Six-try FNB Wits hand FNB UWC chastening opening day defeat
- Lyndon Julius
A rock-solid first half performance lead to FNB Wits outclassing FNB UWC side, 38-10, in Bellville on Monday in the opening round of the 2020 FNB Varsity Cup
Wits University showed a lot of character in trying conditions to beat the University of the Western Cape 38 -10 in their opening Varsity Cup fixture on Monday night. The charismatic flanker Constant Beckerling was named the Players that Rocks and scored one of Wits’ five tries scored by their pack.
Captain fantastic and hooker Justin Brandon scored a brace with both number eights, Travis Gordon and Cal Smid also visiting the try-line.Hugo van As praised his teams character in a strong wind. They had to fight back in the last ten minutes and scored three tries during this period.
Two quick tries in the opening 20 minutes lead to the visitors jumpiing to a 14-3 lead which included tries from Travis Gordon and captain Justin Brandon. Kurt Webster was in fine form off the tee, the flyhalf converted both opening tries.
Former UWC pivot Aidynn Cupido was also in top form for his new team, playing in a new-look inside centre position frome where made telling runs breaking the advantage line regularly. An error-ridden passage of play from UWC allowed the visitors to remain ahead even in times when the home side were devastating on attack. Last season's Wits captain, Constant Beckerling went over for the visiting team's third try and established a 21-10 halftime lead for the visitors from Johannesburg.
Unsurprisingly, Cupido was at the centre (pun intended) of the Wits attacking plan, the midfielder lead the visiting side's attack and was influential in every single FNB Wits try.
Despite not being able to break the last line of defence, Wits were relentless on attack and opted for the same attacking pattern to which UWC stepped up brilliantly.
Brandon added his second try of the match when he was rewarded following a consistent passage of play which saw Wits seal the game with just over ten minutes left in the match. Webster, though, missed the conversion.
Wits added insult to injury when they added two late tries via replacement front rower Reynardt Cronje and right winger Kwanele Ngema. Webster managing to convert the Ngema try.
Awards
FNB Player That Rocks: Constant Beckerling
Steers Kinging Moment: Aidynn Cupido
Scorers
FNB UWC (10) 10
Try: Lundi Msenge
Conversion: Keagan Fortune
Penalty: Keagan Fortune
FNB Wits (21) 38
Tries: Travis Gordon, Justin Brandon 2, Constant Beckerling, Reynardt Cronje, Kwanele Ngema
Conversions: Kurt Webster 4
Teams
FNB UWC: 15 Gilroy Philander, 14 Peter Williams, 13 Darren Jaftha, 12 Lyle Hendricks, 11 Lundi Msenge, 10 Keagan Fortune, 9 Clayton Daniels, 8 Adrian Paarwater, 7 Jaen-Louis de Lange, 6 Tinotenda Mavesere, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Matthew le Roux, 3 Justin Theys, 2 Jacques van Zyl (captain), 1 Luvo Bazi
Replacements: 16 Jason Alexander, 17 Dandré Degenaar, 18 Pieter-Steyl Swanepoel, 19 Godfrey Muzanargwo, 20 Branden de Kock, 21 Tiaan Henecke, 22 Hendrik Carstens, 23 Keon Links
Coach: Lionel Langenhoven
FNB Wits: 15 Daniel Kasende, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Sicelo Champion, 12 Aidynn Cupido, 11 Lwazi Monakali, 10 Kurt Webster, 9 Runaldo Pedro, 8 Travis Gordon, 7 Phillip Krause, 6 Constant Beckerling, 5 Franz Gerber, 4 Kevin du Randt, 3 Keagan Glade, 2 Justin Brandon (captain), 1 Cornelius Greeff
Replacements: 16 Mulalo Sadiki, 17 Jason Cloete, 18 Reynard Cronjé, 19 Emmanuel Tshituka, 20 Cal Smid, 21 Hlumelo Ndudula, 22 Christian Humphries, 23 Matt MacDonald
Coach: Hugo van As