FNB Wits left it late but once again showed that they will not be one of the two teams to be relegated after they snatched another famous home-game win against a willing FNB CUT Ixias.
Unfortunately, both teams showed a lack of making the correct decisions on the field costing both teams several scoring opportunities which could have resulted in a win for both teams. The coaching staff of both have a lot of work to do as these "errors in judgement" will cost them against the top sides in this competition.
Wits started like a house on fire but the visitors absorbed all the initial pressure and scored the first try of the match after twenty minutes of play. Ixias led 13-10 at the halftime break.
The Ixias controlled much of the second half, however a Wits try with 5 minutes to go followed by a converted penalty gave Wits a winning lead of 20-18 with a minute to go.
Once again the Ixias attacked with the kick-off and although they controlled the ball until the final whistle, they lacked the intensity to force a penalty which resulted in them making a mistake, which was followed by the final whistle.
FNB Wits: Tries: Setshaba Mokoena, Azi Afrika. Conversions: Chris Humphries (2). Penalties: Chris Humphries (2).
FNB CUT Ixias: Tries: Jacquin van Wyk, Tiaan Drotske, Kevin Strydom. Penalty: Floris Brand.
FNB Player That Rocks: Chris Humphries (FNB Wits)
Teams:
FNB Wits: 15 Setshaba Mokoena, 14 Wian de Lange, 13 Yanga Hlalu, 12 Tiaan Schutte, 11 Azi Afrika, 10 Chris Humphries, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Cal Smid, 7 Lindokuhle Ncusane, 6 Mark Snyman, 5 Edward White, 4 Kyle van Eyssen, 3 Ebot Buma (c), 2 Prince Mulea, 1 Gamhiwa Charles. Replacements: 16 Dagan Meuwese, 17 Jason Cloete, 18 Franco Groenewald, 19 Franz Gerber, 20 Ziyanda Msipha, 21 Wernich Aucamp, 22 Keagan Lailvaux, 23 Luhle Matyolweni.
FNB CUT Ixias – 15 David Cary, 14 Xavier Swartbooi, 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 Jan Kotze, 5 Kevin Strydom, 4 Ulrich Stander, 3 Cohen Kiewit, 2 Tiaan Drotske, 1 Albertus Venter. Replacements: 16 Tebogo Masemola, 17 Sisipho Nofuya, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Matthew Sekele, 20 Niel Venter, 21 Teboho Rampai, 22 Christiaan Venter, 23 Septimus Derkesen.