Maties crowned Varsity Cup champions

Cape Town - Maties won the 2018 Varsity Cup, overcoming Pukke  40-7 in the final of the competition played at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Monday night. 

As it happened: Maties 40-7 Pukke

Maties, who topped the log during the league phase of the competition to secure themselves a home final, proved too strong for the visitors.

They opened the scoring thanks to a penalty try to lead 7-0 in the 18th minute. 

Flyhalf Christopher Smith then added a drop goal in the 30th minute to extend the home side's lead to 10-0.

Pukke hit back on the stroke of half-time with a try for captain and No 8, Tiaan Bezuidenhout.

Flyhalf Schalk Hugo slotted the conversion as the teams went into the break with Maties leading 10-7. 

The hosts were off to the best possible start in the second half as winger Edwill van der Merwe intercepted a Pukke pass and sprinted away to score under the posts for a seven-point try as he had taken the ball inside his own half.

Smith added the conversion for Maties to lead 19-7 in the 42nd minute. 

They added a further try in the 53rd minute after lock Johan Momsem barged over from close range.

Smith added the extras for the home side to push out their lead to 26-7.

Maties remained in control, adding their fourth try in the 72nd minute after replacement winger Munier Hartzenberg crossed the whitewash for a converted score and a 33-7 lead. 

A further converted score in the 79th minute thanks to replacement prop Ricky Nwagbara rubbed salt in the Pukke wounds and gave Maties a 40-7 lead. 

And that's the way it stayed until the end of the match with the home fans delirious at the sound of the hooter as Maties claimed their fourth win in the competition's history and their first since 2010. 

Teams:

Maties

15 Carlisle Nel, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Michal Haznar, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Chris Massyn, 6 Johan van Niekerk, 5 Johan Momsen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Chippie Oelofse (captain)

Substitutes: 16 HJ Luus, 17 Ricky Nwagbara, 18 Piet-Louw Strauss, 19 Brandon Valentyn, 20 Stefan Streicher, 21 Brandon Nel, 22 Munier Hartzenberg, 23 Jordan Chait

NWU Pukke

15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Jimmy Mpailane, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Akhona Nela, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Schalk Hugo, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Tiaan Bezuidenhout (captain), 7 Estehan Visagie, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Johan Retief, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Matimu Manganyi

Substitues: 16 Percy Mngadi, 17 Nelius Theron, 18 Theodore Ferreira, 19 Jaco Swanepoel, 20 Wandile Mazibuko, 21 Nkosana Mbatha, 22 Henko Marais, 23 Justin Newman