A classy performance by Maties earned them a 19-5 victory over the surprise package UWC to win the 2016 Varsity Sevens final. The tournament was played at Villager RFC over the long weekend (30 April-2 May).
Maties' captain Peter Schoonraad was deservedly named the Player of the Tournament. He led his team to Maties' third Varsity Sevens title. Maties also won the title in 2013 and 2014, but failed to reach the semi-finals of the competition in 2015.
Paul de Wet scored two tries in the final and was named the Player of the Match.
Schoonraad's individual reward was no surprise. Like a true puppet master the Maties captain took control of his team's attacking and defensive lines. This does not mean Schoonraad just watched while his men executed his instructions. On the contrary, Schoonraad was the only Matie that did not score a try in the tournament and this shows best what kind of player he is for his team.
"The Player of the Tournament award means a lot. I see myself as a player that gives everything in each game…every single moment until the last one," Schoonraad said.
"It was a great tournament for the team. We are a tight unit, much like a family. It was important for us to focus on our own style of play in every game. The defeat against Tuks was a blessing in disguise, I believe. It was like a wake-up call at the end of the first day to remember the challenge that still lay ahead of us."
According to Schoonraad the final was very tough, especially the first half.
"Both teams gave it their all during that first ten minutes. It was high-intensity rugby. We know UWC's game and players well because we played against them in warm-up matches before the tournament. It certainly helped on the day. In the second half, everything that we put in before the tournament began to work on the field."
The competing universities were: University of the Free State (Kovsies), Maties, NMMU (Madibaz), NWU-Pukke, UP-Tuks, UCT, University of Fort Hare, University of Johannesburg, University of the Western Cape and Walter Sisulu University.
Last year's champions Kovsies won the plate final.
Photo credit: Thys Lombard, SASPA
