UJ smash Shimlas
23 Feb 2009
The University of Johannesburg thumped a hapless Shimlas side 44-8 to put themselves back in contention for a semi-final spot.
The Johannesburg students totally outclassed Shimlas and looked dangerous every time they got the ball as they outscored their opponents by five tries to one. The men in orange were superior at the set pieces and the visitors’ poor handling only served to make matters worse.
UJ got on the board as early as the third minute through scrumhalf Jaco Snyman when he spotted a gap from a lineout and sniped beautifully before evading two defenders and diving over the line. The hosts then extend their lead through a André Smith penalty.
The Free State students failed to get going in the first 10 minutes, but Smith’s penalty seemed to spark them into action.
Johan van Niekerk first got his team on the board with a penalty and 12 minutes later the scores were level as Frans La Grange scored for Shimlas from a well orchestrated counter attack.
But just five minutes later Le Grange went from hero to villain as he conceded a penalty in a kickable position and Smith made no mistake putting UJ back in the lead.
As the half came to an end the game began to open up with action flowing from end to end and UJ fullback Earl Lewis scored his sides’ second try when he chased his own kick. Lewis’s outstretched arm beat two Shimlas defenders to the ball to give his side an 18-8 lead at the break.
UJ extended their lead early in the second half after some good work from the forwards and a TMO referral confirmed that big lock Rob Andrew had indeed grounded the ball on the tryline. Smith converted and UJ were out to a 25-8 lead.
The hosts got the all important bonus point try in the 56th minute when a quick counterattack saw the ball spread wide to winger Edrich van Tonder who chipped the last defender and the bounce was perfect as he dived over the line for a classic try.
Van Tonder got his second in the 66th minute as UJ put the result to bed and with just four minutes left in the game the big winger got his hat-trick as UJ played Shimlas off the field.
6 Comments
23 Feb 2009, 18:34 pm
vrystsst
23 Feb 2009, 20:12 pm
cheetahs and now this….i thought it was tough being a stormer but hell it must be tough to be a vrystater right now!!
23 Feb 2009, 20:13 pm
where is everyone??
23 Feb 2009, 20:43 pm
I guess the problem for Shimlas is that all the Grey schoolboys leave for Durbs nowadays.
24 Feb 2009, 04:50 am
Jaco Swanepoel who coached Grey College 1st team so successfully for many years really knows his rugby, but he can’t produce results without players, as very few of the u20 provincial contracted players nowadays seem to be playing university rugby
24 Feb 2009, 09:31 am
#5 OnlyCheetahinPerth: I disagree. Jaco Swanepoel rode on the back of Dries vd Wal. He is no rugby brain.
The problem with Cheetahs rugby at the moment is in the coaching – not the talent. Pine Pienaar – the U21 coach is a certifiable moron, and knows nothing about rugby. I think nothing of Jaco as a coach of the Shimlas.
Then higher up we have Naka and Hawies who seem to share a braincell.
Harold Verster is too weak at the top to make any swift and strong decisions to better the game. So we continue to plod along.
The heyday of Free State rugby was when we had a smart coach – Rassie – who like Heyneke tried to build a franchise out of the Union.
I was watching “Sharkbite” the other day and was amazed at what Plumb is doing with coaches for schools in KZN. He is building a rugby franchise. Something Naka and Harold seems to know nothing about.
The Shimlas have always had to deal with Provincial call ups. Why now all of a sudden are we continually losing to **** sides like UJ, and not winning the Stad Beker for 4 years in a row???
Talent is not the issue – Coaching and management is.
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