UJ beat Shimlas 72-49 at Soccer City, while there were also wins for NMMU, Maties and Tuks in round five of the Varsity Cup.
UJ scored four first-half tries against the champions to take a 43-20 lead, before almost doubling their score in the second half to end Shimlas's unbeaten run this year.
Flyhalf Divan Nel opened the scoring with a penalty for UJ in the fifth minute. Shimlas then took the lead with a converted nine-point try from winger Mosolwa Mafuma. UJ hit back with a nine-point try of their own through fullback Ronald Brown.
Converted seven-point tries from lock David Antonites and Brown, and a nine-point try from centre Bradley Moolman, extended UJ’s lead to 32 points. Shimlas centre Arthur Williams scored a converted seven-point try to reduce the deficit before half-time.
Nel scored the first points after the break with a penalty for UJ. Shimlas replacement centre Stephan Janse van Rensburg then scored a converted seven-point try.
But UJ hit back with tries from winger Caswell Khoza, flanker Wian Conradie and centre Robert de Bruyn.
Shimlas scored converted tries from replacement flanker Boela Venter and winger Vuyani Maqina late in the match, but it didn't make much difference to the scoreline.
In Monday’s other matches, NMMU recorded their first win of the season as they beat the still winless UCT 46-33 after trailing 23-16 at the interval; Maties remained unbeaten in this year’s competition after they scored six tries to thrash Pukke 56-12; and Tuks overcame a half-time deficit to beat CUT 68-25, scoring 47 unanswered points after the interval.
In the Varsity Shield, UKZN demolished Fort Hare 97-0 to get back to winning ways, while UWC beat TUT 41-16 for their fifth win of the season.
Varsity Cup results (Round 5):
UCT (33) – Tries: Lihleli Xoli (2), Gary Porter, Bradley Janse van Rensburg. Conversions: Thomas Bednall (2). Penalty: Bednall.
NMMU (46) – Tries: Ivan-John du Preez (2), Tyler Paul (2), Junior Pokomela, Stephan Nieuwoud. Conversion: Thomas Kean (3).
Maties (56) – Tries: Craig Barry (2), Edwill van der Merwe, Paul Streicher, Beyers de Villiers, Duncan Saal. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (3). Penalties: Stapelberg (2).
Pukke (12) – Tries: Malherbe Swart, Bernard Janse van Rensburg.
CUT (25) – Tries: Darron Baron, Jasper Wiese, Vincent Maruping. Conversions: Baron (2).
Tuks (68) – Tries: Duncan Matthews, Duhan van der Merwe, Nicolaas Britz (3), André Warner, Luke van der Smit. Conversions: Joshua Stander (7).
Shimlas (49) – Tries: Mosolwa Mafuma, Arthur Williams, Stephan Janse van Rensburg, Boela Venter, Vuyani Maqina. Conversions: Pieter-Steyn de Wet (5).
UJ (72) – Tries: Ronald Brown (2), David Antonites, Bradley Moolman, Caswell Khoza, Wian Conradie, Robert de Bruyn. Conversions: Divan Nel (6). Penalties: Nel (3).
Varsity Shield results (Round 8):
UFH (0)
UKZN (97) – Tries: Grant Rattray (2), James Blewett (3), Thobekani Buthelezi, Kerron van Vurren, Shayne Makhombe (3), Marius Louw, Blake Mingay, Pierre van der Walt, Addam Wessels. Conversions: Tristan Tedder (9).
UWC (41) – Tries: Jose Julies (2), Brandon Valentine, Peter Wanjiru, Clayton Daniels, Dean Herbert, Marcus Kleinbooi. Conversions: Aidynn Cupido, Darian Hock.
TUT (16) – Tries: Christo Lategan, Lukas van Zyl. Conversions: Lukas van Zyl (2).
Photo: SASPA
