The much-anticipated Cape derby went down to the wire in Stellenbosch and it was log leaders Maties who scored a try at the death to beat rivals UCT in a thrilling Varsity Cup clash on Monday.
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Maties kept their flawless record intact with an exhilarating 31-24 victory over a determined Ikey Tigers side in a gripping fourth-round Varsity Cup showdown at the Danie Craven Stadium.
It was a fierce, high-octane battle between two bitter rivals, each side giving their all in a clash of rugby titans.
‘Nail-biting contest’
The game unfolded like a heavyweight boxing match, with both teams relentlessly going toe-to-toe, refusing to back down.
From the first whistle, it was clear: this was going to be a nail-biting contest of epic proportions.
Coach Kabamba Floors’ Maties and Ikeys head honcho Robbie Fleck’s squads were evenly matched across the park.
UCT led 24-17 at half-time, and it looked like the visitors might just pull off a shock upset.
But then, enter Ezekiel Ngobeni, the Maties captain, who was simply unstoppable.
The star player scored a brilliant hat-trick of tries to level the score at 24-all.
Just when it seemed like he was about to take the game by the scruff of the neck with a fourth try, disaster struck as he was forced to leave the field after picking up an injury.
With the match hanging in the balance and time running out, Maties found another gear, sending their home crowd into a frenzy.
Big wing Grant de Jager exploded through the Ikey defence, powering over the line for the match-winning try.
The conversion followed, and the Danie Craven Stadium erupted as the final score read 31-24 in favour of the home side.
The Maroon Machine continued their unbeaten streak, and this victory will surely go down as one of the most exciting derbies in recent memory.
Lock Carel van der Merwe was a standout throughout the game, working tirelessly in the tight and loose exchanges and was deservedly named the Player that Rocks.
Meanwhile, in other matches played on Monday, UP-Tuks beat the NWU Eagles 26-17 to remain in contention for the playoffs while UJ painted the city orange after upping the pressure in the second half against the Wits to be crowned kings of Jozi after their 32-24 win.
Finally, in a rain-soaked Bloemfontein derby, defending champions UFS Shimlas dig deep and beat the CUT Ixias 16-9 in a low scoring affair.
Which team do you support in the Varsity Cup?
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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/varsity-cup/maties-break-uct-hearts-in-dying-moments-of-varsity-cup-cape-derby/
