FNB UJ came back from a slowish first half to wrap up their first win of the 2013 Varsity Cup season, beating FNB NWU-Pukke by 37-20 in a rain-soaked Johannesburg.
It was initially a tight encounter as both teams had to come to grips with the wet conditions, but as the rain subsided UJ found their straps running in five tries to three.
The hosts got onto the scoreboard shortly after the kick-off when hooker Malcolm Marx crashed over the whitewash from a maul from a line-out.
The students from Potch replied 16 minutes later when Hoffman Maritz got over after some great interplay between the fullback and scrumhalf Tiaan Dorfling. NWU-Pukke flyhalf Gerhard Nortier added the three points to hand his side the narrow lead over the home side.
The downpour in the Highveld started to affect the match as handling errors crept into general play as the game progressed. Nortier extended his side’s lead to 10-5 in the 32nd minute with a penalty goal.
As the whistle blew for the start of the second half in this FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International fixture, the rain had subsided and eventually stopped which allowed UJ to open the flood-gates.
The hosts tightened their game opting for driving runs among the forwards to pull in the Pukke defence.
They ran in four tries in the second half with Shane Kirkwood, JR Esterhuizen, David Antonites and Marx each crossing the whitewash.
Antonites spearheaded UJ’s second half uprising with the first try after the break, earning the Man-of-the-Match accolade. De Kock, meanwhile, was on fire with his place-kicking, despite the trying conditions missing only one of his five attempts at goal.
Pukke launched a late fightback scoring two tries within the final four minutes of the clash which ultimately proved to be to no avail.
Maritz touched down for his second five-pointer of the night, while Marius Fourie added his team’s third try shortly before the final whistle blew.
