On Monday, 7 April 2025, the spirited Maties’ students held their breath as rain started to fall on the Danie Craven grounds, leaving the playing field in a less-than-perfect state. However, despite the wet conditions – with the rain halting just before kickoff – the Maties fought hard and decisively secured a Semi-Final win against the UFS Shimlas! Within the first 20 minutes flyhalf, Christiaan van Heerden Smith, secured 3 penalties kicks awarding the team 9 points on the scoreboard – placing them well in the lead. The Maties held a tight defense line making it near impossible for the Shimlas to break through and score a try, but when two yellow cards reduced the Maties team to 13 players the Shimlas were awarded their first 7 points due to a penalty try.
With the end of the first half running into over-time, Matie supporters held their breath as the scrum pushed at the Shimlas try line! Luckily, a fast-thinking maroon rugby champ had the ball heading in the other direction – leaving the Maties in the lead as halftime finally rang through. The second half started off in full action as the men from Bloemfontein were determined to make a comeback in the second half. It was a continuous fight between the men in blue and maroon, but at nine minutes into the second half the men in maroon won back their ground and scored their first try of the game. The stadium was filled with a roaring cheer as the MC announced a ‘Point of Origin’ Try, as right wing, Grant de Jager, had chased down a kick from van Heerden Smith and scored a try.
It was a tenuous fight that was put up between both the Shimlas and Maties, a fact proven by the numerous near miss tries from the UFS men. With nine minutes left in the game, the Maties’ van Heerden Smith kicked his final penalty kick, securing their 19-7 win against the Shimlas. As the buzzer rang, all that could be heard was the celebratory cries of the maroon supporters, “Finals here we come!”
By Anica Hattingh
