FNB UFS Shimlas recorded a third-straight bonus point win after a hard-fought 38-26 win over the FNB UWC in Bloemfontein, and they did this with 14 men on the park.
Three minutes into the match Shimla's captain Pierre Uys received a yellow card for a grass-cutter tackle and this put pressure on his team. It was however handling errors and penalties early in the game that led to the Shimlas struggling to get going. UWC managed to capitalise on this through their inside centre, Bryan Brenda, who powered over for a converted try.
It took a full 20 minutes for the Shimlas to find their rhythm and once they did, the scrumhalf, Makwande Dlamini flew over for a point-of-origin try, after an initial break by Zane Bester in their 22. Shortly before the break, Francisco Dos Reis crashed over and then Siviwe Zondani scored straight from the restart for a second seven-pointer for a 25-7 lead at half-time.
The second stanza saw hooker Liyema Mgwigwi scoring while Michiel Genis and Nkoka Ngobe also added their names to the score sheet.
Uys received a second yellow that was upgraded to a red card for a high tackle, and this gave UWC a sniff, but the hosts managed to remain composed while being a man short.
UWC certainly didn’t go down without a fight and their valiant effort was rewarded with tries by Ruben Swanepoel, captain Romuan Nsombamanya and winger Will Vraagom.
Scorers:
FNB UFS Shimlas: Tries: Makwande Dlamini, Fracisco Dos Reis, Siviwe Zondani, Nkoka Ngobe, Michiel Genies, Liyema Mgwigwi. Conversions: Ethan Wentzel (5).
FNB UWC: Tries: Bryan Breda, Will Vraagom, Romuan Nsombamanya, Ruben Swanepoel. Conversions: Conwill Conradie (3).
FNB Player That Rocks: Ethan Wentzel (FNB UFS Shimlas)
Teams:
FNB UFS Shimlas: 1 Ntokozo Hlophe, 2 Liyema Mgwigwi, 3 Riaan Jacobus van der Merwe, 4 Reinier Viljoen, 5 Katlego Khumo Lobakeng, 6 Henri van Heerden, 7 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 8 Siyambuka Sobe 9 Nakhane Ningiza, 10 Makwande Nqobani Melusi Dlamini, 11 Ethan SJ Wentzel, 12 Siviwe Zondani, 13 Gideon Jooste Nel, 14 Zane Bester, 15 Michiel Christiaan De Graaff Genis.
FNB UWC: 1 Hlonela Qelile, 2 Joshua Eras, 3 Keanuh Cameron Michaels,4 Michail Kasfikis, 5 Carel Van der Merwe, 6 Romuad Nsombamanya, 7 Louan De Lange, 8 Tyrone Farren Maritz, 9 Conwill Brooklyn Conradie, 10 Aaron Benjamin Swartz, 11 Hlomla Ncana, 12 Bryan John Breda, 13 Denver-Junior Van Wyk, 14 Will Bradford Vraagom, 15 Jean Jacques van Schalkwyk.
