It’s coming up roses for Varsity Shield hopefuls
IN the end it was extremely close, but both Border-based Varsity Shield teams, the Walter Sisulu University All Blacks and Fort Hare Blues, battled their way to breathtakingly important wins in the competition’s fifth round on Monday night.
The high-flying All Blacks claimed a tight 12-8 victory over the University of KwaZulu-Natal Impi at the Howard College Rugby Stadium in Durban, while the Blues edged a nailbiting 18-17 win over Central Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) at the Davidson Stadium in Alice.
The win sealed the All Blacks’ place in this year’s semifinals, as whatever happens in their final match tomorrow they will remain in the top four.
However, they will be eager to secure a home semifinal, with them currently second on 18 points, and they will thus want to claim one more win that would secure it when they welcome the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Vikings to the BCM Stadium tomorrow night.
In Monday’s match it was the visitors’ superior defence that got them the win as they only allowed the hosts one converted try, while the All Blacks managed two unconverted tries and a penalty that gave them a four-point win.
Since losing their first match of the season against the defending champions University of the Western Cape (UWC), the All Blacks have won their next four in a row, and they will look to take that impressive momentum into their final match against the fourth-on-the-log Vikings, while they will have a bye when everyone else finishes their pool stage campaigns on Monday night.
The win for the Blues just keeps them in the running for a semifinal spot as they sit fifth on the log on 11 points, one point behind the Vikings and Impi in fourth and third respectively.
“We struggled in this game. We played catch up from the onset. We conceded soft points which has become a tradition for us and we are relying on the comeback in the second half to win games for us,” said Blues coach Lumumba Currie.
“Ever since this competition started I have been preaching one thing – you must hit first, so that you are on the front foot.
“But we will take the win even though the performance was not what it was supposed to be.”
The Blues now look to their final two group stage games, away against UWC tomorrow and the Vikings on Monday.
“We wanted a bonus point in this game against UKZN, which would have put us into the top four,” said Currie.
“We now go on the road for the last two games, against UWC in Cape Town and then last game against TUT in Pretoria, who started very well in the competition.
“It is two tough games and I feel if we change our attitude, are more direct with our approach with ball in hand and if we defend very well, things might change for Thursday.”
Although the Blues dealt the dominant UWC team their only loss of the competition in the last two years in Alice last season, a win against them in Cape Town will probably be a bridge too far.
UWC have won four out of four games, claimed a full house of 20 points and are just one win from sealing top of the log for the second year running.
“Despite the challenge I am always positive, and we just need to back our abilities and strengths,” said Currie.
“It is a tough competition and, with the promotion relegation for the Varsity Cup on the cards, teams are going all out.”
Tomorrow’s games see the All Blacks v TUT at the BCM Stadium, Blues v UWC and Rhodes University v CPUT, both in Cape Town, with all games kicking off at 6.30pm.