There were wins for NMMU, Maties, Pukke and UCT in round six of the Varsity Cup on Monday.
The Madibaz beat defending champions Tuks 19-9 in the pouring rain in Pretoria to move past their opponents into third place on the log. NMMU led 9-4 at the break, thanks to a try from wing Tythan Adams, which became 17-4 early in the second half when skipper Roy Godfrey went over. Flank Chris Massyn hit back with a try for Tuks, but flyhalf Gavin Hauptfleisch's third penalty made it a 10-point ball game with 20 minutes to go. And that's the way it stayed.
In Joburg, Maties scored three converted tries through lock Jan de Klerk and flank Beyers de Villiers (two) to beat UJ 24-8. The hosts' try was scored by prop Van Zyl Botha just before the second strategy break, but with conditions worsening, the visitors seemed happy to defend until the final whistle.
Earlier in the day, log-leaders Pukke were forced to work hard for their 16-8 victory over winless Wits in a wet Potchefstroom. Pukke hooker Jacques Vermaak forced his way over for the opening try just after the first strategy break, and they got their second midway through the second half when flank Philip de Wet combined with No 8 Rhyk Welgemoed to score under the posts. Wits responded immediately, as fullback Ruhan Nel cut the home side’s lead to eight points, but Pukke were able to hold on for a win that keeps them at the top of the log.
In Cape Town, UCT all but booked their place in the play-offs with a clinical 25-5 victory over Shimlas. Ikeys played into the normally notorious Green Mile wind in the first half, but it did not stop them from running into an 18-0 half-time lead. They scored a bonus-point try in the second half, before the visitors went over for a late consolation score.
In the Varsity Shield, CUT beat Fort Hare 28-18 in Alice, and UWC saw off TUT 24-17 in Pretoria.
Pukke (16) – Tries: Jacques Vermaak, Philip de Wet. Conversions: Adriaan Engelbrecht (2).
Wits (8) – Try: Ruhan Nel. Conversion: Ashlon Davids.
UCT (25) – Tries: Richard Stewart, Jason Klaasen, Shaun McDonald, Ross Jones-Davies. Conversion: Dean Grant. Penalty: Grant.
Shimlas (5) – Try: Jacques du Toit.
UJ (8) – Try: Van Zyl Botha. Conversion: Marais Schmidt.
Maties (24) – Tries: Jan de Klerk, Beyers de Villiers (2). Conversions: Robert du Preez (3).
Tuks (9) – Try: Chris Massyn. Penalties: Tian Schoeman (2).
NMMU (19) – Tries: Tythan Adams, Roy Godfrey. Conversion: Gavin Hauptfleisch. Penalties: Hauptfleisch (3).
Photo: Wessel Oosthuizen/SASPA
