In wet and cold conditions in Bloemfontein, FNB Maties blew the FNB CUT Ixias away with 52-19 to overtake FNB Shimlas on the 2022 Varsity Cup log moving into the second position with 20 log points.
In a brilliant first-half performance that saw the Maties score six tries to lead 47-0 at the break. Hooker Sean Swart crossed the line twice and went on to win the FNB Player That Rocks award.
To their credit, the hosts showed far more fight in the second half, restricting their opponents to just one more try – wing Sibabalwe Xamlashe’s second – while scoring three themselves, including two from captain Luvuyo Ndevu. FNB Maties had to play 15 minutes of the second half with 14 men after replacement prop James Combrinck was red-carded for the apparent use of a knee on a player.
FNB CUT Ixias: Tries: Septimus Derkesen, Luvuyo Ndevu (2). Conversions: Zinedene Booysen (2).
FNB Maties: Tries: Brendan Venter (1x7), Sean Swart (2), Marcqiewn Titus (1x7), Sibabalwe Xamlashe (2), Nevaldo Fleurs (1x7). Conversions: Nevaldo Fleurs (4). Penalty: Nevaldo Fleurs.
FNB Player That Rocks: Sean Swart (FNB Maties)
Teams:
FNB CUT Ixias: 15 David Cary, 14 Christiaan Venter, 13 Gian Bester, 12 Jandré de Beer, 11 Jacquin van Wyk, 10 Floris Brand, 9 Zinedene Booysen, 8 Luvuyo Ndevu (c), 7 Francois Bester, 6 Teboho Rampai, 5 Kevin Strydom, 4 Ulrich Stander, 3 Sisipho Nofuya, 2 Tiaan Drotske, 1 Albertus Venter. Replacements: 16 Tebogo Masemola, 17 De-Angelo Williams, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Matthew Sekele, 20 Jan Kotze, 21 Jakobus du Plessis, 22 Xavier Swartbooi, 23 Septimus Derkesen.
FNB Maties: 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Marcqiewn Titus, 13 Waqar Solaan, 12 Brendan Venter, 11 Sibabalwe Xamlashe, 10 Adriaan van der Bank (c), 9 Eduan Smit, 8 Louw Nel, 7 Gift Dlamini, 6 Hendrik du Toit, 5 Matthew Gray, 4 Juan Beukes, 3 Matimu Manganyi, 2 Sean Swart, 1 Vernon Matongo. Replacements: 16 Francois Breytenbach, 17 Rhynardt Rijnsburger, 18 James Combrinck, 19 Jesse Johnson, 20 Siyabonga Matanda, 21 Mckyle Volmoer, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Mike Mavovana.