Wits earn historic win over Tuks in Varsity Cup
Defending Varsity Cup champions Tuks suffered their second consecutive defeat of the season on Monday night when Wits beat them in Johannesburg.
Tuks’s Varsity Cup team is still on the losing track after suffering a historic defeat against Wits on Monday night.
With two away games still to play before they will only return to their home turf in March, the pressure will now increase dramatically on David Manuel’s team.
In addition, the campaign will not get easier, because Maties is waiting for the beleaguered Tuks team in Stellenbosch next Monday.
The game against Wits, which was played in Johannesburg, got underway in incredible fashion as both sides looked to get the better of each other from the onset.
It was, however, the visitors Tuks who drew first blood in the contest, when outside centre Toko Seerane shrugged off a few Wits players, after picking up the ball off a bursting run from Xolisa Guma.
Tuks made no mistake with the conversion, to give the men from Pretoria an early 7-0 lead.
The hosts then immediately requested the Power Play, with Tuks’ flyhalf Tinus De Beer and inside centre Christo Hamman being taken off for three minutes.
This move brought good things for the hosts as outside centre Sicelo Champion dashed through the visitors’ defence to score a converted try in the corner from his own half and give Wits a 9-7 lead going into the first strategy break.
The return for the second part of the half, saw Wits get straight back into it and score a great try in the corner through Kwanele Ngema. Christian Humphries added the extra two points and stretched the lead to 18-7.
The visitors weren’t going to lay there, and they came with fire pushing hard and eventually got through the resolute Wits defence, with Xolisa Guma scoring in the corner just before half time to bring the score to 18-14 at the break.
The second half saw Wits come to the party very quickly, as they scored a quick try through winger Kasende Kapepula, who showed great pace to dot down in the corner and give the hosts a healthier 25-14 lead.
The rest of the game then saw a seesaw battle, as both sides went for it but it was Tuks, who finished off the scoring with Guma again diving over in the corner for the visitors. Tinus De Beer missed the conversion to bring the score to 25-19.
After that, Tuks had a few other opportunities to try overcome the Witsies but it wasn’t to be, as the hosts held out to win the clash.
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