Tukkies get their first taste of Varsity Cup defeat, Pukke claim top spot on the log, Ikeys away streak continues, while Maties stumble at home.
Coach Robert du Preez’s Pukke were ruthless in dreadful conditions in Pretoria as they shut out the home side to claim a convincing 18-0 victory and leapfrog them on the log in the process.
UCT recorded their third away win of the season in Johannesburg, scoring five tries on their way to an entertaining 37-29 victory over UJ to move up to third position.
The Ikeys have lost both of their home games this season, to the table-topping Pukke and Tuks, but have won all of their games on the road, whilst the defeat leaves UJ down in seventh place and facing a tough road to make the semifinals.
The top four after five weeks of action is rounded off by Shimlas, who held on for a 13-13 draw against Maties in Stellenbosch.
The wind played a major role at the Danie Craven Stadium as the visitors scored all their points in the first half, with Maties scoring all of their points after half-time to eventually share the spoils.
In the early game on Monday night NMMU were forced to work hard for their 18-12 victory over Wits in driving rain on the Wits campus. The Eastern Cape side scored on the stroke of full-time to secure the victory after the game had hung in the balance in the final stages.
Wits, for the second consecutive week, came close to notching their first-ever victory in the competition, but it was not to be as their blind side flank, Senna Esterhuizen, selfishly held onto the ball instead of giving it to his team mates outside him. As such, they remain rooted to the bottom of the table whilst the Madibaz moved up to fifth spot and remain within a shout of a play-off spot.
In the Young Guns tournament, Wits again embarrassed themselves, going down 103-0 to Pukke at home, while the Maties secured a tough 26-16 win against NMMU in Stellenbosch.
In the Shield, defending champions, CUT scored seven tries on their way to a comprehensive 47-8 victory over TUT, who find themselves at the bottom of the standings. In Durban UWC fought their way back to secure a tight 33-32 victory over UKZN, who earned two bonus points as consolation to remain in second position.
Scores and scorers:
Wits 12-18 NMMU
For Wits:
Try: Crossley
Con: Torrance
Pens: Torrance 2
For NMMU:
Tries: Cloete, Bernardt, Acker
Con: Buys
Yellow cards: Michael Bernardt (NMMU, 20 – Repeated infringements) Rinus Bothma (Wits, 32 – Foul play)
UJ 29-37 UCT
For UJ:
Tries: Walters 2, Antonites, Van der Walt
Cons: Schmidt 3
For UCT:
Tries: Stewart, Jobo, Jones-Davies, G Alexander, Xoli
Cons: Grant 4
Yellow cards: Huw Jones (Cynical play), Shane Kirkwood and Jacques Pretorious (foul play), Martin Sauls (taking man out in the air)
Tuks 0-18 Pukke
For Pukke:
Tries: Van der Merwe, Robbertse
Cons: Engelbrecht 2
Pens: Engelbrecht
Maties 13-13 Shimlas
For Maties:
Tries: Du Preez, Nel
Con: Du Preez
For Shimlas:
Tries: Pappin, Dolo
Con: Prinsloo
The log:
CLICK HERE for Monday night’s team sheets.
