The University of Johannesburg beat the defending Champions Maties team 39 – 19 last night at the Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch last night to secure a home semi-final spot and a possible final in the FNB Varsity Cup.

Full marks to UJ coach Hugo van As and his staff. They took a hesitant team and turned them into the complete product: a good, competing pack; a backline without any over-elaboration – and with the skill and ability to use turn-over ball.

The Maties, champions for the first three years of the competition, lost their third match in this year’s competition and failed to make the play-offs for the first time. UJ, on the other hand, made it to the play-offs for the first time.

UJ will play Tuks in the semi-final after their intervarsity foes succumbed to Ikeys in Pretoria, 19-17. Ikeys made it into third place through their win and semi-final place was virtually guaranteed to Shimlas who played NMMU in Port Elizabeth.

However, the Free State students had to come from behind to secure their place in the semi’s against a very determined NMMU who against all expectations lost by only 17-13. In the process, the Madibas – courtesy of their losing bonus point – also avoided the wooden which goes to the TUT Vikings, who suffered a 0-48 loss to the much-improved Pukke.

Shimlas will play Ikeys in the other semi-final. Next Monday’s semi-final fixtures are:

UCT v Shimlas, 4.30pm (TV)

UJ v Tuks, 6.45pm (TV)

** Three exquisite tries in the first thirty minutes put UJ 15-0 up – and it if hadn’t been for a very rare off-day from kicker Theuns Kotze, the Johannesburg side would’ve been out of sight at 25-0.

In that first half they scrummed the Maties into near-submission, arrived at the breakdown first and rucked the home side off the ball when needed – and when they ran it wide, they were imperious. The try by UJ centre Luhan Steenkamp in particular was outstanding. It followed a turnover in their own 22, some great handling that set up the running by Lolo Waka before an inside pass to Kotze who switched with try-scorer Steenkamp.

There was only one team on the field until about eight minutes before the break – but then the Maties, after spurning three penalties at goal, breached the UJ defence right on halftime after a deft little grubber by Andre Kemp with Stokkies Hanekom dotting down. Donald Stevens converted to make the halftime score 15-7 to UJ.

Right after the break Maties captain Hugo Kloppers scored in the corner after some good work in the middle of the field to bring his side to within three points at 15-12. But minutes later a UJ ruck and good backline handling set Waka free again. Andre Smit, who had taken over the kicking, put UJ 22-12 ahead. It was a very, very important try. It brought UJ a bonus point and even at that stage virtually secured a semi-final place.

At 22-12 it was theirs for the taking – and when Smit dropped a goal eight minutes later after a concerted attack on the Maties line, UJ seemed in control on the scoreboard at 25-12.

And then, with seven minutes remaining and the Maties camping in the UJ 22, wing Aubrey McDonald intercepted for an 85 metres try converted by Smit. At 32-12 the match was won – but the Maties’ hopes for a possible semi-final berth hung on the scoring of another try for a bonus point.

It was not to be, with the final hooter going as UJ were in the attack once more.

Scorers:

Maties: Try. Stokkies Hanekom, Hugo Kloppers, Panda Jordaan. Conversions: Donald Stevens (2)

UJ: Tries: Lola Waka (2), Rudy Paige, Luhan Steenkamp, Aubrey Steenkamp, Alfred Ries. Conversions: Andre Smit (3). Drop goal: Smit. Shimlas, meanwhile, claimed their place in the semi-finals with a come-from-behind 17-13 win over a very fired-up FNB NMMU outfit in Port Elizabeth; a result which effectively consigned the Maties to also-rans.