Rugby
Impi give Ixias a big scare in Varsity Shield opener─── 08:45 Tue, 28 Jan 2014
Morgan Piek
Bloemfontein - The CUT Ixias opened their 2014 Varsity Shield title defence with a hard fought 26-25 win over the University of KwaZulu-Natal Impi at CUT Park in Bloemfontein last night.
In a match marred by handling errors both sides crossed the whitewash on three occasions, with the Impi tighthead prop Stefan van Schalkwyk being the first to dot down.
The teams went into the half-time break at 10-10 before the visitors broke clear with a penalty and another try after the break.
The home side hit back with two quick tries with ten minutes left on the board, however the visitors took it to the death when their winger Shanye Mokombe scored his second try right on full-time.
The conversion wasn’t successful and handed the champions a narrow one point win.
Impi coach, former All Blacks coach John Mitchell told Ofm Sport he was happy with the performance but the tournament isn’t won in one match.
In the evenings other match former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers’ University of Western Cape beat Fort Hare 26-8 in Alice.
Scorers:
CUT - Tries: Marx, Van der Merwe, Van Schalkwyk. Cons: Marx 3. Pen: Marx
UKZN - Tries: Van Schalkwyk, Makombe 2. Cons: Cope 2. Pens: Cope 2
Yellow card - Dean Carney (UKZN)
Teams:
CUT - 15 Kholo Ramashala, 14 Alec Mhlango, 13 Johan van Schalkwyk, 12 Charles Hitchcock, 11 Duan Pretorius, 10 Noel Marx, 9 Marius Grobler, 8 Juan Hugo, 7 Frans Sisita, 6 Bolofo Mokoea, 5 Fanie Coetzer, 4 Lyvette Shikwambana, 3 Danie Van der Merwe, 2 Deon Gouws, 1 Len Noort.
Replacements - 16 Gerhard Baard, 17 Carl Gersbach, 18 Ian Van Wyk, 19 Vincent Maruping, 20 Stephan Griesel, 21 Mosego Toolo, 22 Dean Kouprihanoff, 23 Hanro Liebenberg.
UKZN - 15 Brandon Bailing, 14 Shayne Makombe, 13 Hendrik Lategan, 12 Garath Meikle, 11 Hendrik Groenewald, 10 Brandon Cope, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Deon Carney, 7 Zwela Zondi, 6 Lwazi Ngcungama (captain), 5 Johan Wagenaar, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 Stefan van Schalkwyk, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Henri Boshoff.
Replacements - 16 Matthew Mandioma, 17 Leon Mulder, 18 Adam Wessels, 19 Sanele Malwane, 20 Nelson Makhanye, 21 Gavin Nyawata, 22 Mondli Ntshingila, 23 Sizwe Kuhbeka.
Referee - Jaco Kotze.
Impi coach, former All Blacks coach John Mitchell says the tournament doesn't get won in one game..:
