WSU bag record win, CPUT hold of Fort Hare

VARSITY SHIELD WRAP: CPUT claimed a hard-fought opening-round Varsity Shield win against UFH at Loftus Versfeld, while UKZN routed Rhodes and WSU ripped up the record book against DUT.

We bring you all the action of Round One!

WSU 136 (62) DUT Rhinos 11 (8)

The men in black were in rampant form in the opening 20 minutes as they scored five tries courtesy of lock Hlomla Payi, flank Siphosihle Magawu, hooker Nande Lucas, scrumhalf Eric Mcaphukana and inside centre Thembani Kori.

DUT did pull back three points through flyhalf Luyolo Nkwanca’s boot to open their Varsity Shield account.

The strategy break brought welcome relief for the Rhinos but that’s where it ended as WSU continued their attacking blitz with wing Soyama Mini bagging a brace, Magawu scoring twice and lock Asekho Marubelela and wing Tebogo Madigoe etching their names on the scoresheet.

The Rhinos must be credited for not dropping their heads and giving their all against quality opposition and when things did go right, it resulted in try by wing Langelihle Ntombela in the 29th minute. But it did little to change the status quo as WSU went into the break commanding an impressive 62-8 lead.

WSU were absolutely ruthless in the second stanza as Magawu crossed for his hat-trick try within a minute of the match resuming.

The Mthatha-based WSU just couldn’t be stopped as No 8 Esethu Zenani, outside centre Scelo Tole, replacement utility back Mbulelo Totose and replacement loose forward Lithemba Ngcetane crossed the chalk before the strategy break.

There was no respite for DUT post the second strategy break as WSU exploited their weakness on defence to run in tries left, right and centre.

Replacement prop Miyelani Ngobeni, replacement lock Ayabulela Zono (two), flyhalf Lwandile Mapuko and replacement scrumhalf Sakhele Ngeno all scored to inflate the final score to 136-11.

*Article continues below…

Player that Rocks: Siphosihle Magawu (WSU)

The scorers:

For WSU:
Tries: Payi, Magawu 3, Lucas, Mcaphukana, Kori 2, Mini 2, Marubelela, Madigoe, Zenani 2, Tole, Totose, Ngcetane, Ngobeni, Zono 2, Mapuko, Ngeno.
Cons: Mapuko 5, Nkula 5, Ngeno 3

For DUT Rhinos:
Try: Ntombela.
Pens: Nkwanca, Dlamini.

Teams:

WSU: 15 Litha Nkula (captain), 14 Soyama Mini, 13 Scelo Tole, 12 Thembani Kori, 11 Tebogo Madigoe, 10 Lwandile Mapuko, 9 Eric Mcaphukana, 8 Esethu Zenani, 7 Ayabonga Ntaba, 6 Siphosihle Magawu, 5 Hlomla Payi, 4 Asekho Marubelela, 3 Siyasanga Dingezweni, 2 Nande Lucas, 1 Xolani Jacobs.
Replacements: 16 Zanokuhle Nkabi, 17 Lindokuhle Seteni, 18 Miyelani Ngobeni, 19 Ayabulela Zono, 20 Lithemba Ngcetane, 21 Sakhele Ngeno, 22 Mbulelo Totose, 23 S’bulelo Roji.

DUT: 15 Luyolo Nkwanca, 14 Sizwe Malakoane, 13 Lwazi Bhengu, 12 Moyomuhle Mkhize, 11 Langelihle Ntombela, 10 Andile Dlamini, 9 Anele Mzobe, 8 Nkanyiso Miya, 7 Malusi Mkhize, 6 Thabani Mnisi, 5 Nkosi Ziyanda, 4 Sinqobile Maseko, 3 Mpumelelo Hlefane, 2 Sechaba Motsapi, 1 Bayanda Mdladla.
Replacements: 16 Anelisa Mthwazi, 17 Sinqobile Mtshali, 18 Ntando Mahlaba, 19 Sibonokuhle Ncube, 20 Siyanda Mthembu, 21 Sabelo Ngema, 22 Bongumenzi Mkhize, 23 Sphiwo Shelembe.

Rhodes 15 (0) UKZN Impi 62 (29)

The Impi raced into a 12-0 lead after just five minutes when No 8 Llawdden Roux and centre Gacula Poswa stormed over the tryline.

UKZN wing Onke Jiba then found space on the outside, with captain Wandile Shabangu sending flyhalf Azakhiwe Afrika away for a sensational team try., Afrika ran in another try just before the strategy break to secure the bonus point.

Jiba’s 34th-minute try made it 29-0 and while prop Minenhle Ngubane was yellow-carded shortly afterwards, it didn’t prove costly for the Impi.

In fact, they struck again early in the second half when a quick penalty tap resulted in a try for Shabangu.

Rhodes finally got on the board after a massive effort from lock Bongumusa Mokuena who only had eyes for the tryline.

Jiba put in a massive hit to win the ball back for UKZN from which fullback Sibongiwa Novuka scored a try.

Rhodes fullback Simamkele Ngantweni slotted a penalty, before centre Damian Morrow cruised over for their second try.

But UKZN finished strongly, with replacement flyhalf Jodian de Vos, flank Byron Booysen and replacement hooker Menzi Mabaso all crossing the tryline.

