Pukke handed Tuks their first defeat of the 2015 Varsity Cup, with a 42-37 victory in Potchefstroom on Monday.
Both sides scored five tries in an open contest that was played from end to end with little regard for defence. But it was the home side who picked up all the log points on offer.
Pukke raced to a 10-point lead with a converted try from Dalen Goliath and a penalty by Rayno Smith. Tuks, though, still full of confidence on the back of their win over Maties, responded immediately with three touchdowns of their own through captain Wiaan Liebenberg, André Warner and Clyde Davids to lead 21-10.
The game took another twist before the break, as Pukke's Dean Stokes ran in two tries, with Smith adding both touchline conversions, to hand the hosts a slender 26-21 advantage.
No points were added in the first quarter of the second half, but two Tuks scores by Damian van Wyk and John Jackson either side of a brilliant individual try by Dillon Smit for Pukke, wrapped up the bonus point for both sides after the second strategic break.
Trailing 37-34 with just minutes left, flank Marno Redelinghuys latched onto flyhalf Jonny Welthagen's cross-kick and barged over in the corner for the winning five-pointer, which Smith converted.
In Cape Town, UCT scored 12 tries in their 90-8 demolition job of CUT on the Green Mile, Shimlas held on for a 21-16 win over Maties in Bloemfontein to extend their unbeaten run in the competition, with Maties yet to register a win this season. And in Port Elizabeth, outside centre Robert de Bruyn's brace helped visitors UJ thrash NMMU 42-13.
In Varsity Shield results, UFH clinched a vital 28-18 bonus-point win over TUT in Alice, while UKZN were 21-5 victors over UWC in Durban.
Varsity Cup
Pukke (42) – Tries: Dillon Smit, Dalen Goliath, Dean Stokes (2), Marno Redelinghuys. Conversions: Rayno Smith (5). Penalty: Smith.
Tuks (37) – Try: Wiaan Liebenberg, Damian van Wyk, André Warner, Clyde Davids, John Jackson. Conversions: Joshua Stander (4).
Shimlas (21) – Tries: Niel Marais, AJ Coertzen, Daniel Maartens. Conversions: Marais (2).
Maties (16) – Tries: John-Hubert Meyer, Bjorn Bernardo. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (2).
NMMU (13) – Tries: CJ Velleman, Yamkela Ngam. Conversion: Steven Hansel.
UJ (34) – Tries: Robert de Bruyn (2), Dylan Peterson, Adriaan Vermeulen, Wiaan Conradie, penalty try. Conversions: Jaco Fourie (3), James Campbell.
UCT (90) – Tries: Jason Klaasen, Warren Seals (2), Ryan Dugmore (2), Khanyo Ngcukana (2), Chad Solomon, Lihleli Xoli, Dylan Sage, Guy Swikkard, Luke Stringer. Conversions: Seals (4), Thomas Bednall (6).
CUT (8) – Try: Dean Kouprihanoff. Conversion: Arrie Vosloo.
Varsity Shield
UFH (28) – Tries: Hlubi Mvana, Akhona Matutu (2), Aziyena Mandaba. Conversions: Matutu (2). Penalty: Dylan du Buisson.
TUT (18) – Tries: Lewies van Deventer (2), Edwin Oliver. Conversion: Paul van Deventer.
UKZN (21) – Tries: Retief Marais, Langelihle Shange, TBC. Conversions: TBC (2).
UWC (5) – Try: TBC.
Photo: Varsity Cup/SASPA
