The second round of fixtures for the Varsity Cup took place on Thursday, 8 April.
Maties 43-21 UWC
Hooker André-Hugo Venter scored four tries as Maties bounced back from their opening-round loss to UCT with a comfortable win against UWC at the Tuks B-Field, writes Bronwen Bain.
This was a physical encounter from the get-go, with three scrums in the first five minutes, but it was Maties wing Munier Hartzenberg who scored the first try.
UWC replied through winger Tasriq Mynhardt, who showed impressive pace to dot down in the corner.
The power of the Maroon Machine was evident when Venter – the son of former Springbok flank André – scored three first-half tries from lineout driving mauls. The hooker then claimed his a fourth from yet another maul early in the second half.
Replacement hooker Sean Swart picked up where Venter left off by scoring two tries from driving mauls, the second coming after UWC replacement prop Luvo Bazi had been yellow-carded.
No sooner had Bazi returned to the field than UWC flank Mauritz Swart was sent to the sin bin. However, UWC were able to cross the line twice in his absence, through replacement flank Tinotenda Mavasere and winger Patrick Kotze, to add some respectability to the scoreline.
Player that Rocks: Nevaldo Fleurs (Maties)
Scorers:
Maties
Tries: Muzier Hartzenberg, André-Hugo Venter (4), Sean Swart (2)
Conversions: Christopher Schreuder (4)
UWC
Tries: Tariq Mynhardt, Tinotenda Masevere, Patrick Kotze (1x7).
Conversions: Branden de Kock (2).
Madibas 13-51 CUT
CUT Ixias continued their fine start to the 2021 Varsity Cup, writes Dan Lombard.
It took just 54 seconds for them to register their opening point-of-origin try at Loftus Versfeld, courtesy of hooker Janus Venter off the back of exceptional interplay.
The Ixias touched down a further three times to secure their bonus point as fullback Cohen Jasper broke through on two occasions to record a brace while Venter bagged his second.
The Madibaz struggled at times to assert themselves but when they could muster several phases of play together, it paid off as hooker Tembekile Boltina scored off a strong lineout drive while flyhalf Tiaan Schutte landed a penalty goal for their first-half haul of eight points.
It was much the same in the second stanza as the men from Bloemfontein logged another two tries through outside centre Niell Stannard. His first saw him run a fantastic support line to run in untouched while he collected a deft cross-kick despite the attention of several Madibaz defenders to score his brace.
The period just before both strategy breaks were fruitful as NMU, like they did in the first half, scored from a lineout drive via replacement hooker Duan du Plessis.
The juggernaut that is CUT finished the proceedings with a sublime try as wing Ricoman Titus sniffed a gap and bolted 40m to score try No 7 for the Ixias.
Player that Rocks: Derik Pretorius (CUT Ixias)
Scorers:
Madibaz
Tries: Tembekile Boltina, Duan du Plessis
Penalty: Tiaan Schutte
CUT Ixias
Tries: Janus Venter (1x7, 1x5), Ricoman Titus, Cohen Jasper (2), Neill Stannard (2)
Conversions: Charles Williams (5), Cohen Jasper
UJ 19-47 UP-Tuks
UP-Tuks scored five tries against UJ at the Tuks B-Field to claim a second consecutive bonus-point win, writes Bronwen Bain.
Two penalty goals from fullback Zander du Plessis gave the host an early 6-0 lead, before UJ got on the board through the boot of flyhalf Jonathan Viljoen, who left the field shortly afterwards through injury.
The first try of the game was a point-of-origin seven-pointer finished off by UP-Tuks lock Hanru Sirgel.
Jurich Claasens kicked two penalties for UJ but two more tries for UP-Tuks, by winger Ambesa Zenzile and scrumhalf Clyde Lewis (the latter a seven-pointer) gave them a commanding 32-12 lead at the break.
Replacement flank Eduard Lubbe extended it when he was driven over the line for the hosts’ bonus-point try early in the second half, before fullback Boldwin Hansen scored UJ’s only try.
