Cape Town - Tuks outmuscled UJ 47-24 at UJ Stadium to win the Young Guns Final.
Tuks were off to a perfect start when Jordan Holgate crashed through beneath the posts for Tuks first score of the match. UJ soon equalised with a try of their own in the 11th minute, by No. 8 Morney Moos.
The score remained 8-8 going into the 20th minute strategy break.
But in the 32nd minute Tuks made their possession count as they scored their second try of the match, after flyhalf Christo Hamman broke through the UJ defence. Hamman scored his second and FNB Tuks third just minutes later, sending his team into half-time with a 21-8 lead.
Tuks used their wings well and enjoyed most of the possession again in the opening minutes of the second half. They spent a lot of time in UJ’s 22 and pressure told as three unanswered tries put FNB Tuks 39-8 ahead with 26 minutes to play.
UJ eventually managed to get their hands on the ball and great distribution to the backline set up the pacey Odwa Nkunjana for a try.
Replacement Tristan Eve scored an opportunistic try after a bit of quick thinking at the lineout and Tuks were suddenly on the back foot, but still leading 39-24.
But a try by replacement hooker Johan Grobbelaar in the 72nd minute put the result beyond doubt.
Man of the Match: Hendre Stassen (Tuks)
Scores
UJ: 24
Tries: Morney Moos, Odwa Nkunjana, Tristan Eve
Cons:
Eduard Fouche (3)
Tuks: 47
Tries:
Jordan Holgate (2), Christo Hamman (2), Jan-Henning Campher, Jaco Bezuidenhout,
Johan Grobbelaar
Cons: Christo Hamman (4)
Teams
UP-Tuks Young Guns
15 Ivan Smit, 14 Mervano da Silva, 13 Heino Bezuidenhout, 12 Jordan Holgate, 11 Ciaran Dayaram, 10 Boeta Hamman, 9 Raegan Oranje, 8 Denzil Hill, 7 Jaco Bezuidenhout, 6 Eduan Lubbe, 5 Hendre Stassen, 4 Sam Mitchell, 3 Jaco Holtzhausen, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Franco van der Berg.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Ruben van Heerdan, 19 Dean van der Westhuizen, 20 Stephan Enslin, 21 Sentle Lehoko, 22 Brendan Owen, 23 Tiny Mukhari
UJ Young Guns
15 Curtis Jonas, 14 Odwa Nkunjana, 13 Johann Vermaak, 12 Johannes van Tonder, 11 Vuyo Shongwe, 10 Eduard Fouche, 9 Wynand Botha, 8 Morney Moos, 7 Juandre Michau, 6 James Venter, 5 Kevin du Randt, 4 Adriaan Bester, 3 Sarel Smith, 2 Le Roux Baard, 1 Hannriel Coetzee
Replacements: 16 Willem du Plessis, 17 Johan Meyer, 18
Thokozani Skhosana, 19 Martin Mangwiro, 20 Tristan Eve, 21 Morne van der Berg,
22 Jonathan Koyana, 23 Stephen Bashera