A classy performance by Maties earned them a 19-5 victory over the surprise package, UWC, to win the 2016 Varsity 7s Final.
Bowl Final: UCT vs Madibaz
UCT defeat Madibaz deep into extra time, to win the Bowl Final 24-19.
Campbell Frost charged through and offloaded to Raynoe Mapoe for UCT to score their first try and take a 7-0 lead one minute into the Bowl final.
Continued pressure by UCT led to a second try after UCT’s Paul Hendry crossed over after brilliant work by Hilio de Abreu to steal the ball and pop it up for the on running Hendry. They were in for their second and UCT were leading 12-0.
Thomas Webber was sent off for a dangerous high tackle a minute before half time and Madibaz were down to six men. But that didn’t stop Ivan-John du Preez, who made use of the Powerplay despite only having six men on the field and he turned on the gas to score in the left hand corner and it was 12-12.
Riaan Esterhuizen scored early in the second half after Du Preez flicked it through his legs and out to Esterhuizen and Madibaz were 19-12 up.
But UCT replied and after extended possession, Jesse Wilensky crossed over. The conversion was good and they levelled it up at 19-19.
It went into extra time and a Brad Janse van Rensburg try won it for UCT deep into extra time. UCT won 24-19.
Plate Final: Kovsies vs UJ
Kovsies come from behind to win the Plate Final, 31-26.
Etienne Oosthuizen opened the scoring early for UJ . His side went on attack, inspired by the livewire Ronald Brown. George Raftopoulos popped the ball up to Oosthuizen right at the corner flag. The conversion was good and UJ led 7-0 after just a minute.
Juandre Michau picked the ball up at the base of a ruck, stepped Wilandre Kotzenberg and crossed over for an easy second. UJ were 14-0 up with a minute to play.
Kotzenberg made up seconds later as he took a quick penalty following a high tackle, straightened through a gap in the UJ defence and Donovan Gissing dotted down to pull it back to 14-5 at half time. Then Neil Stannard cut through the UJ defence two minutes into the second half and Kovsies trailed 14-12.
TJ Goddard added five more moments later when he piled on the pace from a standing start and went alone into the right hand corner and Kovsies led for the first time, 19-14.
With just a minute and a half to go the UJ star, Ronald Brown took a quick tap himself, just five metres from the tryline to run through and score a Powerplay try. UJ led again, 26-19.
It was late drama again, as Kovsies ran the ball from inside their own 22 and Renier Botha scored during the Powerplay to break UJ hearts and win it for Kovsies, 31-26.
Bronze Final: Tuks vs Pukke
Pukke outclass Tuks to win the Bronze Final.
It was a dead even first half, as Tuks spent most of the opening minutes inside the Pukke half, but were unable to penetrate the Potch outfit’s defence.
But on the stroke of half time, it was Pukke who scored against the run of play, running the ball in from inside their half as Eugene Hare popped the ball to Ian Heyns who was free on the wing and ran in the opening try to take Pukke into a 7-0 lead at half time.
Early in the second half the same two combined as Eugene Hare popped the ball over his tackler to set Ian Heyns free for his and Pukke’s second. They led 12-0.
Timmy Prince sealed it, stepping his defender inside out to score in the corner and extend Pukke’s lead to 17-0. That’s how it ended as Pukke ended third in Varsity 7s for 2016.
Cup Final: UWC vs Maties
Maties held off a fierce UWC side to win the 2016 Varsity 7s Final 19-5.
Kyle Steyn opened the scoring for Maties after an inside pass eliminated two UWC defenders and nobody could catch Steyn, who ran from inside his own half to open the scoring. The conversion was unsuccessful and Maties led 5-0.
Maties continued to dominate play and UWC were under pressure in their own 22 for most of the first half. Pieter Schoonraad continued to pull the strings for Maties, who enjoyed most of the possession.
But right on the stroke of half time the Villagers crowd erupted as Nieyaas Johnson received the ball out wide, dummied past Carlisle Nel, who couldn’t pull him down despite a diving attempt. Jacquin Moses hit the upright with the conversion attempt and it went into half time 5-5.
Maties began the second half the stronger of the two side once again and were almost in for a try when Schoonraad chipped through for Brandon Asher-Wood to chase, but Johnson managed to get a hand on the ball first, earning UWC a 22-metre drop-out.
It was gutsy defending by UWC as Maties continued to dominate possession and push for the try, but an organised UWC defence held strong. But after five minutes defending, UWC were stretched and Paul de Wet stepped a tired Monre Lingerveldt to score between the posts and Maties led again, 12-5.
Rohaan Adams was yellow carded for a high tackle on Maties’ Carlisle Nel with just over two minutes to play and UWC were down to six men. Paul de Wet added another try to pile misery on UWC when he stepped Herman du Plessis right on the UWC tryline, taking them to a 19-5 lead.
It was all over when UWC’s Rohaan Adams was tackled out of touch and Maties won the resulting lineout, to kick the ball into touch and earn their third Varsity 7s title, defeating UWC 19-5.
Steers Most Valuable Player: Paul de Wet (Maties)
Legit Best Attacking Player of the Tournament: Ronald Brown (UJ)
Samsung Defender of the Tournament: Dundre Maritz (Madibaz)
FNB Player of the Tournament: Pieter Schoonraad (Maties)
Results:
UCT 24-19 Madibaz
Kovsies 31-26 UJ
Tuks 0-17 Pukke
UWC 5-19 Maties
