A resilient FNB Tuks defeat FNB CUT for bonus-point win

Mar 22 • General News, Varsity & Club, Varsity Cup • 2229 Views • Comments Off on A resilient FNB Tuks defeat FNB CUT for bonus-point win

FNB Tuks came from behind after being 25-21 down at half time to win 68-25 at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Monday evening.

In the third match of the day FNB CUT were up against FNB Tuks at a cool FNB Stadium on Monday evening.

FNB Tuks have had a disappointing season by their standards and hoped to turn things around against FNB CUT, while the men from Bloem have had an impressive season and after almost causing an upset against FNB Shimlas last week, were hoping for a similar performance.

It only took eight minutes for Duncan Matthews to crash over and put FNB Tuks up 7-0. Nine minutes later and FNB Tuks winger, Duhan van der Merwe doubled his team’s score.

A moment of brilliance brought FNB CUT back into the match, as Henry Immelman ran through everyone, hugged the sideline and popped it over, back inside for Darron Baron to finish off. He converted it and the scores were 14-11 after 21 minutes.

Just four minutes later Nicolaas Britz extended FNB Tuks’ lead again with a try, the scores moving to 21-11. FNB CUT were fighting hard and pulled another one back after Jasper Wiese broke through a few tackles and bundled over the tryline to take the score to 21-18 in favour of FNB Tuks.

On the stroke of half time, FNB CUT launched a 55-metre penalty kick, which hit the upright and after a break by FNB Tuks, the ball dropped loose and flanker Mosoeu Maruping kicked the ball forwards, gathered the ball and sprinted to the tryline. His seven-pointed putting his side in the lead for the first time in the match. The score 25-21 at half time.

In the 55th minute, Nicolaas Britz scored his second of the match, stealing the lead back from FNB CUT, as FNB Tuks led 28-25. Then, straight off the restart things got worse for FNB CUT as Junior Burger stepped a couple of defenders before off loading to Nicolaas Britz, who ran half the length of the field for a nine-point try and his hat-trick.

With 20 minutes to play, FNB Tuks retained possession for a number of phases and when Andre Warner went over just beside the posts, his team led 50-25.

FNB Tuks crashed over six minutes later for another seven-pointer. Then not long after that, Andre Warner crossed over for a nine-point try as the match ended 68-25 to FNB Tuks.

Player That Rocks: Junior Burger (FNB Tuks)

Scorers:

FNB CUT:
Nine-point tries: Darron Baron
Seven-point tries: Mosoeu Maruping,
Five-point tries: Jasper Wiese
Cons: Darron Baron (2)
FNB Tuks:
Nine-point tries: Andre Warner, Nicolaas Britz
Seven-point tries: Duhan van der Merwe, Nicolaas Britz, Luke-Kyle van der Smit
Five-point tries: Duhan van der Merwe, Nicolaas Britz, Duncan Matthews
Cons: Joshua Stander (7)

The teams:

FNB CUT: 15 Meyer van Tonder, 14 Ruan Wasserman, 13 Charles Hitchcock, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Henry Immelman, 10 Darron Baron, 9 Dean Jacobs, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Maruping, 6 Dean Rossouw, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Wikus Davis, 3 Niel Schoombee, 2 Len Noort, 1 Gerard Baard
Replacements: 16 Cameron van Heerden, 17 Juan Volkwyn, 18 Sylvester Makakole, 19 Junior Burger, 20 Marius Grobler, 21 Johann Grundling, 22 Lethole Mokoena, 23 Gunter Janse van Vuuren

FNB Tuks: 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Toko Maebane, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel
Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Du Toit Genis, 18 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 19 Luke van der Smit, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Tinus de Beer, 22 Keanan van Wyk Max Calitz, 23 Justin Forwood