With five minutes remaining, Tuks were getting nowhere with their driving mauls but a quick switch to their backs created a gap for centre Wian van Niekerk, whose try ensured he won the Player That Rocks award.
Du Plessis kicked the conversion and added a penalty to cap off a comfortable win.
Player That Rocks: Wian van Niekerk (FNB UP-Tuks)
Scorers:
UP-Tuks
Tries: Hanru Sirgel (1x7), Ambesa Zenzile, Clyde Lewis (1x7), Eduan Lubbe, Wian van Niekerk
Conversions: Zander du Plessis (3). Penalties: Du Plessis (4)
UJ
Try: Boldwin Hansen
Conversion: Jurich Claasens
Penalties: Jonathan Viljoen, Jurich Claasens (3)
Wits 22-40 UCT Ikeys
Flyhalf James Tedder produced another Player That Rocks performance as UCT outplayed Wits at Loftus Versfeld, writes Dan Lombard.
Wits dazzled in the opening minutes and were rewarded for their prowess as hooker Justin Brandon crossed the chalk for an unconverted try before play was suspended for impending lightning.
The hiatus proved to light the flame under Ikeys' potjie as they bounced back withtwo tries to hooker Devon Arendse while Tedder landed four penalties and two conversions to hand UCT a 26-8 lead at the break.
The second half started slowly as both teams failed to bother the scoreboard until Witsies' prop Ebot Buma broke the deadlock with a converted try. The Ikeys Tigers' then resumed control of the wheel as replacement hooker Josh van Vuuren pulled back a converted try.
For the second time in as many matches, the Brandon brothers penned their names on the scoresheet as replacement hooker Morné followed on from his younger sibling’s efforts in the first half.
Wits' elation was short lived, though, as Ikey Tigers lock Connor Evans plucked the ball out of the air at the restart to score a sensational try, claiming the bonus point in the process.
Tedder's boot was on hand for UCT as he nailed eight shots at goal in total.
Player that Rocks: James Tedder (FNB UCT Ikeys)
Scorers:
FNB Wits
Tries: Justin Brandon, Ebot Buma, Morné Brandon
Conversions: Kurt Webster (2). Penalty: Webster
UCT Ikeys
Tries: Devon Arendse (2), Josh van Vuuren, Connor Evans
Conversions: James Tedder (4). Penalties: Tedder (4)
UFS Shimlas 22-32 NWU Eagles
The NWU Eagles fought back from 16-0 down to beat the UFS Shimlas 33-22, writes Dan Lombard.
There is no love lost whenever these teams meet in the Varsity Cup and it was no different at Loftus Versfeld as they threw everything and more at each other in the first 10 minutes before UFS Shimlas flyhalf JP Duvenage opened the scoring.
It was all UFS Shimlas for most of the first half as the hookers continued the status quo of Round 2 with William Moffat dotting down for Shimlas while Duvenage added a further eight points from the tee.
The men from Potchefstroom eventually awoke from their slumber in the last 10 minutes of the half, claiming two converted tries courtesy of wing Keano Wingvogel and No 8 Ruben Dreyer to cut the deficit to just two points.
Things slowed down quite dramatically after UFS Shimlas secured another penalty goal three minutes into the second half, yet it was the Eagles who finally took the match by the scruff of the neck as scrumhalf Riaan Genis sniped and dived for the line to score. Flyhalf Keagan Fortune's conversion handed them the lead for the first time.
The NWU Eagles then found their attacking rhythm courtesy of silky play between forwards and backs before hooker Gustav du Rand smashed his way over from close range to secure the bonus point.
The match drew to end with both sharpshooters trading multiple blows with the Eagles ultimately taking the victory at Loftus Versfeld.
Player that Rocks: Gustav du Rand (FNB NWU Eagles)
Scorers:
UFS Shimlas
Try: William Moffat. Conversion: JP Duvenage. Penalties: Duvenage (5)
NWU Eagles
Tries: Keano Wingvogel, Ruben Dreyer, Riaan Genis, Gustav du Rand
Conversions: Keagan Fortune (3). Penalties: Fortune (2)
