Flyhalf Jurie Matthee kicked a last-minute penalty as Maties came back to beat UCT at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday night in the opening round of the 2023 Varsity Cup.
In a rematch of last year’s semi-final, Maties again clinched victory in this intervarsity rivalry as Matthee scored a try and kicked two conversions and a penalty in a 21-19 victory.
80' PENALTY to win it! The @MatiesSport maroon machine smash and grab the victory with a pressure kick from Jurie Mathee at the death! The crowd goes wild. Heartbreak for the @ikeytigers.
FNB Maties 21 – 19 FNB UCT #RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/TD7xeXWuxX
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) February 20, 2023
Played in front of a capacity crowd in Stellenbosch, the contest lived up to expectations as both teams entertained with running rugby and spirited defence.
A high-intensity start led to Maties opening the scoring in the eighth minute with a try from their own half when Matthee sliced through the defence to score and convert a nine-point, point of origin try.
First blood. The opening try in the Cape derby goes @MatiesSport way! Jurie Mathee sliced through to open the scoring for the maroon machine at a packed Danie Craven stadium.#RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/qtrqzePMbU
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) February 20, 2023
Ikeys responded minutes later as the forwards provided the platform up front, rumbling towards the tryline before the ball was spun wide where fullback Duran Koevort stepped over in the corner to level the scores at 9-9.
Show me your number ?
Duran Koevort with the huge step inside for the @ikeytigers try.#RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/X8P80rzDZ7
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) February 20, 2023
Maties ended the first quarter a man down after wing Mike Mavokana was sent to the bin for a high shot, and the visitors made the numerical advantage count when inside centre Lyle Hendricks dived over to give UCT a 16-9 lead at the break.
Try on debut for @ikeytigers inside centre and new recruit Lyle Hendricks! UCT carved up the Maties defence down the middle to set up Hendricks for the try out wide. #RugbyThatRocks pic.twitter.com/imK8iWvzXX
— Varsity Cup (@varsitycup) February 20, 2023
Maties thought they were back in the game when lock Juan Beukes went over, only for the try to be disallowed for a double movement. And things went from bad to worse for the hosts when replacement lock Marco Van Rhyn was shown a red card for a dangerous cleanout, before Ikeys flyer Ntokozo Makhaza scored the first points of the second half against the run of play when he slotted a penalty in the 68th minute.
But the five-times winners refused to go down without a fight, and they turned on the pressure through a territorial advantage before scrumhalf Thomas Bursey sniped to dot down, claiming another point of origin try to make it 19-18 with five minutes to play.
With the siren having sounded, UCT was penalised at the breakdown and Matthee stepped up to slot the match-winning, 35-metre penalty to secure a famous intervarsity victory for Maties.
Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix