The Walter Sisulu University All Blacks bounced back in style, thrashing Rhodes University 47-16 in an exciting 2018 Varsity Shield match at the BCM Stadium last night.
WSU head coach Sipho Metula said the win was a much-needed confidence boost after their losing the opening match to defending champs University of the Western Cape on Monday.
“This was a nice comeback today and we are going to continue building our campaign for this season from this game’s result.”
Metula said preparing for the game was not easy as they didn’t know what to expect from a different Rhodes team to last year.
“We even brushed up on the rules and regulations so that we don’t perform on the field and end up losing outside the field like last year .”
The winning coach also applauded their captain and star hooker’s performance, Maliviwe Simanga, who was in scintillating form and crossed the try line on more than three occasions to walk away with the man of the match award.
“We are going away to CPUT on Monday. It’s going to be a tough one because the last game played against them was a close call – we scored in the last minute.”
From the first whistle the All Blacks were looking to assert their dominance, leaving Rhodes no room on the turf.
Still, WSU had to wait until the 15th minute to open the scoring when fly half Beauton Pholman crossed the try line for a converted score.
Five minutes later Simanga went over for his first, outpacing a flat footed Rhodes defence to score next to the right hand uprights, with outside centre Sinegugu Lituka converting to put them 16-0 up.
In the 28th minute Simanga delivered a stunning try and again Lituka converted.
With Rhodes still reeling, Pholman came in from the centre line, speeding past their defence for his second as the hosts went into the break 29-0 up.
WSU picked up where they left off in the second half, as Simanga scored his hat-trick in the 43rd minute, slicing through the Rhodes defence for an unconverted score.
Rhodes finally got on the score sheet in the 48th minute as left wing, Aiden du Preez saw a gap and took it, catching the WSU defence off guard, with Aviwe Ntuthi converting the try.
Shortly after Rhodes loose head prop Lukhanyo Tshongweni scored the visitors’ second, with Ntuthi’s conversion making it 34-16.
With only five minutes left on the clock, WSU eighth-man Chumani Mjacu crossed the try line and Lituka converted.
In the closing seconds the hosts’ openside flank Mihlali Mosi went over for the final try of the match to seal a thumping victory.