Varsity Cup Round 6: Match Reviews
FNB Varsity Cup Round 6 Match Reports
5 March 2018
Fixture: FNB Maties vs FNB UCT Ikeys
Kick-off: 19h00
FNB Maties punish FNB Ikeys
FNB Maties got back to winning ways when they beat FNB Ikeys 33-14 in Stellenbosch on Monday evening.
FNB Player That Rocks: Neethling Fouche (FNB Maties)
Scores
FNB Maties: 33
Tries: Duncan Saal; Brandon Nell; Stephan Streicher; Janco Venter
Conversions: Chris Smith (2)
Yellow Cards: Johan Momsen (FNB Maties); Brandon Valentyn (FNB Maties)
FNB Ikeys: 14
Tries: Cuan Hablutzel; Stefano de Gouveia
Conversions: Karl Martin; Lohan Lubbe
Teams
FNB Maties: 15 Reinardt Fortuin, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Michal Haznar, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Brandon Nell 8 Stephan Streicher, 7 Chris Massyn, 6 Mitchell Carstens, 5 Johan Momsen, 4 Janco Venter, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Chippie Oelofse (captain)
Replacements: 16 Hendrik Luus, 17 Ricky Mwagbara, 18 Piet Strauss, 19 Brandon Valentyn, 20 Marno Redelinghuys, 21 Logan Boonzaaier, 22 Cornel Smit, 23 Munier Hartzenberg
FNB Ikeys: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Karl Martin, 13 Liam Furniss, 12 Robbie Ball, 11 Joel Smith, 10 Darian Hock, 9 Pieter Schoonraad, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Josh Moon (captain), 6 Kuyenzeka Xaba, 5 Duncan Saffy, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Cuan Hablutzel, 1 Wayrin Losper
Replacements: 16 Josh Van Vuuren, 17 Ashwin Adams, 18 Stanley Modjadi, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Kwezi Puza, 21 Stefano de Gouveia, 22 Lohan Lubbe, 23 Suwilanji Chibale
Match report:
It took just two minutes for the first points of the game to be scored. FNB Maties wing Duncan Saal scored after inside centre Chris Smit powered through the FNB Ikeys defence and found Saal in support for a seven-point try which was unconverted by flyhalf Chris Smith.
The game was certainly not wanting for intensity and physicality – FNB Maties with the upper hand at set-pieces. They would make that advantage count in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty try after yet another dominant push at scrum time.
By the 26th minute of the game FNB Maties had raced to a 21-0 lead. On more than one occasion, FNB Ikeys’ decision making and accuracy let them down. They had a chance to score early in the first half and then again on the half-hour mark. Both those chances unconverted into points.
On the other hand, FNB Maties were making their dominance felt. Eighth man Stephan Streicher scored on the stroke of half time to give the home side an unassailable 26-0 lead. Janco Venter’s try early in the second-half confirmed the win for FNB Maties but not before an FNB Ikeys’ fight back.
FNB Ikeys hooker Cuan Hablutzel pulled a try back for the visiting team to give some respectability to the 33-7 score line.
The second FNB Ikeys try would come in the 67th minute when FNB Maties were down to 14 men with lock Johan Momsen in the sin bin. That would be the last time FNB Ikeys would get onto the scoreboard as FNB Maties punished an errant FNB Ikeys team 33-14 and with that FNB Maties have consolidated their place at the top of the log.
Fixture: FNB UP-Tuks vs FNB NWU
Kick-off: 16h45
FNB NWU blow FNB Tuks away
FNB NWU ran in five tries to claim a comfortable 40-26 bonus-point victory over the defending champions, FNB UP-Tuks at the Tuks Rugby Stadium on Monday afternoon.
FNB Player that Rocks: Walt Steenkamp (FNB NWU)
Scores
FNB UP-Tuks: 26
Tries: Marius Verwey, Marnus Potgieter, Johan Grobbelaar
Con: Cliven Loubcher
Pen: Cliven Loubcher
FNB NWU: 40
Tries: Chriswell September, Gideon van der Merwe, Tiaan Bezuidenhout, Tapiwa Mafura, Henko Marais (seven point try)
Cons: Schalk Hugo (2)
Pens: Hugo (3)
Teams
FNB UP-Tuks: 15. Emilio Adonis, 14. Ciaran Dayaram, 13. Marnus Potgieter, 12. Toko Seerane, 11. Xolisa Guma, 10. Cliven Loubser, 9. Carlo Engelbrecht, 8. Eduan Lubbe (c), 7. Stefan Smit, 6. Reynhard Fourie, 5. Brian Leitch, 4. Marius Verwey, 3. Andrew Beerwinkel, 2. Jan-Henning Campher, 1. Wesley Adonis.
Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Franco van den Berg, 18. Ewart Potgieter, 19. Orateng Koikanyang, 20. Joshua Allderman, 21. Ruben Beytell, 22. Tyler Fisher, 23. Mashao Mukhari.
FNB NWU: 15. Tapiwa Mafura, 14. Dean Gordon, 13. Evardi Boshoff, 12. AK Nela, 11. Dean Stokes, 10. Schalk Hugo, 9. Chriswill September, 8. Tiaan Bezuidenhout (c), 7. Estehan Visagie, 6. Gideon van der Merwe, 5. Walt Steenkamp, 4. Johan Retief, 3. Robert Hunt, 2. Louis van der Westhuizen, 1. Matimu Manqanyi.
