The defending champions Maties ended the first day of this year’s Varsity Sevens as one of the teams to beat as they won four of their five matches.
They were able to grind out a 17-12 win over rivals UCT in the final game to stay in touch with the UJ, who also bagged four wins after their 19-0 demolition of Kovsies in the day’s fifth round of matches.
NMMU Madibaz battled to a 19-15 win over Fort Hare, while UP-Tuks got back-to-back wins after the thrashed UWC 33-5.
NWU-Pukke brought WSU back to earth after beating the Eastern Cape team 17-12.
UP-Tuks 33-5 UWC
UWC started like a house on fire and their persistence on attack in the opening minute of the game paid-off with a fantastic try to take the lead.
UP-Tuks hit back with a try out wide two minutes before half-time and a successful conversion meant they took the lead 7-5 at the break.
Cracks started appear in the UWC defence at the start of the second half with UP-Tuks increasing their lead to nine after another converted try.
With the game winding down UWC seemed to be tiring as the Pretoria side took advantage to get a third try under the polls before bagging their fourth in a power play to win with a margin of 28.
UJ 19-0 Kovsies
UJ showed their class on attack as they cut Kovsies to pieces in the opening two minutes to score two tries to race to a 14-0 lead.
Kovsies dominated possession in the last three minutes of the first half but were unable to find an opening through UJ’s speedy defence with the score remaining the same at the break.
Despite there being no score for much of the second half, the match was an entertaining one with both teams going full tilt on attack.
UJ finished the game the stronger as they scored another try before closing out the game camped on the Kovsies tryline.
NMMU 19-15 UFH
After an error ridden opening first few minutes the Madibaz showed us a glimpse of their potential after scoring a try off a pin-point cross kick.
They added a second soon after another breakout run and at half-time they were leading 14-0.
UFH came out from the break the better team and were rewarded with a well-worked try to reduce the deficit to 14. NMMU then found their confidence again and hit back with try from a scrum on halfway.
Fort Hare had the last say scoring a try in a power play in the final minute, but it was not enough in the end.
NWU-Pukke 17-12 WSU
NWU-Pukke dominated the physical exchanges in the opening minutes and they got the first try of the game to lead 5-0.
Two minutes later they doubled their score with another try with WSU looking sluggish in defence out wide. The Potch team added a third just before half-time to take a 17-0 lead.
The Potch side went off the boil a bit in the second half and WSU took advantage to score a crucial try during a power play to bring the scores closer at 17-12.
NWU-Pukke eventually held on for the win with WSU close to causing another major upset on the day.
Maties 17-12 UCT
The game was played in relentless pace with both teams going wide at every available opportunity.
It was the Maties however who found the breakthrough in the sixth minute with a length of the field try off a UCT mistake. At half-time the Stellenbosch side lead 12-0 after they cut the UCT defence into pieces in the midfield to score their second try.
The Maties continued their dominance after the break and were rewarded with a third try off a UCT mistake to lead 17-0 with just three minutes left to play.
UCT had the final say in the game with a try in the power play in the final move in the game, but it was not enough.
