobekani Bhuthelezi and flyhalf Curwin Bosch gave the spectators a glimpse of what to expect this season.
In Alice, UWC captain Philbrey Joseph grabbed a brace to help his side claim a 15-8 victory over Fort Hare in an error-laden encounter. The Cape side ran in three tries while the home side claimed a consolation score after the final hooter to bag a losing bonus point.
All the scores and scorers!
UKZN-Impi 26-18 Wits
Tactical kicking dominated the opening 10 minutes as both sides looked to gain the territorial advantage. It would be the visitors who opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Kwanele Ngema counter-attacked down the right flank and got Wits into the Impi 22 with a dazzling run from inside his half of the field. The ball was quickly recycled and sent left into the hands of Thato Marubela, who barged his over the final defender to hand Wits a 5-0 lead.
Both sides were becoming comfortable with ball in hand and the Impi's Bosch showed glimpses of his attacking skills. Bosch reduced the deficit to three points when he slotted a 40 metre penalty in the 20th minute.
The Impi took the lead in the 34th minute when Bhuthelezi spotted a half-gap and burst through the heart of Wits' defence. He placed a neat grubber and scrumhalf Jaywinn Juries was on hand to run the ball down and grab the score. Bosch calmly slotted the conversion to hand the Impi a 10-5 lead.
Wits finished the half on the front foot when hooker CJ Conradie benefitted from a well-executed maul from a five metre line-out. The conversion failed to find its mark and the teams went into the break level at 10-10.
Wits regained the lead in the 49th minute when Constant Beckerling used his strength to get over the line. Warren Gilbert made no mistake with the conversion to make it 18-10 before the game went to a brief lull as the handling errors started mounting.
The home side hit back in the 66th minute when Michael Meyer spotted a gap a few metres from the Wits try line to grab his side's second try of the match. Bosch slotted the conversion to once again level matters.
Both sides searched for the winning score and it came in the dying minutes of the match when Blewett beat two defenders to dot down in the corner. Fullback Morne Joubert ensured the extra points to seal the win.
Scorers:
For UKZN-Impi:
Tries: Juries, Meyer, Blewett
Cons: Bosch 2, Joubert
Pen: Bosch
For Wits:
Tries: Marubela, Conradie, Beckerling
Con: Gilbert
Teams:
UKZN-Impi: 15 Morne Joubert, 14 S'busiso Nkosi, 13 Grant Rattray, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Thobekani Bhuthelezi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaywinn Juries, 8 Adam Wessels, 7 Zwela Zondi, 6 Kerron van Vuuren, 5 Jean Droste, 4 Rikus Zwart, 3 Ntandoyenkosi Mpofana, 2 Mikyle Webster (captain), 1 John-Hubert Meyer.
Replacements: 16 Elrich Konkowski, 17 Andrew Acton, 18 Christiaan van der Merwe, 19 Michael Meyer, 20 Langelihle Shange, 21 Tristan Tedder, 22 Tristan Blewett, 23 Lindokuhle Radebe.
Wits: 15 AJ van Blerk, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Joshua Jarvis, 12 Wade Worthington, 11 Thato Marubela, 10 Warren Gilbert, 9 Luxolo Ntsepe, 8 Aya Mdudi, 7 Connor Brocksmidt, 6 Ruan MacDonald (captain), 5 Rhynou Herbst, 4 Graham Logan, 3 Luvuyo Papuma, 2 CJ Conradie,1 Tijde Visser.
Replacements: 16 Craig Hume, 17 Ameer Williams, 18 Mitchell Fraser, 19 Constant Beckerling, 20 Ruan Cloete, 21 Kyle Weseman, 22 Sicelo Champion, 23 Brandon Palmer.
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Fort Hare 8-15 UWC
The opening 20 minutes were characterised by handling errors, wayward passes and poor set-piece execution. UWC came the closest to opening the scoring on a number of occasions but lost possession with the try-line at their mercy.
It would be the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when they finally manage to execute a line-out to setup a maul. It went rumbling towards the try line and the Fort Hare defence were unable to stop them, with captain Philbrey Joseph emerging with the ball. Aubrey Wana missed his conversion attempt as the Cape side led 5-0.
Despite their handling errors on attack, Fort Hare were putting in some big hits on defence which lifted their spirits. They were unable to capitalize on that momentum and remained scoreless at the half-time interval.
It was a dreary start to the second half as neither side were able to take control of the encounter. Neither side looked likely to score before UWC showed good handling skills to send the ball wide, where Joseph had acres of space. The flank sprinted his way over the line to grab his brace in the 63rd minute to hand the visitors a 10-0 lead.
The Cape side seemed to find their groove in the closing minutes and grabbed a third try in the 78th minute when replacement scrumhalf Jason Marcus displayed shades of UWC assistant coach Bolla Conradie to snipe around the breakdown and dot down to hand them an unassailable 15-0 lead.
Wing Asiphe Fihla gave the home side something to cheer about when he grabbed a consolation score after the final hooter. Fihla ran onto a sublime offload from Akhona Matutu after the fullback broke through UWC's defence. Siviwe Bisset added the extras to secure the bonus point.
Scorers:
For Fort Hare:
Try: Fihla
Con: Bisset
For UWC:
Tries: Joseph 2, Marcus
Teams:
Fort Hare: 15 Akhona Matutu, 14 Aziyena Mandaba, 13 Luyolo Batshise, 12 Athiphila Mlotywa, 11 Asiphe Fihla, 10 Siviwe Bisset, 9 Qhama Masiza, 8 Philisani Ncoko, 7 Zanoxolo Qwele (captain), 6 Siphesihle Phunguzwa, 5 Lwando Ntetha, 4 Sibusiso Sityebi, 3 Olwethu Mputla, 2 Mzingabantu Vitsha, 1 Lusindiso Nkomo.
Replacements: 16 Justin Antonie, 17 Lukho Jongizulu, 18 Athenkosi Makeleni, 19 Malusi Vula, 20 Alandre Sias, 21 Misubukhosi Pieenar, 22 Ntsika Kula, 23 Lulamile Kama.
UWC: 15 Marcus Kleinbooi, 14 Byron Burgess, 13 Courtney Cupido, 12 Ruan Mostert, 11 Wilbre van Wyk, 10 Aubrey Wana, 9 Matthew Nortje, 8 Darren Luiters, 7 Jose Julies, 6 Philbrey Joseph (captain), 5 Matthew le Roux, 4 Brandon Valentyn, 3 Tahriq Allen, 2 Brandon-Lee Beukman, 1 Wayron Losper.
Replacements: 16 Peter Wanjiru, 17 Kelvin de Bruyn, 18 Alwyn Carstens, 19 Matthew Faught, 20 Jason Marcus, 21 Minenhle Mthethwa, 22 Dean Herbert, 23 Keenan Douw.
Referee: Sindile Ngcese