FNB Maties scored a dramatic late try to secure victory over FNB North West University (NWU) Eagles at the wind-swept Danie Craven Stadium in round six of the FNB Varsity Cup. This puts the semi-final in their sights while denying NWU’s hold on the log.
Maties were able to stay in the game after NWU’s strong comeback with a strong defensive strategy. PHOTO: Ella Bosman
Maties took control early on, through a dominant maul, earning a penalty try after NWU collapsed it near the line, while Eagles captain and lock Stephan Krugel, was shown a yellow card. The hosts capitalised on the score advantage, with CJ Erasmus adding another try to give Maties an 18-3 half time lead.
The NWU Eagles were in the top log position prior to the game. They now sit in second place with 23 points. PHOTO: Ella Bosman
NWU responded with two quick tries by lock Raniel Turner and inside centre Leejay Peterson to edge NWU into a narrow lead. The Eagles maintained their dominance by continually denying Maties’ try attempts.
The momentum continued to swing, with tight head prop, Keanuh Michaels, briefly restoring Maties’ lead before left winger, Logan Janeke, crossed to put the Eagles ahead 26-23 as they moved into the final stages.
In the final two-minutes, Maties’ forward, Louw du Toit, scored the decisive try, before MC van Heerden added a difficult conversion. Strong defense ensured that FNB Maties secured their four-point lead, with the final score of 30-26. The result could dent NWU’s title campaign, setting FNB Maties in sight of the semi-finals.
After Maties were dominant in the first half, two quick tries by NWU after half-time put them back in the competition. PHOTO: Ella Bosman
According to the Varsity Cup, the top four teams on the log after the seventh round-robin stage will progress to the semi-finals. The team in first place will host the fourth-placed side, and the team in second place will host the side in third place.
The current log is topped by the University of Pretoria (UP) with 26 points, followed by NWU with 23 points, Maties and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), tied at 21 points. Maties have secured their position in the semi-finals regardless of their results in the seventh round, next week.
Lachance Tchokonte-nana, NWU Eagles player, said that for them it came down to “trying to stay calm and just focus on winning the scrums and going forward”.
For Luan Botha, Maties right-flanker, the win came down to “sticking to [their] process”. He added, “we let it slip in the first few minutes of the second half and it was just about going back to our plan […] and taking it back to basics.”
Maties were able to stay in the game after NWU’s strong comeback with a strong defensive strategy. PHOTO: Ella Bosman
Maties captain and scrum-half, Ezekiel Ngobeni, emphasised the importance of the game for the team. “It’s a step in the right direction, but we still have a lot to work on. We are taking a lot of confidence and energy into the next game,” he said.
Tchokonte-nana told SMF News that the loss was “devastating”. But for him, it’s important to remember “we have to keep our heads up”. He added, “the season is not over yet, we still have three games so we must keep believing.”
Maties are set to play the Central University of Technology (CUT) on Monday 30 March at 19:00, at the CUT stadium. NWU will play the University of Cape Town (UCT) at the same time at the Fanie Du Toit Sports Ground, at NWU. A win for Maties could put them in second position, giving them a home ground advantage in the semi-finals. Thereafter, the semi-finals will be played on 6 April at 16:45 and 19:00 with the venue to be confirmed.