Player that Rocks: Azakhiwe Afrika (UKZN Impi)

The scorers:

For UKZN Impi:
Tries: Roux, Poswa, Afrika 2, Jiba, Shabangu, Novuka, De Vos, Booysen, Mabaso
Cons: Novuka 6

For Rhodes:
Tries: Mokuena, Morrow.
Con: Manka
Pen: Ngantweni

Teams:

Rhodes: 15 Simamkele Ngantweni, 14 Dimitri Mngqolo, 13 Damian Morrow, 12 Simelela Mbanzi, 11 Cameron Marais, 10 Matthew Royle, 9 Nicholas Dettmer, 8 Lwazi Mzamane, 7 Ntsika Ndungane, 6 Athenkosi Nkewana, 5 Sithembele Njokweni, 4 Bongumusa Mokoena, 3 Sinolwazingekamvalakhe Ralo, 2 Sifundo Dube, 1 Loyiso Isaacs.
Replacements: 16 Lelethu Mngxali, 17 Tatenda Tichiwangana, 18 Katlego Petje, 19 Xhanti Stofile, 20 Kwandiwe Mbelani, 21 Viwe Makeleni, 22 Abonga Manka, 23 Mpho Hlongwane.

UKZN Impi: 15 Sibongile Novuka, 14 Onke Jiba, 13 Wandile Shabangu, 12 Gacula Poswa, 11 Sibonakaliso Dubazane, 10 Azakhiwe Afrika, 9 Johan Maritz, 8 Llawdden Roux, 7 Sbongokuhle Ngubane, 6 Byron Booysen, 5 Marnus Botha, 4 Heinrich Cronjé, 3 Minenhle Ngubane, 2 Tristan Trollip, 1 Lindelwe Cele.
Replacements: 16 Menzi Mabaso, 17 Benjamin Maseko, 18 Ncanana Nkanyiso, 19 Nkanyezi Gumede, 20 Wilhelm Fenske, 21 Jodian de Vos, 22 Linamkele Mcwabeni, 23 Luyanda Zondi.

CPUT 36 (24) UFH Blues 20 (10)

The 2019 Shield champions made the perfect start to this match when they charged down an UFH clearance kick and No 8 Sesona Macala scored after just 20 seconds.

The Blues hit back through flank Lukhonyiso Tosholwana, before CUT grabbed their second try through centre Lunathi Nxele, with flyhalf Feghon-Leigh Snyders again adding the extras.

UFH Brandt Fields slotted a 40m penalty goal to narrow the deficit to four points.

CPUT then suffered a big blow when centre Jurick Lewis was red-carded for a dangerous tackle on Fields. They had to play with 14 men for 15 minutes before Lewis could be replaced by a substitute according to the tournament rules.

CPUT wing Nathan Nkutu put captain Butsha Mputa away for a try under the posts, with Snyders kicking the conversion and adding a penalty to make it 24-10 at the break.

Tosholwana was yellow-carded early in the second half only for Fields to lift Fort Hare’s spirits when he added another three points to their tally.

Nxele scored a second try for CPUT but UFH’s luck changed just before the second strategy break when Fields’ penalty struck the post and landed straight in the hands of chasing hooker Mkhonto Caku-Caku, who scored a converted try.

CPUT then received two yellow cards in quick succession for cynical infringements – to lock Mogamat Ameer Hendricks and scrumhalf Hugan Engelbrecht – yet were still able to keep UFH out.

CUT secured victory though wing Nathan Nkutu’s late try, with Fort Hare centre Jonathan Booysens being red-carded for dangerous play in the build-up.

😮😮 20 seconds!

Thats how long it took for @CPUT to score. #RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/cJhJE6B1l1

— Varsity Shield (@varsityshield) April 12, 2021

Player That Rocks: Nathan Nkutu (CPUT)

The scorers:

For CPUT:
Tries: Macala, Nxele 2, Mputa, Nkutu.
Cons: Snyders 3, Vabaza.
Pen: Snyders

For UFH Blues:
Tries: Tosholwana, Mkhonto.
Cons: Fields 2
Pens: Fields 2

Teams:

CPUT: 15 Raven Chester Smith, 14 Clint Joseph, 13 Lunathi Nxele, 12 Jurick Lewis, 11 Nathan Nkutu, 10 Feghon-Leigh Snyders, 9 Hugan Engelbrecht, 8 Sesona Macala, 7 Ché Klaasen, 6 Butsha Mputa (captain), 5 Mogamat Ameer Hendricks, 4 Anenceba Salman, 3 Jacques-Lynn Josephus, 2 Siyasanga Ngubelanga, 1 Dé-Angelo Williams.
Replacements: 16 Damian Isaacs, 17 Matthew Coenraad, 18 Onika Mgijima, 19 Bradley van Boven, 20 Roland van der Heever, 21 Cuan Maree, 22 Imibongo Vabaza, 23 Christopher Andrews.

UFH: 15 Brandt Fields, 14 Liyema Tyali, 13 Yonela Baleni, 12 Jonathan Booysen, 11 Lukho Jongizulu, 10 Keith Chiwara, 9 Qhama Masiza, 8 Yamkela Mzozoyana, 7 Kamvelihle Fatyela, 6 Lukhanyiso Tosholwana, 5 Lungelo Rintsana, 4 Intle Mancoko, 3 Siba Mnkani, 2 Mkhonto Caku-Caku, 1 Anele Nkohla
Replacements: 16 Langa Susela, 17 Moeketsi Tuswa, 18 Samkelo Ntshulwane, 19 Walter Moyo, 20 Ayabulela Xhosana, 21 Merlin du Plessis, 22 Apiwe Sidloyi, 23 Lethukuthula Mthethwa.