The FNB Varsity College Comets returned to winning ways with a 38-23 win over FNB CPUT at the IIE’s Varsity College Durban North on Friday evening.
After a disappointing loss last week, Varsity College bounced back in style scoring six tries to the four of the visitors.
It was the side from Cape Town who drew first blood when a kick wasn’t dealt with in back play by the Comets. CPUT wing Keenan Williams pounced to dot down for the Tekkies just after seven minutes.
The Comets then hit back off a Tekkies mistake as Macmillian Mudara burst away with the ball from his own half. He found captain Abande Mthembu on his inside as the scrumhalf went over under the posts.
Frederick Marx converted to give Varsity College a 7-5 lead after 10 minutes.
The lead then changed again as CPUT added three points to their tally through the boot of Keewan Titus in the 14th minute of the tussle.
At the strategy break after 21 minutes it was the visitors who held a one-point advantage.
It was the Comets who struck first after the break with a try from Juan Steyl off the back of a dominant scrum five metres out.
The 26th-minute converted try took Varsity College back in front 14-8.
There was a sustained period of pressure from the home side and a quick tap penalty from Marx saw him barge over from close range.
A third converted try for the Comets saw them into a 21-8 lead with six minutes left in the first half.
With five minutes left on the clock, CPUT hit back with a second try, a second score for Williams.
On the stroke of halftime the Comets secured their bonus point with reserve hooker Johan Viljoen barging over for the crucial try.
That meant that Varsity College took a 26-13 lead into the break.
It took nearly 10 second-half minutes before points were scored. It was Varsity College who added a fifth try to their tally.
Juan Steyl dotted down for his second try which was converted by Marx to stretch the VC lead to 33-13.
CPUT weren’t going to sit down and they kept fighting which led to a try of their own through Kieran Naidoo which narrowed the gap to 33-18 after 15 minutes of the second period.
It was the men from the Cape who scored next after a handling error from VC. Wiehan Kruger ran a good line to go over for the score in the 27th minute of the second half to close the gap further to 33-23.
With six minutes to go Johan Viljoen crashed over for his second try after VC got a bit of ascendancy with the ball in hand.
The home side held on to finish the match and take home the all-important bonus point.
There is a break for the Easter weekend and then the Comets are back in action against the FNB Madibaz on 5 April.
SUMMARY OF SCORE
FNB Varsity College 38
Tries: A Mthembu, J Steyl x2, F Marx, J Viljoen x2
Conversions: F Marx x4
Penalties:
FNB CPUT 23
Tries: K Williams x2, K Naidoo, W Kruger
Conversions:
Penalties: K Titus