Wits got the ball rolling when Christian Humphries kicked the first penalty, but fell flat shortly after. Wian Conradie replied immediately with a seven-point try for NWU, and Schalk Hugo’s conversion put them 9-3 up.

Gideon van der Merwe scored a seven-point try and found the try line again in under five minutes after an impressive brace by Lungelo Gosa. NWU took a hefty 30-3 lead with ten minutes left to play in the first half.

Chuiner van Rooyen and Pienaar van Niekerk added to Wits’ woes when they both dived over the try line for NWU to take the score to 46-3 going into half time.

Wits’ discipline cost them at the beginning of the second half when both Keagan Glade and Cal Smid were sent to the sin bin for ten minutes. NWU capitalised when Edmund Rheeder and Pienaar van Niekerk found the try line, with Hugo nailing both conversions.

Wits managed to pull one back when Daniel Kasende dotted down in the corner, with Christian Humphries slotting the conversion to take the score to 60-10 with twenty minutes left to play.  

Johan Retief fought his way over the line to leave Wits chasing a 67-10 deficit but Justin Brandon gave Wits a consolation try, taking the score to 60-15 with ten minutes left of the game.

Wian Conradie put the final nail in Wits’ coffin when he scored his second try of the evening off a maul and Schalk Hugo ended off his flawless night with the boot, to end the game 74-15 in favour of NWU.

Scores
NWU: 74 Tries: Wian Conradie (2), Gideon van der Merwe (2), Chuiner van Rooyen, Pienaar van Niekerk (2), Edmund Rheeder, Johan Retief. Conversions: Schalk Hugo (8). Penalties: Schalk Hugo

Wits: 15 Tries: Daniel Kasende, Justin Brandon. Conversions: Christian Humphries. Penalties: Christian Humphries. Yellow cards: Keagan Glade, Cal Smid.

- Varsity Cup