Maties won their second successive FNB Varsity Cup final at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday night for the University of Stellenbosch.

It was a fitting finale to two months of “Rugby that Rocks”, and the Maties, who were undeniably the best team in the competition from start to finish, were fitting winners. It was easier this time than last year’s final minute win over UCT, but nonetheless the Pukke proved doughty opponents before going down 11-6.

The match was played in front of a massive crowd, even bigger than in 2008, when the decider was a local derby, and this gave credibility to organiser Francois Pienaar’s claim that this year’s competition was “bigger and better” than the inaugural one, and is destined to get better still.

Although it was a low scoring game, and there seemed to be a greater element of finals type rugby this year, the final did show a marked improvement in the standard of rugby dished up — as has been the case for most of the competition. There was plenty of running from both sides, but the defences were well organised, and the forward exchanges were quite ferocious.

Pukke had been known for their conservative rugby in the league stages, but they brought an element of surprise to their approach in the early stages, with impressive No 8 and captain bursting through to put his team on the attack as the Pukke sought to use the width of the field.

That pressure resulted in a penalty which was kicked by flyhalf Cecil Dumond, but it was a lead that was not to last long. The Maties got their intensity up, they began to settle, and after playing themselves into the left corner, they spun the ball quickly down the line, long passes doing the work, from a set scrum to put wing Morne Jooste over in the corner.

For a while it looked as though the Maties might take control, for they were scrumming impressively, and their work at the breakdowns was impressive, with skipper Wesley Wilkins leading the way. With Maties also enjoying territorial advantage, and swarming all over their opponents, it looked only a matter of time before the hosts would take control on the scoreboard too.

But full marks to Pukke for the way they hung on in the bedlam, most of it in the form of support for Maties, that engulfed the stadium, and in the second half of the first half they looked to be coming back into it.

Indeed, the Potchefstroom students would have been kicking themselves at half-time for not being in the lead, for they had a couple of opportunities just before the break to take the psychological advantage of scoring just before the turn-around.

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The University of Stellenbosch (FNB Maties) have continued their unbeaten run of form with a 31-10 win over Potchefstroom’s FNB Pukke in their Varsity Cup Round Four match at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday.

Waiting till deep into injury time before scoring the bonus-point try, the defending champions in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International remained on course for home ground advantage in the play-offs next month.

The visitors tried bravely, but their were never able to keep up with the blistering pace set by the Maties and also did not control their possession well enough to build up any pressure on the home team.

However, as Pukke captain Willem van der Wal said, if the Potchefstroom outfit win all their remaining games, they can also still make the play-offs.

However, this time the day belonged to an impressive Maties outfit, who showed a willingness to play an exciting, expansive brand of rugby from the outset - obviously aiming to avoid getting involved in an arm-wrestle with a Pukke team short on genuine pace and skill.

Pukke did launch a few impressive attacks, but those simply did not have the same venom as their opponents’ efforts.

The Maties scrum was also too strong and Pukke did not get enough quality ball to play with.

The home team got off to a flying start when flyhalf Coenie Van Wyk scored the first try inside 50 seconds - coming after a dropped pass inside the Maties half gave the Stellenbosch students a chance to counter. Good hands and a neat touch with the boot set up the try for Van Wyk try. Donald Stevens added the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

Pukke bounced right back and had the home team under pressure - with a penalty following a scrum infringement and Teuns Kotzé slotted the kick to narrow the  gap to 3-7.

But the helter-skelter nature of the game continued and the Stellenbosch team was soon back on the attack. Another neat grubber and some great pressure saw Van Wyk go over in the corner for his second try - with Stevens adding a second conversion to make it 14-3 after nine minutes.

From the restart Stellenbosch conceded another penalty, but this time the shot by Teuns Kotzé was wide of the mark.

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The FNB Varsity Cup is back from the 2nd February to early April. “We’re taking Mondays back!” Francois Pienaar, former World Cup winning Springbok captain declared at the launch on Monday.

“I don’t know how to measure my side,” said Rudy Joubert, former Springbok assistant coach and a World Cup winner with Pienaar in 1995 when he was the Boks’ technical advisor.

He has just moved to Potchefstroom where he coaches the national champions NWU Pukke who lost to a last-second penalty (32-31) in last year’s Varsity Cup semifinal.

“We have oodles of talent, but not much experience at the back. However, there is so much character that I’m confident,” he said, lauding the structures put in place by former coach Matthew Proudfoot, who is now with Western Province.

Losing 2008 finalists Ikeys (UCT) were determined to do well, but coach John Dobson admitted it could be difficult.

“We caught the guys somewhat unawares last year,” he mused. “We were young and we were too light to get into forward battles and decided to run everything wide. Fleckie (former Springbok centre Robbie Fleck), did wonders and will be back this season.

“We’re hoping for the best and will follow the same approach this year,” promised Dobson.

Champions Maties, who won the 2008 final on the stroke of the hooter when they beat Ikeys, have been working hard.

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