A rampant FNB Maties outscored FNB UJ 63-9 to claim an emphatic victory in the inaugural FNB Varsity Cup Women’s final in Cape Town.
The Orange Army could not match the sheer power and skillful flair of the Maroon Machine. A clinical display of spatial awareness and capitalising on opposition errors ensured that Maties were always in a commanding position to convert pressure and territory into points.
The team from Stellenbosch ran in seven tries, including three point-of-origin tries, all in the first half. Maties headed into the halftime break with the game well and truly in the bag at 53-0.
Tries for Maties included a brace apiece from Ropah Madyah, Danelle van Zyl, and Amber Meiring with one try each for Janke Oosthuizen, Ankia Viljoen and captain Bianca Augustyn.
UJ got a second-half consolation try courtesy of Precious Maduchem.
In the end, Maties did enough in the opening half to claim the first-ever Varsity Cup Women's title, a truly historical moment for both Varsity Cup and women’s sports in South Africa.
FNB Maties 63 (53) – Tries: Ropah Madyah (POR x 2), Danelle van Zyl (POR), Janke Oosthuizen, Ankia Viljoen, Bianca Augustyn, Danelle van Zyl, Amber Meiring (2). Conversions: Elmé Kruger (6)
FNB UJ 9 (0) – Try: Precious Maduchem (POR). Conversion: Siham Chtioui
FNB Player That Rocks: Ropah Madyah (Maties)
FNB Maties: 15 Danelle van Zyl, 14 Amber Meiring, 13 Ropah Madyah, 12 Bianca Augustyn, 11 Tiyanah Joseph, 10 Lara Schats, 9 Georgia Hassolanidis, 8 Elmé Kruger, 7 Elitha Sylvester, 6 Ankia Viljoen, 5 Ashleigh Mahoney, 4 Liza Slabbert, 3 Blaine Apollos, 2 Lungelo Mvelase, 1 Janke Oosthuizen
FNB UJ: 15 Khanyisile Ntai, 14 Precious Maduchem, 13 Nyasha Gowangombe, 12 Nthabiseng Ncalane, 11 Mardiya Usman, 10 Siham Chtioui, 9 Fatouma Yalcoue, 8 Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen, 7 Tanya Shava, 6 Akhona Nkosi, 5 Ntsako Mbombi, 4 Sindiswa Ngwenya, 3 Benedict Safi, 2 Phophi Budzwa, 1 Priscilla Sithole.
by Lyndon Julius
