UKZN Impi vs UWC Blues
Peter Booysen Stadium, Pietermaritzburg FNB Varsity Shield Presented by Steinhoff International

On an evening that started with a strong southerly wind, a crowd of around 1500 UKZN Impi supporters turned out at the Peter Booysen Stadium in Pietermaritzburg for UKZN’s home fixture against UWC, who had beaten the home team 33-9 in the opening game of the shield competition.

UKZN dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes of play, and went up 3-0 early on with a penalty from last week’s man of the match Jaco Potgieter.

However for the next 10 minutes it was a matter of missed opportunities for UKZN, and Potgieter missed two shots at goal leaving 6 points begging. Possession changed hands several times, and neither team managed to threaten each other’s defence as they tried to tussle with the swirling wind.

In the 34th minute, UWC were awarded a penalty kick on half way, and flyhalf Ambrose Steyn duly slotted the kick to tie the game up at 3-3. However the Impi struck back immediately with a turn over scrum on the UWC 5 meter line that ended in a try for eigthman Leon Stevens, easily converted by Jaco Potgieter, as the Impi took the lead going into half time, 10-3.

UWC started the second half with a bang, scoring in the opening 5 minutes and converting to level things up at 10-10, but UKZN struck back with a try from a line out drive just 5 minutes later scored by lock Tinashe Bopoto, the conversion missed by Potgieter from the touchline to take the Impi into the lead, 15-10.

UWC dominated play for the next 10 minutes and threatened the Impi goal line on several occasions, but the UKZN defence held firm and denied UWC on several occasions, but it was a case of sustained pressure as the Impi finally cracked, as UWC hooker Charlie Van Jaarsveld scored a great mauling try, converted by Steyn to take UWC into the lead for the 1st time in the game, 17-15, and immediately scored again through substitute Griffith Themba to take UWC’s score up to 24-15 with just over 10 minutes to play and it stayed that way as UWC claimed a well fought victory in Pietermaritzburg, winning 24-15.