Tuks fight back to keep title defence alive

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UP-Tuks booked their place in the 2022 Varsity Cup final after skipper Lincoln Daniels scored a match-winning try on Monday night to help the defending champions beat UFS-Shimlas at Shimla Park.

With the match tentatively poised 21-19 at half time in Bloemfontein, Daniels sliced through the midfield for the ideal start to the second stanza and, crucially, the lead for the second time in the match. Stefan Coetzee added the extras.

Shimlas were down to 14 men in the 47th minute after Carl Wijburg saw yellow, yet the visitors were unable to capitalise on any numerical supremacy as Divan Venter copped 10 minutes in the sin bin.

Coetzee then slotted the only penalty of the half to make it 29-21, and the scoreboard remained unchanged until the final whistle as the Pretoria side celebrated another trip to the competition decider.

Coetzee opened the scoring in the fourth minute from the kicking tee, before going around the outside into the end zone and making it 8-0.

But, Janco van Heyningen burst through to put the Shimlas into the lead with a converted point-of-origin try. The home side increased their advantage when skipper Thabang Mahlasi dotted down, and Litha Nkula again split the uprights.

Coetzee slotted another penalty to narrow the gap, but Ruwald van der Merwe barged over to restore Shimlas’ scoreboard cushion.

Bernard van der Linde kept the visitors within striking distance before the interval after he bagged Tuks’ second try, Coetzee nailing another spot kick on the hooter after missing his conversion.

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Devin Hermanus