For two heartbreaking years, FNB Madibaz failed to make it past the semi-final stage of the FNB Varsity Shield. That all changed in Gqeberha on Friday afternoon when they cruised past FNB UWC into the final with a 41-24 win.
A slew of tries by the home side in the first half did enough damage to ensure that the visitors simply had too much to do in the second stanza.
The Capetonians drew first blood in the fifth minute when centre Braydon Booysen crashed over, but from that point on the half belonged to FNB Madibaz.
Kyle Erasmus added to his impressive Shield try tally after a powerful rolling maul, centre Eddie Kruger rounded off a superb bit of handling by the FNB Madibaz backs before wing Emihle Zaza took advantage of poor handling by the visitors to stroll in for his five-pointer.
Three minutes before the break prop Imibongo Mvuleni got in on the action with a copybook front-rower’s charge over the line.
It looked like the floodgates would open when FNB Madibaz skipper Leon van der Merwe caught the opposition napping with a quick tap-and-go to put his name on the scoresheet nine minutes into the second half.
However, with no option but to attack, FNB UWC started to find some rhythm and were rewarded with three unanswered tries by Leighton Damon, skipper Romuald Nsombamanya and replacement hooker Tyanase Mihlali.
It was too little, too late though as FNB Madibaz secured their place in the final that had eluded them for so long.
Scorers:
FNB Madibaz: Tries: Kyle Erasmus, Edward Kruger, Emihle Zaza, Imibongo Mvuleni, Leon van der Merwe. Conversions: Layron Milborrow. Penalties: Layron Milborrow.
FNB UWC: Tries: Braydon Booysen, Leighton Damon, Romuald Nsombamanya, Tyanase Mihlali. Conversions: Aaron Swartz.
Teams:
FNB Madibaz: 1 Imibongo Mvuleni, 2 Kyle Erasmus, 3 Lihlumelo Mantewu, 4 Calvin Bosch, 5 Martinus Strydom, 6 Sean van Zijl, 7 Dewald Gerber, 8 Leon van der Merwe, 9 Curwin Casper, 10 Raashied Conrad, 11 Bukho Pantsi, 12 Lwando Davane, 13 Edward Kruger, 14 Emihle Zaza, 15 Layron Milborrow. Replacements: 16 Tlhalefo Kabelo Moleko, 17 Chulumanco Limana, 18 Lindokuhle Mba, 19 Johan Van Zyl, 20 Corne Cloete, 21 Schalk Cannon, 22 Cameron Doyle, 23 Caleb Friskin.
FNB UWC: 1 Daniel Damons, 2 Marciano Forbes,3 Keanuh Michaels, 4 Melumzi Mandongana, 5 Alexander-Jaco Van Der Merwe, 6 Romauld Nsombamanya, 7 Logan Fortuin, 8 Leighton Demon, 9 Conwill Conradie, 10 Elkan Willemse, 11 Hlomla Ncana, 12 Braydon Booysen, 13 Leigh Braaf, 14 Keith Syster, 15 Aaron Swartz. Replacements: 16 Mihlali Tyanase, 17 Hlonela Qelile, 18 Vincent Cloete, 19 Jean Visser, 20 Matthew Stephens, 21 Keagan Wood, 22 Shariq Davids, 23 Skyle February.