Varsity Shield semifinalists confirmed

ROUND SEVEN WRAP: The line-up of the semifinals of the 2024 Varsity Shield has been determined after some scintillating action in the last round-robin matches.

UP-Tuks host WSU in Pretoria while FNB Madibaz is at home against debutants FNB Varsity College in Gqeberha. The showdowns take place on Friday 19 April.

UP-TUKS 66 – 24 MADIBAZ

UP-Tuks comprehensively beat Madibaz 66-24 in a top-of-the-table clash at the Tuks Stadium in Pretoria to remain the only unbeaten team in this year’s competition.

The victory ensures the Stripe Generation will return to the Varsity Cup competition next year. Madibaz will play CUT in a promotion/relegation match next month to determine whether they will also take a step up.

Tuks got off to a flaming start with Kobus Janse van Rensburg scoring a brace inside the first ten minutes. His first try came off a powerful scrum before a cheeky piece of individual play led to his second.

The visitors weren’t going to hold back as they responded swiftly with a penalty try that saw Tuks’ Henry Till sent off with a yellow card. Even with a man down, the home side extended their lead through tries by Cayno February and skipper Ethan Burger.

Madibaz displayed some powerful forward play and quick hands saw winger Qurin Cupido fly over in the corner before Kyle Erasmus dotted down from a relentless driving maul to close the gap.

The home side, however, remained unstoppable as scrumhalf Chad-Lee Valentine flew over the try line on the stroke of half-time. The score was 35-17.

Tuks picked up where they left off in the first half and cemented their dominance with back-to-back tries for Henry Till before Burger took his tally to two tries. Hayden Kemp then rubbed salt in their opponent’s wounds with his try.

Madibaz finally got their first second-half try in the last minute with a brilliant run from Leon van der Merwe.

SCORERS:

UP-Tuks:
Tries: Janse van Rensburg 2, February, Burger 2, Valentine, Till 2, Kemp
Cons: Wentzel 8, Cyster
Pen: Cyster

Madibaz:
Tries: Penalty Try, Cupido, Erasmus, Van der Merwe.
Con: Myburgh

Player That Rocks: Ethan Burger (UP-Tuks)

TEAMS

UP-Tuks: 15 Kyle Edward Cyster, 14 Bayanda Sinele Ngubane, 13 Tharquinn Thane Manuel, 12 Kobus Janse Van Rensburg, 11 Nqubeko Sbongakonke Mkwanazi, 10 Jean-Pierre Wentzel, 9 Chad-Lee Valentine, 8 Marco Venter, 7 Cayno Douglas February, 6 Kamohelo Tlome, 5 Roald Hattingh, 4 Johannes Wilhelmus Mare, 3 Jacobus Johan Louw, 2 Henry Edwin Till, 1 Ethan Lance Burger

Madibaz: 15 Kehan Myburgh, 14 Qurin Cupido, 13 Enrique Franks, 12 Troy Delport, 11 Lwando Davane, 10 Rashied Conrad, 9 Mpumelelo Solani Mavuso, 8 Leon van der Merwe, 7 Alwaba Liyema Elam Bobelo, 6 Mzwakhe Kevin Hlupheko, 5 Christopher Cikuru Kachungunu, 4 Dewald Gerber, 3 Sbulelo Roji, 2 Kyle Erasmus, 1 Endinako Kuse

VARSITY COLLEGE 37 – 18 WSU

Varsity College booked themselves a place in the semi-finals in their debut season with a 37-18 victory over WSU at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane.

In cold and wet weather, it took 18 minutes before the first points were scored with a try by Varsity College wing Sivuyisiwe Mpendu. The visitors’ second try followed soon after when hooker Jacques Marais went over.

WSU flyhalf Maxwell Klaasen was successful with a penalty before dominant forward play by Varsity College led to Abande Mthembu’s five-pointer. Klaasen was in on the action again for WSU when he crossed the whitewash and converted his try.

A try by Rob Everson ensured that Varsity College went into the break 22-10 in the lead.

WSU started the second half with a lot of purpose and this determination paid off when Maxwell was successful with another penalty.

The WSU forward pack sought to gain equal footing with their counterparts and this determination would see them register their second try through left wing Simo Capa.

A try by replacement lock Benjamin Field after a powerful Varsity College pick-and-go saw the visitors extend their lead once again. Drico Marx converted and he later added a penalty to his points tally.

Varsity College repeated the pick-and-go move and it led to flank John Steyl going over and sealing the victory.

SCORERS

Varsity College:
Tries: Mpendu, Marais, Mthembu, Everson, Field, Steyl
Cons: Marx 2
Pen: Marx

WSU:
Tries: Klaasen, Capa
Con: Klaasen
Pens: Klaasen 2

Player That Rocks: Mandisi Nkutha (Varsity College)

TEAMS

Varsity College: 15 Tshegofatso Ramaloko, 14 Sivuyisiwe Mpendu, 13 Mbasa Nkonki, 12 Macmillian Mudara, 11 Nkazimulo Mzolo, 10 Frederick Marx, 9 Abande Mthembu, 8 Mandisi Nkutha, 7 Enzo Van Niekerk, 6 Juan Steyl, 5 Werner Coetzee, 4 Robert Everson, 3 Siyabonga Dube, 2 Jacques Marais, 1 Daniel Van Huizen

WSU: 15 Lisolethu Valisi, 14 Asisipho Jim, 13 Simthembile Zozi, 12 Aviwe Mbuli, 11 Simosethu Capa, 10 Maxwell Klaasen, 9 Lizole Papama Hebe, 8 Sandisiwe Mkwayimba, 7 Kwazi Ngwaqa, 6 Sibulele Manyube, 5 Lutho Mampunye, 4 Kamva Tetani, 3 Dayton Berndt, 2 Yandisa Myokwana, 1 Lwandile Nathi Majozi

UFH 25 – 19 TUT

Relentless defending by UFH in the final minutes gave them a 25-19 victory over TUT at the TUT Stadium in Pretoria.