Replacements: 16. Percy Mngadi, 17. Nelius Theron, 18. Theo Ferreira, 19. Jaco Swanepoel, 20. Wandile Mazibuko, 21. Nkosana Mathaba, 22. Henko Marais, 23. Jimmy Mpailane.
Match report:
A rain drenched field greeted the teams as FNB UP-Tuks shot out the blocks as they made massive inroads into FNB NWU’s territory but the men from Potchefstroom weathered the storm with the home team only managing a penalty goal courtesy of flyhalf Cliven Loubcher.
The lack of reward for their efforts seemed to have taken the wind out of the University of Pretoria’s sails as FNB NWU piled on the pressure which culminated in scrumhalf Chriswell September collecting a pop pass to dive over for the opening try in the 23rd minute. Flyhalf Schalk Hugo added the conversion after landing an earlier penalty goal.
FNB UP-Tuks just could not string an effective attack together and their momentum was further sabotaged by unforced errors and ill-discipline. Where the home team struggled, the visitors thrived as they continued to run the University of Pretoria off their feet.
NWU consolidated their lead with time up in the first half as a dominant scrum allowed flanker Gideon van der Merwe to score a converted try to hand the visitors a 20-3 lead at the break.
The visitors continued their impressive form and were relentless as they attacked in waves. No.8 and captain, Tiaan Bezuidenhout scored a five pointer as the FNB NWU scrum decimated the home team in the 53rd minute.
FNB UP-Tuks seemed dead and buried by this point in the match and their body language was evident of a team that had no answers to the sheer brilliance of their opponents.
NWU sailed out of sight on the scoreboard as they scored two quick tries in the 60th and 62nd minute. Zimbabwean fullback Tapiwa Mafura finished off a simple pass, pass movement as FNB UP-Tuks ran out of defenders with his efforts being followed up by outside centre Henko Marais who ran in a seven point try by simply running in support.
The University of Pretoria made the scoreboard look a little more respectable as they ran in three tries in the final ten minutes but it was a case of too little, too late.
Lock Marius Verwey started FNB UP-Tuks’ try scoring run as he ran a fantastic support line to crash over the whitewash with outside centre Marnus Potgieter scoring a seven point try in the corner to make his FNB Varsity Cup debut a memorable one.
Former Junior Springbok hooker Johan Grobbelaar had the final say of the match as he stretched over to score with time fast running out but it was not enough to prevent FNB NWU securing a 40-26 win in Pretoria and adding a fifth straight loss to FNB UP-Tuks’ season.
Fixture: FNB CUT vs FNB Wits
Kick-off: 18h30
FNB Wits continue dream run as they brush past FNB CUT
FNB Wits ensured an emphatic win over FNB CUT in Bloemfontein, by running in six tries, of which five were seven-point tries. They beat the hosts 52-18 after leading 25-8 at the break.
FNB Player that Rocks: Lwazi Monokali (FNB Wits)
Scores
FNB Wits: 52
Tries: Kwanele Ngema (2), David Cary, Monakali, Ameer Williams, Ayabulela Mdudi.
Cons: Christian Humphries (6)
FNB CUT: 18
Tries: Ruan Wasserman, Stefan Kruger
Pens: Denver Klue (2)
Teams
FNB CUT Starting XV: 15 Dimitrio Tieties, 14 Masego Toolo, 13 Ruan Wasserman, 12 Louis J Nel, 11 Dean Jacobs, 10 Denver Kleu, 9 Johannes Heymans (captain), 8 Gerhardus Nel, 7 Ruan Smit, 6 Dean Rossouw, 5 Stefan Kruger, 4 Sylvester Makakole, 3 Stefan van Schalkwyk, 2 Tiaan Erasmus, 1 Quintin Vorster
Replacements: 16 Johannes Terblanche, 17 Raynard Esterhuizen, 18 LW Viljoen, 19 Thabo Chirwa, 20 Isiah Bila, 21 Tiisetso Madonsela, 22 Marnu van Niekerk, 23 Karabo Maqeba
FNB Wits Starting XV: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Adriaan van Blerk, 12 Taine Chabant, 11 Daniel Kapepula, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Ruan Cloete, 8 Ayabulela Mdudi, 7 Jethro de Lange, 6 Constant Beckerling (captain), 5 Sipho Siboza, 4 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt 3 CJ Greeff, 2 CJ Conradie, 1 Ameer Williams
Replacements: 16 Justin Brandon, 17 Craig Hume, 18 Pascal Snyman, 19 Dawid Bodenstein, 20 David Cary, 21 Lwazi Monakali, 22 Manqoba Mbatha, 23 Luyolo Qinela
Match report:
The hosts were off to a fine start when Denver Klue put his side ahead with the boot, making the most of a penalty to put FNB CUT 3-0 up.
But FNB Wits would hit straight back, through seven-point tries courtesy of David Cary and Lwazi Monakali. Ruan Wasserman pulled one back before the break, but a third for FNB Wits by Ameer Williams meant that FNB Wits already had a 25-8 lead.
The second half was all FNB Wits as another three seven-point tries – two by Kwanele Ngema and one by Ayabilela Mdudi – extended their lead and ensured a full five log points for their efforts.
FNB CUT’s Stefan Kruger was the only try-scorer for FNB CUT in the second half. FNB CUT never gave up, but in the final five minutes FNB Wits ran in two long distance tries and those 18 points deflated and defeated the host side.