Centurion — In a dominant display, North West University (NWU) thumped Wits University 31-3 in their Varsity Cup match in Potchefstroom on Monday.
The hosts were accurate in attack as they scored five tries, while limiting their opposition to just one penalty over 80 minutes of brutally physical rugby.
Wits opened the scoring in the fifth minute through a Chris Humphries penalty (3-0).
After camping in the Wits 22, NWU prop Sampie Swiegers barged his way over the line from close range to put his side ahead. Flyhalf Martin Venter nailed the conversion to make it 7-3.
Just after the 20 minute mark, Swiegers was over for his brace as NWU worked a number of phases on the Wits line. Venter slotted the conversion again to put his side further in front (14-3).
NWU notched up their third try as centre Theunis Pretorius sliced through a tackle to leave the Wits defenders trailing in his wake (19-3).
An electrifying backline move by NWU saw the ball move out wide to Tino Swanepoel on the wing for a Point of Origin seven-point try in the corner in the 54th minute (26-3).
Tino Swanepoel with the frog splash in the corner as the @nwusports1 Eagles confidently send it wide despite the wet conditions!#RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/b338wS9HGM
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) April 11, 2022
With the hooter having already sounded, NWU showed they weren’t content to simply kick the ball out and instead whipped the ball through the hands before wing Pienaar van Niekerk received the ball on the touchline and ran through for the try (31-3).
Scorers:
Wits 3 (3): Penalty: Chris Humphries
NWU 31 (19): Tries: Sampie Swiegers (2), Theunis Pretorius, Tino Swanepoel (1x POR), Pienaar van Niekerk Conversions: Martin Venter (2)
IOL Sport