Shimlas surprise Tuks at home; Maties, Wits, WU also win

FNB UFS SHIMLAS 26 FNB UP-TUKS 25

Defending champions FNB Tuks were shocked on home turf in Pretoria when FNB UFS Shimlas scored a narrow 26-25 victory. In the process, the visitors avenged their defeat in last year’s semifinal.

Shimlas got off to a flyer with a try by winger Asanda Kunene within the first five minutes. Two more converted tries in quick succession saw the Free State side going up 21 points in just 12 minutes.

Fullback Kyle Cyster got Tuks on the scoreboard with a try while the home team was also awarded a penalty try later in the half.

Shimlas went to the halftime break 21-14 in the lead.

The visitors picked up where they left off in the second 40 minutes when Kunene completed his brace within four minutes.

The Pretoria outfit fought back forcing Shimlas to commit errors in crucial spaces which saw flyhalf Jacobus Burger kicking two penalties.

They managed to reduce the deficit to a single point when hooker Allister Williams scored from a driving maul.

FNB UFS SHIMLAS 26 (21) - Tries: Asanda Kunene (2), Kwezi Dlamini, John Moffat. Conversions: Ethan Wentzel (3)

FNB UP-TUKS 25 (14) – Tries: Kyle Cyster, Allister Williams, penalty try. Conversions: Jacobus Burger (1). Penalties: Jacobus Burger (2)

FNB Player That Rocks: Pierre Uys (UFS Shimlas)

FNB MATIES 21 FNB UCT IKEYS 19

It was a derby in the style of many an intervarsity but the FNB Maties claimed the tightest of victories over old foe FNB UCT Ikeys at the Danie Craven Stadium, winning 21-19 at the death.

An early bit of magic by flyhalf Jurie Matthee saw Maties go ahead 9-0 in as many minutes as he converted his own seven-point try.

Winger Maselino Pooe, a late call-up due to an injury to veteran speedster Mike Mavovana, was shown a red card after a high tackle in the lead-up to the try by Ikeys fullback Duran Koevort.

The teams continued to arm wrestle before some superb play between the backline and forwards saw Ikeys inside centre Lyle Hendricks go over in the corner before a superb touchline conversion from Makhaza.

The visitors went into the halftime break 16-9 in front with the match still very much still in the balance.

A second red card for Maties, this time against Marco van Rhyn, complicated matters for last year’s beaten finalists as Ikeys stretched their lead to 19-9.

The hosts, however, responded with a try by livewire scrumhalf Thomas Bursey. The spark was a chip and chase by replacement Luke Burger and the conversion by Matthee made it a single-point game with the clock winding down.

A late penalty by Matthee, with the hooter going off in the background, clinched the slimmest of victories for Maties.

FNB MATIES 21 (9) - Tries: Jurie Matthee, Thomas Bursey. Conversions: Matthee (2) Penalties: Matthee (1)

FNB UCT IKEYS 19 (16) - Tries: Duran Koevort, Lyle Hendricks. Conversions: Ntokozo Makhaza (2). Penalties: Makhaza (1)

FNB Player That Rocks: Asad Moos (UCT Ikeys)

FNB WITS 59 FNB CUT 49

FNB Wits drew first blood in the 2023 FNB Varsity Cup with a strong second-half showing against FNB CUT Ixias in Bloemfontein on Monday afternoon, coming away with a 59-49 victory.

Flanker Mark Snyman was the hero for the team from Johannesburg with tries on either side of halftime as his team fired a clear warning shot to their rivals for the rest of the tournament.

Wits started their campaign like a house on fire to race to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes of the match courtesy of a converted try by Lindokuhle Ncusane.

Further tries by the winger Wian le Grange, Snyman, and Kabelo Mokheti saw the visitors leading the match 31-28 at the break. CUT hooker Tokelo Ntapane kept his team in the game with a hat-trick before the end of the opening stanza.

It took 14 minutes for Snyman to open the scoring in the second half. Tries by Azakhiwe Afrika, Banele Mthenjane and De Lange, sealed the deal for the visitors, but CUT weren't quite done.

Tries by Ulrich Stander, Maboe Sekele and Thabiso Mkhwebane kept them in the hunt, but in the end it was just a bridge too far for the home team.

FNB Wits 59 (31) - Tries: Lindokuhle Ncusane, Wian de Lange (2), Mark Snyman (2), Kabelo Mokhethi, Azakhiwe Afrika, Banele Mthenjane. Conversions: Chris Rheeder (5).

FNB CUT 49 (28) - Tries: Tokelo Ntapane (3), Zachery Bester, Ulrich Stander, Thabiso Mkhwebane, Maboe Sekele. Conversions: Christian Humphries (7) Penalties: Christian Humphries (1).

FNB Player That Rocks: Mark Snyman (Wits)

FNB NWU EAGLES FNB UJ

FNB NWU Eagles got their 2023 Varsity Cup campaign started with an enthralling 41-28 victory over FNB UJ at the Fanie du Toit Sports Ground.

Not before some anxious moments though as UJ asserted some dominance in the first half for a 18-15 lead at the break, courtesy of tries by Jonathan Viljoen and Dernell Osuagwu.

The Eagles’ Gustav Erlank was sent to the sin bin for dangerous play in the 15th minute of the game.

The Eagles came out all guns blazing in the last 40 minutes with Vernon Paulo and Sylvester Hassien dotting down for their tries.

The home team managed to contain their composure and with two more tries by Stephan Krugel and Wihan Nel, sealed an important victory.

FNB NWU Eagles 41 (15) - Tries: Isrome Phatudi, Theuns Pretorius, Vernon Paulo, Sylvester Hassien, Stephan Krugel, Wihan Nel. Conversations: Zinedine Robinson (2), Martin Venter (1). Penalties: Robinson (1)

FNB UJ 28 (18) - Tries: Dernell Osuagwu, Jonathan Viljoen (2). Conversations: Jonathan Viljoen (1). Penalties: Jonathan Viljoen (3)

FNB Player That Rocks: Sylvester Hassien (NWU Eagles)