FNB UCT Ikeys delivered a scintillating first-half performance to thrash FNB Wits 73 -17 at the Green Mile. The home side needed to be solid at the back in the early exchanges with Wits starting brightest.
It took just 10 minutes for the opening try of the game, which was scored by Ikey’s captain, Keagan Blanckenberg. The Ikeys were relentless in the first half, and they ran in three tries inside the opening 20 minutes which was made a bit easier by Tirhani Masondo’s yellow card after 18 minutes.
By the 27th minute FNB UCT already secured a bonus point as they ran in six first-half tries to go 45-0 up at the break.
The second period continued in the same fashion as UCT dotted down four minutes after the restart. The away team responded a minute later but the mountain was too big for FNB Wits to climb.
The visitors refused to lie down despite the scoreboard constantly ticking in favour of FNB UCT. Substitutions may have messed with the Ikeys’ momentum as they ended up conceding a total of three ties by the final whistle.
FNB UCT will however be happy with the fact they ran in ten tries in a 56-point drubbing of FNB Wits.
Scorers:
FNB UCT Ikeys: Tries: Rethabile Louw (2), Keagan Blanckenberg, Duran Koevort, Ntokozo Makhaza, Asad Moos, Thomas Nel (2), Aidan Norris, Aden Da Costa. Conversions: Ntokozo Makhaza (6), Alex Vermeulen. Penalty: Ntokozo Makhaza.
FNB Wits: Tries: Lindani Dweba, Kevin Chirwa, Penalty Try.
Teams:
FNB UTC Ikeys: 1 Matthew Beckett, 2 Keagan Blanckenberg (c), 3 Bryan le Roux, 4 Enos Ndiao, 5 Danio Botha, 6 Xola Nyali, 7 Connor Jack Gordon, 8 Aidan Norris, 9 Asad Moos, 10 Alex Vermeulen, 11 Ntokozo Makhaza, 12 Luke Burger, 13 Kian Davis, 14 Rethabile Louw, 15 Duran Rayn Koevort. Replacements: 16 Johan Lombard, 17 Lukhanyiso Bomela, 18 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 19 Keenan Mills, 20 Aden Da Costa, 21 Josh Miller, 22 Thomas Nel, 23 Isaiah Louw.
FNB Wits: 1 Dagan Meuwese, 2 Justin Amos, 3 Ricardo Brandao, 4 Hayden Munnery, 5 Christopher Kachungunu, 6 Joshua Van Vreden, 7 Luke Cannon, 8 Thomas Beling, 9 Drew Bennet, 10 Setshaba Mokoena (c), 11 Kevon Chirwa, 12 Tirhani Masondo, 13 Liyema Matyolweni, 14 Ngia Selengbe, 15 Lindani Dweba. Replacements: 16 Paoliantinio Mariano, 17 Thomas Meintjies, 18 Waldo Muller, 19 Joshua Ferreira, 20 Risima Khosa, 21 Tristan van Niekerk, 22 Tireque Apolles, 23 Keith Chirwa.
