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Wednesday Column
Jonsson College Rovers face their biggest test of the season thus far when they face the University of Johannesburg in the first of the semi-finals at the National Club Rugby Championships in Stellenbosch this afternoon (Wednesday).
After a convincing 46-0 win against a strong SK Walmers Western Province invitation outfit with wing Jors Dannhauser leading the try scoring spree in their opening round match, Rovers followed up with a 44-6 victory charge against the surprise package of the tournament Spring Rose from Border who had earlier caused a major upset by disposing of the Cheetahs champions club side, Shimlas, in their opening round clash.
Rovers weren't that fluid in their quarter-final game against the Border champions and only led 12-3 at the break after a frustrating first half but eventually got on top with Chris Jordaan (2), Kosie Haarhof, Mark Richards and Chris Micklewood (2) crossing for tries with Micklewood also adding two penalties and four conversions to his 20 point haul.
UJ after an emphatic first round 91-21 victory over Noordelikes also had a much harder second round game making heavy weather of their 41-20 win over Welkom Rovers. With this in mind their semi-final clash against the KZN champion side scheduled for a 3.15pm kickoff this afternoon looks destined to be a carbon copy of last year's semi-final between the two sides, which Rovers narrowly won 26-20 taking them into the final to beat Maties in a memorable 2010 final.
Maties will meet NWU-Pukke at 5pm in the other semi-final after beating Tukkies 43-22 outscoring their Varsity Cup contemporise by five tries to three and one can only hope it won't end up being an all Varsity final on Saturday with Rovers looking to become the second club side from KZN to win the competition after Goss and Balfe Crusaders achieved the fete in 1993 and 1994 before losing out in the 1995 final to Pretoria Police who also went on to win the 1996 final as well.
- Jos Robson
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