The College of Johannesburg scored a strive within the last 10 minutes to seal an enthralling 29-24 victory over rivals Wits in a Varsity Cup derby at UJ Stadium on Monday night time.
With the win, UJ proceed their unimaginable upturn in kind this season beneath new head coach Jonathan Mokoena, after a troublesome 2021 the place they completed backside of the desk.
As an instance that, UJ at the moment are in rivalry for a playoff place, though their main focus this 12 months can be on ending as excessive as they’ll as this can be a promotion-relegation season.
Regardless of having a lot the higher of the scrum battle, UJ struggled to carry on to the ball and needed to defend for lengthy durations of the match. There was one notable interval within the first half the place the hosts noticed off 26 phases of assault from Wits earlier than conceding a penalty.
Nonetheless, UJ have been much more medical within the first half and took a 14-3 lead into the break via tries from hooker Darnell Osuagwu and wing Ilunga Mukendi.
The closest Wits got here to scoring a strive within the first half got here when scrumhalf Hlumelo Ndudula appeared to get a finger on to the ball over the tryline, however the TMO dominated it to be a knock-on.
The second half belong to Wits as, after Shaun Baxter prolonged UJ’s result in 14 factors via a penalty gained from one other dominant scrum, the guests kicked into motion. First, fullback Setshaba Mokoena, glorious along with his management of the sport from the again, scored a well-taken strive earlier than No 8 Phillip Krause drove over from brief vary to instantly degree the scores at 17-17.
Wits appeared to have laid a decisive blow when, after Mokoena kicked one other 50/22, outdoors centre Luhle Matyolweni scored his first Varsity Cup attempt to put them within the lead for the primary time within the match.
Nevertheless, UJ made probably the most of a penalty when a fast faucet set Likhaya Tengimfene free out extensive and he handed on his inside to place Kelvin Kanenungo over for a point-of-origin strive. Baxter transformed from the touchline to permit UJ to retake the lead.
The dramatic end continued as Wits gained a penalty from the next kick-off to offer themselves one final probability to grab it. Nevertheless, true to character, UJ defended staunchly and compelled the knock-on with time up on the clock to assert bragging rights.
UJ – Tries: Darnell Osuagwu, Ilunga Mukendi, Kelvin Kanenungo. Conversions: Shaun-Christian Baxter (3). Penalty: Baxter (2).
Wits – Tries: Setshaba Mokoena, Phillip Krause, Luhle Matyolweni. Conversions: Chris Humphries (2). Penalty: Humphries.
UJ – 15 Nqubeko Mkwanazi, 14 Likhaya Tengimfene, 13 Musawenkosi Tshabalala, 12 Indiphile Tyeda, 11 Ilunga Mukendi, 10 Shaun Baxter, 9 Mpho Kubheka, 8 Kelvin Kanenungo (c-c), 7 CJ Masuku, 6 Johannes Terblanche (c-c), 5 Brendon Pawson, 4 Philip Apea-Adu, 3 Frans Bezuidenhout, 2 Darnell Osuagwu, 1 Kayden Kiewit.
Subs: 16 Hloni Mphuthi, 17 Elizee Kwitonda, 18 Ntokozo Hlophe, 19 Connor van Buuren, 20 Babalo Makana, 21 Buhlebenkosi Qaba, 22 Kgothatso Sono, 23 Rowan Malgas.
Wits – 15 Setshaba Mokoena, 14 Wian de Lange, 13 Luhle Matyolweni, 12 Tiaan Schutte, 11 Azi Afrika, 10 Chris Humphries, 9 Hlumelo Ndudula, 8 Phillip Krause, 7 Lindokuhle Ncusane, 6 Mark Snyman, 5 Edward White, 4 Cal Smid, 3 Ebot Buma (c), 2 Prince Mulea, 1 Jason Cloete.
Subs: 16 Dagan Meuwese, 17 Mikhaya Sonqishe, 18 Franco Groenewald, 19 Kyle van Eyssen, 20 Alexander Skudder, 21 Wernich Aucamp, 22 Keagan Lailvaux, 23 Siyabonga Xulu.
Photograph: Christiaan Kotze/[email protected] Photograph AGENCY for Varsity/ Asem Interact