In what was a must-win encounter for TUT to prevent them from finishing bottom of the log, the home side opted for points at the start of the match with scrumhalf Aswen Rademeyer kicking over two penalties. The visitors responded with a penalty of their own through Aphiwe Sidloyi’s sharp boot.

Kamvelihle Fatyela then powered his way over the try line for UFH. TUT weren’t to be outdone and Sean-B Tshego responded in kind. A try by wing Okuhle Pangwa and a successful conversion by Rademeyer gave UFH a one-point lead at half-time, 17-16.

In the second half, UFH started dominating and were rewarded with a try thanks to Sinalo Jivana’s quick tap-and-go. He also added a penalty.

Rademeyer reduced the margin with another penalty as TUT piled on the pressure late in the match. Crucial discipline and solid defence however made sure UFH walked away with the victory.

SCORERS

UFH:
Tries: Fatyela, Pangwa, Jivana
Cons: Sidloyi 2
Pens: ASidloyi, Jivana

TUT:
Tries: Tshego
Con: Bam
Penalties: Rademeyer 4

Player That Rocks: Lakheni Majali (UFH)

TEAMS

UFH: 15 Cyril Mphatsoe, 14 Salusiwe Gxekwa, 13 Lakheni Majali, 12 Ryan Kelly Maree, 11 Okuhle Pangwa, 10 Apiwe Sidloyi, 9 Sinalo Jivana, 8 Yanga Gazi, 7 Mpho Kensly Jnr Ramahala, 6 Anda Simanga, 5 Kamvelihle Gcweka, 4 Cinga Nqotyana, 3 Bulela Magopeni, 2 Kamvelihle Fatyela, 1 Mesuli Sinovuyo Samkele Nzima

TUT: 15 Ayabonga Zakwe, 14 Junior Malaza, 13 Sean-B Kagiso Tshego, 12 Dwayne Zeeland, 11 Vuyani Vanqa, 10 Mihlali Bam, 9 Aswen Rademeyer, 8 Lwazi Dlamini, 7 Lutho Tom, 6 Knowledge Chaira, 5 Imani Mulongo Nday, 4 Thato Mopedi, 3 Makhosana Junior Mashele, 2 Jandre Van Zyl, 1 Mxolisi Nzama

UKZN 29 – 27 CPUT

It came down to the wire, but in the end, UKZN managed to beat CPUT 29-27 at the Peter Booysen Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

It was the visitors who scored first when Wiehan Kruger fought his way over the try line and converted himself. The Impis responded with a try by Cham Zondeki taking the match to 7-7. This was to be the score until the halfway mark.

It was a bumper-to-bumper second half as both teams were fighting for their lives.

Jarryd Nicholls dotted down for UKZN as he ran away with the ball. For CPUT, Kruger continued his clean kicking on the night when he slotted a penalty about 10 minutes into the second half.

Player That Rocks Thando Cele made his way over the try line for the home team after he carved his way through the defenders to extend the lead of the home team. CPUT kept in touch with another penalty by Kruger.

Yolanda Miya added his name to the board for the Impis’ final try. Kama added the conversion and later on also a penalty.

For CPUT Karen Valentyn scored a brace, his second in the final minute of the match. It was however too little too late as UKZN ran out victors.

SCORERS

UKZN:
Tries: Zondeki, Nicholls, Cele, Miya
Cons: Kama 3
Pen: Kama

CPUT:
Tries: Kruger, Valentyn 2
Cons: Kruger 2, January
Pens: Kruger 2

Player That Rocks: Thando Cele (UKZN)

TEAMS

UKZN: 15 Jarryd Nicholls, 14 Singele Mihlayenkosi Mkhize,13 Siso France, 12 Russell Adrian Fick, 11 Cham Zondeki, 10 Khanya Junior Kama, 9 Thando Sphesihle Cele, 8 Amahle Dlamini, 7 Tinotenda Mazhindu, 6 Wela-Aphumele Mnata Takata, 5 Sikhona Ndulini, 4 Yolanda Miya, 3 Khanyisani Thabiso Ncube, 2 Qhawe Ndabezinhle Praiseworthy Nxumalo, 2 Benjamin Maseko,
.
CPUT: 15 Keene Munnick, 14 Linton Shawn Maritz, 13 Iwaan Bloys, 12 Timothy Matthew Shortles, 11 Keenan Williams, 10 Wiehan Kruger, 9 Jaybee Hayden Filander, 8 Ayabulela Zono, 7 Lungelo Lethukuthula Kubheka, 6 Duke Somila Shasha, 5 Lwando Woji, 4 Ntsako Ashley Mhlanga, 3 Kieran Delaan Naidoo, 2 Lihle Lindisipho Kula, 1 Emihle Akho Benya,