Rampant Wits turn it on in second half against Fort Hare |
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February 2 – FNB Wits put Monday night’s disappointing loss to CUT behind them as they beat University of Fort Hare 58-16 in a FNB Varsity Shield match on a wet field at Wits Stadium on Thursday night.
Running in eight tries – two by winger Ryan Arends – Wits at times played some scintillating rugby against a side that held them to relatively close wins last year. Five of Wits’ tries came in the second half – and with flyhalf Kyle Peyper converting six times with the three-point conversions applying in this year’s Varsity Rugby competitions, the score mounted at an alarming rate.
The visitors took a surprise lead somewhat against the run of play and managed to hold that 8-0 lead until fairly late in the first half as Wits failed to make the most of their opportunities on the slippery surface. The home side eventually got on the scoreboard when left wing Riaan Arends finished off a well-worked move to score under the posts with the conversion drawing the scores level.
Then scrumhalf Brent Crossley got over in the corner after a maul, and when flyhalf Kyle Peyper knocked over the touchline conversion Wits had a 16-8 lead.
That was stretched to 21-8 when flank Devin Montgomery showed good awareness following a quick tap and last year's beaten finalists finished the first period in control of the game. But Fort Hare struck back straight after the break after Van Rayner got hold of the ball and rounded two Wits defenders to go over for the try of the match. The conversion made it 21-16 and the game was on!
That try seemed to be the jumpstart that the Wits team needed and they responded by running in five unanswered tries, with Fort Hare unable to keep up with their high intensity in an impressive second half.
Scorers:
Wits: Tries: Riaan Arends (2), Brent Crossley, Devin Montgomery, Charles Baggott, Oliver Rochat, Ruan Noeth, Heinke Hartdegen. Conversions: Kyle Peyper (6)
Fort Hare: Tries: Garth van Rayner (2). Conversions: Teboho Makuru (2)
** FNB CUT secured their second Varsity Shield victory in four days when they beat FNB UKZN 30-10 despite playing with 14 men for much of the game in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.
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