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September 23 - It was a huge accolade for the Golden Lions’ club system when two Predator League sides faced one another in the final of the SARU National Club Championships in Stellenbosch on Friday, but the University of Johannesburg will rue the fact that they let a good start slip to eventually lose 19-14 to their old league adversaries NWU-Pukke.
The loss will hurt even more as UJ were the undoubted best side in the Predator League, with Pukke failing to even make the final. The loss also denied UJ their first title since 1992, when they won as the former Rand Afrikaanse Universiteit.
It was NWU-Pukke’s fourth national title in eight years after a tense final.
The Potchefstroom students, who were given little chance heading into the tournament after a disappointing FNB Varsity Cup campaign and a semi-final loss to Raiders in the Golden Lions' Predator League, showed that they thrive in tournament rugby.
In the first-ever final between the two teams in the competition's 37-year history, Puk's heroes were scrumhalf Jean Tiedt, who kicked 14 points by way of four penalties and a conversion, and left wing Johannes Seerane, who scored the deciding try of a tightly-contested match after scoring a brace in their 39-36 semi-final win over hosts Maties.
Seerane was deservedly named backline player of the tournament for his efforts.
In the first final since 2007 to feature two university teams, and the first since 2004 between two northern-union teams, UJ enjoyed a slender 8-6 lead at the break, thanks to a try from wing Lolo Waka and a penalty from Luan Steenkamp.
But the Johannesburg students, who were aiming for a third trophy in 2011 after winning the Golden Lions' Pirates Grand Challenge and Predator Leagues, could not convert their chances when it mattered despite dominating up front.
UJ, who ended defending champions College Rovers' two-year unbeaten run in the semi-finals when they held on for a nailbiting but deserved 27-26 victory, did however have the consolation of having lock Marnus van Huyssteen and eighthman Justin Wheeler announced as forward and overall player of the tournament respectively.
In the Plate competition, Shimlas withstood a late onslaught from Boland champions Roses United to run out 48-26 winners and so claim their third consecutive title.
Awards:
Forward Player of the Tournament: Marnus van Huyssteen (UJ)
Backline Player of the Tournament: Johannes Seerane (Pukke)
Player of the Tournament: Justin Wheeler (UJ)
Tournament results:
Cup final
UJ 14 – Try: Lolo Waka. Penalties: Luan Steenkamp (3).
Pukke 19 – Try: Johannes Seerane. Conversion: Jean Tiedt. Penalties: Tiedt (4).
Plate final
Shimlas 48 – Tries: Henk Eksteen (2), Shaun Blignaut (3), Erik le Roux (2), Gerrit Theron. Conversion: Reinhardt Erwee (4).
Roses United 26 – Tries: Clinton Oncker, Angelo Booyse, Ashton Constant, Geoffrey Allies. Conversions: Jacquin Jansen (3).
Cup semi-finals:
College Rovers 26 UJ 27
Maties 36 Pukke 39
Plate semi-finals:
Shimlas 85 Noordelikes 0
Roses United 40 Progress 27
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