All roads lead to Pretoria on Friday as FNB UP-Tuks will host FNB Varsity College in the 2024 FNB Varsity Shield final. The Stripe Generation showed no mercy in beating FNB WSU while debutants Varsity Shield scored an impressive come-from-behind victory over FNB Madibaz.
FNB UP-TUKS 80-14 FNB WSU
Tuks thrashed WSU in their semi-final encounter in Pretoria to remain the only unbeaten side in this year’s Varsity Shield.
The Stripe Generation opened the scoring through a try by Henry Till and it didn’t take long for Johannes Mare to score the first of his two five-pointers.
The onslaught continued in the one-sided affair as Tuks stretched their lead through fancy pieces of counterattacks. First, it was scrumhalf Chad-Lee Valentine who dummied over the line before Kobus Janse van Rensburg produced a cheeky piece of individual play beating two defenders. Kyle Cyster added his name to the scoresheet on the stroke of halftime. Walter Visser made no mistake from the tee converting all conversions as Tuks took a dominant 35-0 lead at the interval.
The home team returned from the break and were awarded a penalty try followed by a try through Juandre Jooste.
WSU then lit up somewhat, breaking through the Tuks defence. The result was back-to-back converted tries from Sandisiwe Mkwayimba and Sinethemba Zwelonke.
Tuks however weren’t done yet and went on to score six more tries before the final whistle. Janse van Rensburg and Marais completed their brace while skipper Ethan Burger joined the party. Bayanda Ngubane spent most of the match deep in defence and finally broke away in a give-and-go with Cayno February. Substitute Jacobus Louw powered over the try-line to close out the match in emphatic fashion.
Score
FNB UP-Tuks 80 (35) – Tries: Henry Till, Johannes Mare (2), Kobus Janse van Rensburg (2), Chad-Lee Valentine, Kyle Cyster, Penalty Try, Juandre Jooste, Ethan Burger, Bayande Ngubane, Jacobus Louw. Conversions: Walter Visser (7), Jean-Pierre Wentzel (2).
FNB WSU 14 (0) – Tries: Sandisiwe Mkwayimba, Sinethemba Zwelonke. Conversions: Maxwell Klaasen (2).
FNB Player That Rocks: Tharquinn Thane Manuel (FNB UP-Tuks)
FNB VARSITY COLLEGE 24-20 FNB MADIBAZ
If ever there was a game of two halves, the semi-final clash between Madibaz and Varsity College in Gqeberha was it. The debutants from Durban managed to turn around a 14-point deficit at half-time into a victory over the more fancied Eastern Cape opponents.
With a 17-3 lead at the break, few would have bet against Madibaz marching towards the Varsity Shield final.
Varsity College had other ideas though. Despite losing their talisman flyhalf Frederick Marx to a red card, they rallied back to score 21 points in the second stanza.
There were also huge performances from their back three and the introduction of man-mountain Sonwabo Maseko proved a game-changer in their qualification for the final in their first year in the competition.
It was heartbreak for the men from Gqeberha but they still have the chance to play in the FNB Varsity Cup rugby next year. That all depends on the outcome of their promotion-relegation clash against FNB CUT on 2 May.
Score
FNB Varsity College 24 (3) – Tries: Sonwaso Maseko, Nkazimulo Mzolo, Nathi Ntuli. Conversions: Tshegofatso Ramaloko (2), Luke Horak. Penalties: Frederick Marx.
FNB Madibaz 20 (17) – Tries: Kyle Erasmus, Qurin Cupido. Conversions: Kehan Myburgh (2). Penalties: Kehan Myburgh (2).
FNB Player That Rocks: Tshegofatso Ramaloko (FNB Varsity College)
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