UJ men’s rugby team wins 2019 Varsity Sevens
UJ won the Varsity Sevens with 20-0 on 5 October 2019. Even with an early yellow card, resulting with one less player on the field, the Orange team did not flinch and relentlessly kept their opponents at bay. UJ captain Johan Esterhuizen was ecstatic after the final whistle blew. “To be honest, it still feels a bit unreal and I am lost for words at the final result,” said Esterhuizen after the game. “Last year we came second to Tuks so we really wanted to rectify that outcome. I am so proud of the guys for the way they stuck to the task during the final and the whole tournament. We fought hard to bring it home, so I must say a big thank you to the whole squad,” said Esterhuizen.
He complimented their opponents, who never gave up trying despite not being able to get on the scoreboard. “I want to thank the Maties team for their efforts – it was a very tough game in the final.” Although the Orange Army suffered a big disadvantage with the yellow card early in the game, the UJ defence proved relentless as they
which resulted in them taking a 15-0 lead into halftime. With time running out and the score in UJ’s favour, Odwa Nkunjana settled the matter when he side-stepped three Maties’ players in one of the best tries of the tournament to take the score to 20-0. Fittingly, Nkunjana was named FNB Player of the Tournament, which he described as a ‘great feeling’. “I am very thankful at receiving this award and we are very excited to have won the tournament,” he said. On a personal level, he said he had aspirations of playing at the highest level. “I want to make playing top-quality sevens rugby my goal and my aim. I will just keep working hard all the time,” said Nkunjana.
kept their opponents at bay. Despite playing with just six
players, it was UJ who were first on the board when Musawenkosi Tshabalala broke through from close to his own 22-metre line and beat several defenders to put them 5-0 ahead. That was followed by a decisive moment when UJ crossed for a second try during a power play,
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