Varsity Cup wrap: Defending champs NWU Eagles lay ominous marker against Maties, Wits run ragged

Burger van der Westhuizen's NWU Eagles laid down an ominous marker in the defence of their Varsity Cup title with a noteworthy 23-12 victory over Maties on Monday night.

Winning at the Danie Craven Stadium is generally rare for most visiting teams, but the students from Potchefstroom were simply relentless in shutting out their opponents.

While there were spurts of suffocating defence - particularly in the second half when Maties launched a rescue effort in terms of the scoreline - the Eagles built their performance on an imposing pack that meant they were invariably on the front foot.

The initiative of the halfback pair of Aphelele Mdaka and Zinedine Robinson meant the Eagles also weren't afraid to throw the ball around and had their set-piece functioned better, they might even have boasted the more emphatic margin of victory.

Maties' struggles on the night were exemplified by fullback Juan Mostert spurning an easy kick at goal that could've gotten the hosts closer, but their capriciousness was simply too prevalent.

Point scorers:

Maties 12 (7)

Tries:  Vernon Matongo, Zuko Poswa.

Conversion: Juan Mostert.  

NWU Eagles 23 (14)

Tries: Naiden Jaarts, Ezekiel Ngobeni.

Conversions: Zinedine Robinson (2).

Penalties: Zinedine Robinson (2), Charles Williams.  

Deadeye Makhaza sees Ikeys past Shimlas

In one of those typical rugby ironies, the Shimlas dominated the try-scoring stakes against Ikeys in Bloemfontein and yet still found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

The Free Staters crossed the whitewash five times on the evening and probably would've done more than enough if they hadn't handed seven penalties on a platter to Ntokozo Makhaza.

The Ikeys left winger was simply metronomic in kicking over the goals as he ended