Crucial victory for VC
Comets dominate WSU to claim confidence-boosting win in East London
As the semi-finals of the FNB Varsity Shield loom, the FNB Varsity College Comets claimed a confidence-boosting 37-18 victory over the FNB WSU All Blacks at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London on Thursday night.
Tough conditions greeted both sides when the match kicked off with rain, wind and cold weather influencing the play in the early parts.
The Comets struck first blood with a well-worked try when they showed patience to send wing Sivu Mpendu over for the first try of the evening. Marx couldn’t add the conversion, which gave Varsity College a 5-0 lead after 15 minutes.
The second strike also came from the Comets when they used their strong line-out drive to get hooker Jacques Marais over for their second try. Marx missed the conversion, but Varsity College went in front 10-0 after 23 minutes.
The WSU All Blacks then got their first points through a conversion from flyhalf Maxwell Klaasen to narrow the gap to 10-3.
With the wind and the forward dominance, it was Varsity College who struck next through a try from scrumhalf Abande Mthembu to extend their lead to 15-3. The scrumhalf sniped off the back of another dominant scrum to dot down the third try for the Comets.
The home side were not going to lie down after conceding, their flyhalf Klaasen then got their first try after the Comets couldn’t control it over their own line. He converted his try to narrow the lead to 15-10.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Varsity College re-opened the game to over seven points when number eight Mandisi Nkutha scored and Marx added the conversion, which gave the Comets a 22-10 lead at the break.
The second half saw the rain and wind die down and this meant Varsity College weren’t playing into the breeze. The hosts scored first in the second half when Klaasen slotted a penalty to bring the gap back to nine points.
The All Blacks then scored again to get back into the game. After 11 minutes of play in the second period, it was left wing Simosethu Capa who went over for their second try. Klaasen missed the conversion, but the hosts reduced the gap to just four points with the score 22-18.
On the verge of the final quarter, the Comets hit back with their first points of the second half. Benjamin Field went over after a strong charge from Mbasa Nkoni. Marx added an important conversion to stretch the lead back out to 29-18.
After dominating up front, the Comets put the WSU forwards under sustained pressure, which resulted in another penalty.
Marx slotted over to extend the lead to 32-18.
The Comets weren’t done and on the final whistle they went over for their sixth try. Flank Juan Steyl benefitted from another strong scrum as he picked up from the base of an attacking scrum to go over for the try.
The conversion was unsuccessful, but the final whistle followed and the Comets came away with an important 37-18 victory.
Varsity College will now turn their focus to their semi-final encounter next week.