UJ outmuscle spirited Madibaz side

HOPES that the Madibaz could reach the semifinals of the Varsity Cup were dealt a hammer blow last night when they crashed to a heavy 42-13 defeat against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) at the NMMU campus.

After slumping to two defeats in their opening three matches, the Madibaz knew that a win was vital if they planned to reach the knockout stage.

The Madibaz made the perfect start when the hard-running CJ Velleman burst through the UJ defence to score the first try of the game after only two minutes and raise the hopes of the home crowd.

The well-drilled UJ outfit hit back almost immediately when No 8 Dylan Peterson crashed over the tryline after the visitors had taken the ball through several phases.

In the 13th minute, UJ were over for their second try when they launched a counterattack, which resulted in a try for Robert de Bruyn on a windy evening.

The Madibaz then enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure, but were unable to turn their territorial advantage into points.

-George Byron