At the handing over of the Tuks 1 jerseys the Vice-Chancellor and Principal declared herself to “be your No 1 supporter. You can be sure of the full support and backing of the University.”

Even with one round still to go in the Carlton Cup knock-out phase, Tuks have made sure of the top spot on the log. They have 35 points after their eight matches, well clear from Centurion in second place (29 after seven matches). Cenurion’s last match in the knock-out phase is on 5 June against Brits. The best Centurion can hope for is to end on 34 points.

Tuks 1’s coaches, Blikkies Groenewald and Nollis Marais, were chuffed with Tuks’ performance. They agreed that the players started showing class, guts and perseverance just when it mattered most, which is no better illustrated by the fact that Tuks 1 is the first team this season to beat Centurion.

“Marnus (Schoeman, Tuks 1’ captain) and I made a pledge at the start of the Carlton Cup season to keep the Lucas Strachan Shield safe in Tuks hands as we also won it in 2009. To now say that we have succeeded in this, makes one very grateful, but also humbled by the way in which every player put his heart and soul into, for us, the most important 80 minutes of the 2010 Carlton Cup Knock-out round,” said Nollis.

Scorers:

Tries by Boeboes Coetzee (2), GD Kotzee, Gerhard van der Merwe,
Gertjie Smith, JW Bell and Marius Weber. Boeboes (3) and Gertjie (1) succeed with conversions as well as a penalty a piece.

• Other results:

Second League: Tuks Fezelas 74, Centurion 5; Third League: Tuks Pumas 48, Centurion 12; o.21 Leaugue: Tuks Jongspan 86, Centurion 17.