Humdinger No.2 for Wits
FNB Wits and Raiders produced another humdinger, the same as two weeks ago when a last-minute Wits try was disallowed to give Raiders a 39-34 win at the Billy Jardine Stadium.
On Saturday, at the Wits Rugby Stadium, it went down to the last minute again. With the last move of the match Raiders had a scrum on the Wits five-metre line with the scores deadlocked at 24-24.
After the put in, the ball flew out and ricochet into the Wits in-goal area. This gave the opportunity for the Raiders scrumhalf to dive onto the ball for the winning try. The conversion was unsuccessful which left the score at 29-24 to Raiders.
Raiders were first out of the blocks on the day with two quickfire tries through their left wing who outsprinted the Wits cover defence and livewire flank, Randall Morrison. The Raiders flyhalf only converted Morrison's try to leave the score at 12-0 to the visitors.
A hamstring injury in the first half to Wits outside centre Brendan Lizemore gave the young and exciting Bronson Lange an opportunity to play in his first Pirates Grand Challenge match.
With Lange's first touch he sliced through the Raiders defence, drew the Raiders fullback and passed to Rudolf Prinsloo who jogged over for the students' first points. Flyhalf Kyle Peyper was successful with the conversion, bringing the home team within five points. That left it at 12-7 to Raiders at half-time.
Raiders were quick out of the blocks again as the second half got underway, scoring two tries through their hooker and Gerald Sibanda (right wing). The Raiders flyhalf, again, was successful with one conversion only. Wits looked dead and buried at 7-24 down, as even the Raiders spectators started celebrating with songs of jubilation.
With Wits on the attack, Peyper slotted a drop-goal from 30 metres out. (That left the Raiders at 24-10 ahead.) Wits then started clicking and firstly scored a try through eighthman Sheldon Breet after a great drive from a line-out. Peyper again added the extra two points - Raiders 24 Wits 17.
A turnover on the halfway line for Wits saw the ball spread to Lange who put the after-burners on and sprinted around to score under the posts. Peyper made no mistake and the scores were level at 24-24.
Now it was anyone's game and the Raiders fans were quiet. With attacks from both teams in the last few minutes it could have gone either way, but the five-metre scrum on the Wits tryline was the final story.
FNB Wits' scorers:
Tries: Rudolf Prinsloo, Sheldon Breet, Bronson Lange
Cons: Kyle Peyper 3
DG: Peyper
All Saturday's results:
First team: Wits 24 Raiders 29
Second team: Wits 18 Raiders 3
Third team: Wits 19 Raiders 32
Fourth team: Wits 24 Raiders 14
U21: Wits 34 Raiders 0
U19: Wits 31 Raiders 3
The Predator League log (including Grand Challenge):
(As at Monday, July 18 - played, won, points)
1. UJ 12, 12, 59
2. Raiders 11, 8, 43
3. Pukke 11, 7, 37
4. Impala 12, 7, 37
5. Pirates 12, 7, 36
6. Wits 12, 5, 33
7. Roodepoort 11, 7, 29*
8. Union 12, 4, 21
9. Alberton 11, 1, 7
10. Vaal Reefs 8, 2, -5*
* Includes points docked.
Upcoming FNB Wits fixture(s):
Saturday, July 23
FNB Pukke v Wits (Potchefstroom)
Friday, July 29
Wits v Pirates (at Wits)
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