Cape Town – FNB Wits did the unthinkable and relegated FNB UP-Tuks to the FNB Varsity Shield for the first time in the history of the competition when they beat the defending champions 33-21 in Johannesburg.
The halftime score was 19-7.
The match got off to a great start for Wits when Setshaba Mokoena crossed the try line to open the scoring. The home team continued to dominate and after sustained pressure, Wian De Lange scored out wide. Tuks were struggling to keep up and Lindo Ncusane broke off the back of the scrum to score their third try.
The defending champions finally got on the score board with a try from Bayanda Ngubane, but Wits responded immediately as Henk Gouws powered his way over the line to extend their lead.
Tuks fought back with a try from Divan Venter. He scored his second in the last ten minutes of the match and it looked like Tuks may just escape the dreaded relegation zone.
FULL TIME and @WitsSport beat @TuksSport and send the defending champs to the Varsity Shield. The stripe generation will be automatically relegated 😮.
FNB Wits 33 – 21 FNB Tuks #RugbyThatRocks proudly brought to you by @FNBSA, @SteersSA and @Suzuki_ZA pic.twitter.com/iYQIwPUeXx
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) March 27, 2023
However, a handling error led to a turnover and Banele Mthenjane sealed the win for Wits with a try late in the game.
Moving to other fixutres, FNB NWU Eagles have secured a home semi-final with a convincing 42-26 victory over FNB UCT Ikeys in Cape Town.
The start of the first half did not produce much action, and it was only in the 28th minute that the visitors broke the deadlock through a try by scrumhalf Sylvester Hassien. Kyle Lamb and Duran Koevort’s tries took the Tigers into halftime with a 14-10 lead.
In the second half, the Eagles started cracking the whip, scoring two quick tries through Vernon Paulo and Naiden Jaarts. They crossed the try line two more times for a comfortable lead.
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Tom Nel and Jac van der Walt went over for Ikeys but it was a case of too little, too late.
FNB UFS Shimlas kept their chances of reaching the playoffs in the Varsity Cup alive on Monday evening with a convincing 68-36 win over FNB CUT Ixias at Shimla Park.
The Shimlas turned in their most clinical display to date in 2023 to stun their city neighbours in a match that produced no less than 14 tries.
Eight-man Kwezi Dlamini, lock Dylan Sjöblom, hooker William Moffat, scrumhalf Chadd Adams and flanker Lourens Oosthuizen all crossed the whitewash to give Shimlas a 38-22 lead at halftime.
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For the Ixias, flank Janco Cloete scored while captain Jandré de Beer dotted down for a brace in the first 40-minute period. Ten minutes into the second half Cloete crossed the tryline again to complete his brace.
Tries by fullback AV Maceve, Oosthuizen, hooker Liyema Mgwigwi and Jooste Nel put the game out of reach for the Ixias. A try by replacement prop Mamello Moshoaliba served as nothing more than a consolation for the Ixias.
FNB UJ secured a hard-fought 49-42 victory over FNB Maties in Johannesburg. The halftime score was 17-10 in favour of the home team. UJ scored two tries within the first 20 minutes, with one being converted. The visitors fought back hard and managed to score themselves after a series of phases inside their opponents ’22. UJ crossed the try line for a third time to take a seven-point lead at halftime.
The Orange Army started the second half where they left things off after the first 40 minutes with a points of origin try. The conversion was good, and they extended their lead even further. Two more tries followed for the scoreboard to read 40-17.
Despite the Maroon Machine scoring a handful of late tries, UJ held on to secure a well-deserved victory in the end.
IOL Sport
