Ndimande hat-trick helps 13-man Shimlas shock Maties, break seven-match losing streak

Flank Thabo Ndimande scored a hat-trick as Shimlas shocked Maties 43-28 and, in the process, broke a seven-match Varsity Cup losing streak to the men from the Western Cape.

2015 was the last time Shimlas beat Maties and had only beaten them twice in the competition before Monday night. They also lost 81-24 to Maties in this fixture last time out.

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Maties went from not conceding a single try against Tuks last week to letting in four in the first half and seven in all to Shimlas as they ceded 50 points in Bloemfontein.

Ndimande started the damage when his perfectly timed cut led to him breaking the line and scoring as early as three minutes into the contest.

The former schoolboy centre added a second try nearly 10 minutes later before Shimlas captain Thabang Mahlasi added a third in the 26th minute from a scrappily defended lineout by the visitors.

Maties survived on two Jurie Matthee penalties until hooker Chris Rossouw’s powerful burst to the try line after 30 minutes.

But Nathan Jordan added the fourth Shimla try three minutes before the break to help the hosts take a 26-11 half-time lead.

Ndimande got his hat-trick less than 10 minutes into the second half, but Maties struck back through Sean Swart five minutes later to keep Maties hopes alive.

De Wet Marais scored from a quick tap 13 minutes from time to make the finish quite interesting, with Shimlas just 10 points ahead and down to 13 men after two successive yellow cards.

But flyhalf George Lourens scored a brilliant counter-attacking try from inside the Shimlas half, which turned into a precious 9-pointer after Litha Nkula curled in the conversion.

Gift Dlamini’s try at the end did little to restore lost hope for Maties as replacement scrumhalf