by Daniel Gallan | Jul 29, 2011 | Featured 1, News, Sport
The Wits Steinhoff Interfaculty rugby season resumed on Wednesday with only the top six teams battling against each other on a cold winter night.
The ‘Super-Six’ stage of the season began with the four lowest ranked teams knocked out after the group stages. Each team will play against each other once, with the top four teams after the five rounds progressing to the semi-finals.
There were no real surprises on the night with the top three teams all registering wins and reconfirming the gulf in class between those at the top and those chasing.
In the first game of the night defending champions and leaders after the group stage, the Humanities Titans, trounced Monash by 38 points to 14.
The Titans have now stretched their unbeaten run to 17 matches and, judging by this performance, look set to defend their title later this year.
Zander Venter in a switch from lock to eighthman ran in a man-of-the-match performance. Returning players added depth to an already talented squad and the Titans will definitely take some beating.
In the most one-sided game of the night the surprise package of the season Medics demolished the only res side left in the competition, Masakhane, by a score of 52 points to 15.
Despite the Masakhane tighthead prop scoring an amazing solo try, the Medics were simply far too physical. Their team spirit on display at the end of the game was perhaps a sign of why they have been so good this season, and they will need that for their remaining matches.
The final game of the night was a close affair between third placed Engineers and fourth placed Commerce. Engineers ran out 7-3 winners on the night in a match that neither side ever looked like winning until the final whistle.
Both teams will expect to progress to the semi-finals but this will be a massive morale boost for the Engineers who will be hoping to regain the title that they lost to the Titans.
The Super-Six resumes next week Wednesday with all teams hoping to cement their spots in the final four.
by Daniel Gallan | May 27, 2011 | Featured 1, Sport
Titans on Top: The Humanities Titans celebrate with a few cold ones after extending their winning streak to 16 maches.
The faculty of humanities is dominating the sport at Wits with the Human-a-titties cricket side reaching the final of the interfaculty league, and the Humanities Titans rugby side stretching their unbeaten run to 14 matches.
BA students get criticised for their apparent lazy approach to university life, spending more time on the lawns than in the classroom. Many students will point out that BA stands for ‘Bugger All’ but results on the sports fields might silence those critics once and for all.
Unity amongst team members is vital for any successful club. When speaking to Richard Leaver and Kyle Moschini of the Titans rugby side, as well as James Pugin of the Human-a-titties cricket club, team chemistry is the one factor that both members of management encourage the most.
“It’s the bond between the players that is the reason for our success” Moschini said. “We have built a team spirit and ethos from playing together at Wits Rugby Club, and this unity has existed since U-19 level.”
“Most of us went to all boys schools and our characters just seem to gel really well” says Leaver. “We know each others’ lines exceptionally well since we have been playing together for years.”
“We’re a club that keeps Wits rugby players involved in Wits rugby,” added Leaver. “We encourage our boys to stay for a beer after the game, to make some friends. We really are more than just a rugby club and that is evident by our performances.”
The same unity exists in the cricket side and Pugin believes that it is no coincidence that they are now competing for top honours in the final. “It’s really just about having fun, but at the same time trying to win. So far we have played some excellent cricket but have not lost sight of what is important.”
“Maybe the other teams have underestimated men in pink wife beaters” said Pugin, referring to his team’s unorthodox uniform.
The Human-a-tittes are in action tonight at the Bozzoli Oval at 17:30. The Titans are in action every Wednesday night at the Rugby stadium.
