As matchday four of the Varsity Cup came about, it saw Tuks versus NWU at the FNB TUKS Stadium. Unfortunately, Tuks’s string of losses keeps on getting longer no matter how hard they try. This game was a performance marred by mistakes and lightly blessed with moments of brilliance in between. One thing is certain, UP students will always come out in droves to support their home team.
The game started with immense excitement for all of the fans, as the rampant start from the home side left NWU 8-0 behind within the first ten minutes. Then a single mistake and a break in the defence led to NWU taking the lead with a brilliant seven-point try and conversion. As the first half of the game progressed, it seemed no matter how hard TUKS tried, NWU kept their noses in front.
With the second half of the game underway, one fact became clear: whether it was a reckless pass gone awry or a big hit leading to a spill, handling errors was a common incident. It plagued the game for both sides and led to a scrum-heavy game. Together with the poor kicking from Tuks and not being able to fully exploit the yellow card their opponents sustained, this led to one conclusion: another narrow defeat with a final score of 26-22. With four losses in a row and three of them being within the five-point margin, Tuks need to step up their game, otherwise their semi-final hopes might change to a relegation fight.
The next game on 20 March is not to be missed, as Tuks will travel to face their old rivals – Maties. If missed, do not worry, PDBY is there to cover all Varsity Cup games for all of your varsity rugby needs.
