In Pretoria, defending champions FNB UP-Tuks had to work hard for their 39-24 bonus-point win against a plucky FNB Wits team that scored three tries.
Wits hooker Dameon Venter scored the first points of the match with a great try after fourteen minutes of action in the first half. A ding dong battle continued for the rest of the first half saw Tuks leading 21-17 at the halftime break.
Tuks scored two tries to open up a lead of 33-17 with 25 minutes still left on the clock. A fightback by Wits was unfortunately not enough as two late penalties by fullback Clyde Lewis, who scored a point-of-origin try in the first half, eventually, put the result beyond doubt.
Scorers:
FNB UP-Tuks 39 (21) – Tries: Bernard van der Linde (1x7), Clyde Lewis (1x7), Kabelo Mokoena, Orateng Koikanyang. Conversions: Walter Visser (3). Penalties: Walter Visser, Clyde Lewis (2).
FNB Wits 24 (17) – Tries: Dameon Venter, Setshaba Mokoena, Wian de Lange. Conversions: Chris Humphries (2), Keagan Lailvaux. Penalty: Chris Humphries.
FNB Player That Rocks: Clyde Lewis (FNB UP-Tuks)
Teams:
FNB UP-Tuks – 15 Clyde Lewis, 14 Kabelo Mokoena, 13 Zander Reynders, 12 Lincoln Daniels (c), 11 Tharquin Manuel, 10 Walter Visser, 9 Bernard van der Linde, 8 Orateng Koikanyang, 7 Hilton Gie, 6 Stephan Smit, 5 Divan Venter, 4 Mihlali Stamper, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Allister Williams, 1 Ethan Burger. Replacements: 16 Werner Fourie, 17 André van der Merwe, 18 Daniël Wessels, 19 Roald Hattingh, 20 Marco Venter, 21 Chad-Lee Valentine, 22 Keane Galant, 23 Ambesa Zenzile.
FNB Wits – 15 Setshaba Mokoena, 14 Wian de Lange, 13 Luhle Matyolweni, 12 Tiaan Schutte, 11 Azi Afrika, 10 Chris Humphries, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Lindo Ncusane, 7 Ziyanda Msipha, 6 Phillip Krause, 5 Edward White, 4 Cal Smid, 3 Ebot Buma (c), 2 Dameon Venter, 1 Jason Cloete. Replacements: 16 Dagan Meuwese, 17 Prince Mulea, 18 Franco Groenewald, 19 Kyle Van Eyssen, 20 Alexander Skudder, 21 Wernich Aucamp, 22 Keagan Lailvaux, 23 Siyabonga Xulu.
