Photo Credit - Varsity Sport
Winless FNB Wits came into this match as heavy underdogs but pushed unbeaten FNB CUT all the way at the Tuks B-Field. CUT who trailed 7-11 at halftime kept Wits scoreless in the second half to win 19-11.
Wits matched their opponents in strength and speed but fell apart in the last 20 minutes of the game to hand the Ixias their fourth consecutive victory.
FNB Wits flyhalf Christian Humphries kicked an early penalty before FNB CUT hooker Janus Venter scored a converted try off the back of a maul.
FNB Wits responded with a try to hooker and captain Justin Brandon, and Humphries added a penalty to put them 11-7 ahead at half-time.
The Ixias forced themselves back into the game when flank and captain Luvuyo Ndevu barged over the tryline and flyhalf Charles Williams kicked the conversion.
Straight after the strategy break, FNB CUT used their maul to edge further ahead when Venter got his second to make it 19-11.
FNB Wits lost possession in a maul close to the Ixias tryline and while FNB CUT fullback Cohen Jasper was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, it didn’t prove costly for his team.
FNB Player That Rocks: Hans Terblanche (FNB CUT)
FNB Wits – Try: Justin Brandon. Penalties: Christian Humphries (2).
FNB CUT Ixias – Tries: Janus Venter (2), Luvuyo Ndevu. Conversions: Charles Williams (2).
FNB Wits – 15 Jimmy Mpailane, 14 Gerswin Mouton, 13 Ngia Selengbe, 12 Aidynn Cupido, 11 Matthew Mcdonald, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Phillip Krause, 7 Lindokuhle Ncusane, 6 Constant Beckerling, 5 Cal Smid, 4 Kevin du Randt, 3 Keagan Glade, 2 Justin Brandon (c), 1 Bhekisa Shongwe. Replacements: 16 Mulalo Sadiki, 17 Jason Cloete, 18 Ebot Buma, 19 William Thomson, 20 Travis Gordon, 21 Mark Snyman, 22 Runaldo Pedro, 23 Kurt Webster.
FNB CUT Ixias – 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Christiaan Nel, 13 Niell Stannard, 12 Heino Bezuidenhout, 11 Ricoman Titus, 10 Charles Williams, 9 Zinedine Booysen, 8 Ulrich Stander, 7 Luvuyo Ndevu (c), 6 Hans Terblanche, 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Matthew Sekele, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Janus Venter, 1 Eddie Davids. Replacements: 16 Wandré Nortjé, 17 Tebogo Masemola, 18 Thabiso Msiza, 19 Bennett Nortjé, 20 Francois Bester, 21 Xander Botha, 22 Jandré de Beer, 23 Emilio Adonis.