The atmosphere was electric and Durban’s FNB Varsity College Comets played a dramatic game which saw them book their spot in the FNB Varsity Shield final with a 24-20 win over the FNB Madibaz. The rugby game was played at the Madibaz Stadium in Gqeberha on Friday afternoon (April 19).
It was a cagey start from both sides but ultimately it was the home side that struck first through a well-worked try finished in the right corner by hooker, Mr Kyle Erasmus. Fullback Mr Kehan Myburgh played a good game to give the Madibaz a 7-0 lead after 13 minutes.
The Comets continued to apply pressure and ask questions of the
Madibaz defence and they were rewarded in the seventeenth minute with
a penalty that Mr Frederick Marx slotted, said sports manager, Ms Carole Adam.
“Things remained fairly even before the home side extended their narrow
lead through a penalty from Myburgh on the 25-minute mark. It was the Madibaz who scored last in the first half with wing, Qurin Cupido,
busting through off a first phase move to dot down for their second try.
Myburgh converted to give the Madibaz a 17-3 lead. That score wouldn’t change, and the teams went into the sheds with the home side leading 17-3 at the break. Significantly, the Comets lost flyhalf, Marx, to a red card just before the break for a dangerous clean out,” she said.
The Comets had to make the play in the second half after being behind in
the first period. They were the first team to score in the second period
as prop, Mr Sonwabo Maseko, barged over from close range to get the Comets back into the match.
With the conversion the Comets narrowed the gap to seven points. Mr Myburgh’s penalty got the lead back to ten points for the hosts before a
moment of magic from Mr Tshegofatso Ramaloko who put a pin-point cross kick through to Mr Nkazimulo Mzolo to score, said Ms Adam.
“The conversion was successful from Ramaloko and after 66 minutes the gap was just three points. Play would go back-and-forth despite the Comets having the momentum heading into the final passage of the match. Ultimately it was the Comets who had the final say when reserve prop, Nathi Ntuli, went over for the try following a period of sustained pressure from the Comets. The conversion from Ramaloko took the Comets into a 24-20 lead with a few minutes left. They managed to keep possession of the ball for the final period to give them a famous victory in Gqeberha,” said Ms Adam.
The Comets will now face the winners of the FNB UP-Tuks versus FNB WSU All Blacks in the final, added Ms Adam.
