The University of the Free State youngsters ran in five tries to the four of UJ, and converted a 20-10 halftime advantage into a seven-point win that sees them book a spot in the showpiece next week against defending champions UP-Tuks – who beat Junior Maties 40-24 in the other semifinal.
Early points are always paramount in knock-out games and the visitors from Bloemfontein acknowleged that when they opted to take a shot at goal after five minutes.
Kovsies fullback Stephen Rautenbach kicked the penalty and they had an early 2-0 lead.
UJ enjoyed more posession in the next passage of play and struck back with a try, after eigthman Wian Conradie broke away from a 5m scrum and barged his way over the line.
Flyhalf Marco Engelbrecht missed the conversion, but his team enjoyed a slender advantage.
The men from Johannesburg doubled their lead when right wing Surprise Mayekiso stole the Kovsies’ ball on the halfway line and raced away to dot down. Engelbrecht’s kick was unsucessful once more but they lead 10-2.
Outside centre Stephan Janse van Rensburg struck back for the Kovsies when he went over to score after a slick backline move.
His Kovsies centre partner went over to score next as UJ started to make more and more mistakes. Both conversion attempts where missed by Rautenbach but the men from Bloemfontein went into the lead for the first time. 12-10.
Donovan Gissing was the next man to score the visitors as the Kovsies right wing embarked on a great run from the halfway line and managed to make it all the way over the line.
Flyhalf Ruan Potgieter converted to give the University of the Free State side a 20-10 halftime lead.
The home side came charging out of the blocks for the second half and immediately replacement Chad McKay went over to score. Fullback Jamie Campbell knocked over the conversion to cut the deficit to 18-20.
They went into the lead just minutes later when outside centre Godfrey Ramaboea stepped through the Kovsies defence to dot down for UJ’s fourth try of the game. Campbell was on target once more.
Kovsies hit back when replacement Daniel Maartens barged over but crucially the conversion was missed, meaning that UJ still held on to a 26-25 advantage just inside the final twenty minutes.
The side from the University of the Free State made sure of their lead when Jordaan grabbed his second of the game, and this time the conversion was successful from Potgieter to give them a 33-26 lead.
UJ piled on the pressure in the final stanza of the game but could not force an opening, and the Kovsies defence held firm to seal the victory and a spot in the final.
Scorers:
UJ Young Guns: Tries: Conradie, Mayekiso, McKay, Ramaboea Cons: Campbell 2
UFS-Kovsies Young Guns: Tries: Janse van Rensburg, Jordaan 2, Gissing, Martens Cons: Potgieter 2 Pen: Rautenbach.
– Varsity Cup.
