FNB WSU ALL BLACKS SURRENDER COMMANDING LEAD IN FRUSTRATING DRAW AGAINST FNB WITS

The FNB WSU All Blacks were left battered, bruised, and visibly crestfallen after surrendering a commanding first-half advantage in a gripping Varsity Shield encounter that ended in a draw against visiting FNB Wits at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium.

Having been relegated from the Varsity Cup last season, Wits arrived with the aura of favourites, widely tipped to overpower an All Blacks outfit that had itself narrowly escaped relegation in the previous campaign. Yet, for large stretches of the first half, it was WSU who dictated terms with authority and conviction.

Assistant coach Phumlani Blaauw reflected candidly on the outcome: “This game was played at a very high intensity, and the team managed to handle the pressure well here and there, but obviously, relinquishing that big a lead clearly tells us there’s still a lot of room for improvement within the team.”

The visitors struck first, silencing the home crowd barely two minutes into the contest. A swift and clinical backline movement saw the Wits fullback slice through on the outside and finish in the corner, handing the visitors an early 5–0 lead and momentarily unsettling the hosts.

True to their resilient character, however, the All Blacks regrouped and responded with ferocity. Their forward pack began to assert dominance at the set piece, orchestrating sustained pressure through powerful scrums and accurate lineouts. The territorial siege culminated in a penalty try awarded after Wits repeatedly infringed under immense pressure, propelling WSU into a 7–5 lead.

With momentum firmly on their side, the hosts struck again in electrifying fashion. Captain Lukhangele Tshayi—later deservedly named the match’s “Player That Rocks” for his commanding presence on both sides of the ball—intercepted a loose pass inside his own half and embarked on a scintillating 60-metre run to dot down beneath the uprights. The stadium erupted as fullback Asakhe Mbini calmly slotted the conversion to extend the advantage to 14–5.

WSU’s supremacy at scrum time continued to trouble the visitors. A dominant shove near the halfway line yielded clean front-foot possession, and from the base of the scrum the WSU eighth man released scrumhalf Thembela Folo, who darted down the touchline with pace and precision to cross for yet another try.

With confidence surging and momentum firmly on their side, the hosts capitalised on the newly introduced tap rule to compound Wits’ misery. Opting for urgency over conservatism, the All Blacks executed swiftly from the mark, and eighth man Sipho Hobosch powered over the line to stretch the advantage to a commanding 24–5 at the interval.

Shortly after the restart, Captain Lukhangele Tshayi slotted a long-range drop goal to widen the margin to 27–5, a scoreline that suggested the All Blacks had placed the result beyond doubt. Instead, it marked the beginning of a dramatic unravelling.

A subtle dip in intensity, compounded by lapses in defensive organisation, opened the door for a revitalised Wits outfit. Seizing every opportunity, the visitors struck with clinical precision, running in four rapid tries that stunned the home faithful and erased what had once been an imposing lead. In the space of a half, dominance gave way to desperation as the scoreboard levelled at 27–27.

The final whistle brought not relief, but reflection. What should have been a statement victory became a sobering draw - an encounter that illuminated both WSU’s attacking potency and the imperative of sustained composure.

The All Blacks now turn their focus to their upcoming clash against Sol Plaatjie University in Kimberley on 20 February, where a more resilient and complete eighty-minute performance will be required to convert promise into points.

By Thando Cezula