The gulf in class between the University of the Western Cape and the rest of the Varsity Shield was on full show last night as they powered over the Walter Sisulu University All Blacks 55-10 in the final of the Varsity Shield at the UWC Show Grounds in Cape Town.
It was a disappointing result for the All Blacks, who had their chances but were heavily penalised in the first half for ill discipline, and made small mistakes when in the ascendancy, and they will now have to shrug off this defeat and prepare for next week’s Varsity Cup play-off against the Central University of Technology Ixias.
The visitors had a bright start, as both teams looked to run the ball, before some clever kicking from the All Blacks had UWC playing from deep.
A third minute line out in the UWC half saw the All Blacks take play into the UWC 22m, where they earned a penalty at the breakdown to the right of the posts, with fullback Lusanda Xakwana duly stepping up and converting the penalty for an early two point lead.
Straight from the kick off, however, UWC hit back as the ball found its way to fullback Tristan Leyds, brother of Springbok and Stormers utility back Dillyn, on the half way, and he cut through the defence, stepped past a defender and chipped into the 22m, collecting the ball and going over under the posts for a brilliant solo converted try to take an 8-2 lead.
In the 14th minute the All Blacks received a double blow when, with the hosts about to score in the corner, flyhalf Beauton Pohlman made a desperate high tackle that stopped them from getting over, which saw UWC awarded a penalty try and Pohlman a yellow card.
Six minutes later UWC had their third as they bashed away on the visitor’s line, with lock Bronlee Mouries crashing over for an unconverted score to give them a 21-2 lead.
The All Blacks had their best chance in the 25th minute when flank Mihlali Mosi, who was arguably the All Blacks best player on the day, earned a 5m scrum after charging down an attempted UWC clearance on the 5m.
The All Blacks however missed their chance, allowing UWC to add two more tries in the final seven minutes through eighthman Adrian Paarwater and right wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, with flyhalf Keagan Fortune slotting both conversions to lead 37-2 at the break.
The All Blacks started the second half well, with some enterprising play, but despite keeping play in UWC’s 22m, the hosts showed their skill to score from a lost ball in the 22m, with a cross kick to Leyds seeing him and Fortune pass the ball between them up the field, with Fortune going over for an unconverted try.
The All Blacks then took their powerplay (two players from the opposing team’s backline are removed from the field for three minutes), and were rewarded as they powered their way up the field, and replacement back Henrico Koester dotted down next to the uprights for a converted score on the strategy break (60 minutes).
The final 10 minutes of the match was extremely back and forth as the sides tried to run from everywhere, and with both sides out on the feet, the ball was constantly lost both ways with no further points added, ending a brave second half performance from the All Blacks.
Small errors end WSU All Blacks’ campaign
It was a disappointing result for the All Blacks, who had their chances but were heavily penalised in the first half for ill discipline, and made small mistakes when in the ascendancy, and they will now have to shrug off this defeat and prepare for next week’s Varsity Cup play-off against the Central University of Technology Ixias.
The visitors had a bright start, as both teams looked to run the ball, before some clever kicking from the All Blacks had UWC playing from deep.
A third minute line out in the UWC half saw the All Blacks take play into the UWC 22m, where they earned a penalty at the breakdown to the right of the posts, with fullback Lusanda Xakwana duly stepping up and converting the penalty for an early two point lead.
Straight from the kick off, however, UWC hit back as the ball found its way to fullback Tristan Leyds, brother of Springbok and Stormers utility back Dillyn, on the half way, and he cut through the defence, stepped past a defender and chipped into the 22m, collecting the ball and going over under the posts for a brilliant solo converted try to take an 8-2 lead.
In the 14th minute the All Blacks received a double blow when, with the hosts about to score in the corner, flyhalf Beauton Pohlman made a desperate high tackle that stopped them from getting over, which saw UWC awarded a penalty try and Pohlman a yellow card.
Six minutes later UWC had their third as they bashed away on the visitor’s line, with lock Bronlee Mouries crashing over for an unconverted score to give them a 21-2 lead.
The All Blacks had their best chance in the 25th minute when flank Mihlali Mosi, who was arguably the All Blacks best player on the day, earned a 5m scrum after charging down an attempted UWC clearance on the 5m.
The All Blacks however missed their chance, allowing UWC to add two more tries in the final seven minutes through eighthman Adrian Paarwater and right wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, with flyhalf Keagan Fortune slotting both conversions to lead 37-2 at the break.
The All Blacks started the second half well, with some enterprising play, but despite keeping play in UWC’s 22m, the hosts showed their skill to score from a lost ball in the 22m, with a cross kick to Leyds seeing him and Fortune pass the ball between them up the field, with Fortune going over for an unconverted try.
The All Blacks then took their powerplay (two players from the opposing team’s backline are removed from the field for three minutes), and were rewarded as they powered their way up the field, and replacement back Henrico Koester dotted down next to the uprights for a converted score on the strategy break (60 minutes).
The final 10 minutes of the match was extremely back and forth as the sides tried to run from everywhere, and with both sides out on the feet, the ball was constantly lost both ways with no further points added, ending a brave second half performance from the All Blacks.
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