FNB Maties and FNB UP-Tuks will meet in the Varsity Cup final for the second year running after securing semifinal victories on Monday evening.
Last year the two sides met in Pretoria, with UP-Tuks going on to lift their maiden title, and this year the scene shifts to the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch with hosts Maties yet to lose a game this season.
The three-time champions were pushed to the absolute limit in their home semifinal by a determined FNB NMMU side who went down 16-15 in their first-ever play-off match.
The Eastern Cape side showed incredible fighting spirit in the extremely windy conditions and threw absolutely everything at Maties in the dying stages as they searched for an upset, but it was not to be and the home side held on to qualify for their fifth final.
Earlier on Monday defending champions UP-Tuks blew FNB UJ away in their trans-Jukskei semifinal, scoring eight tries on their way to a resounding 61-24 victory in Pretoria.
The home side were ruthless and heaped pressure on UJ who scored three tries of their own but did not come close to matching the rampant UP-Tuks outfit.
In the Varsity Shield Peter de Villiers’ FNB UWC side qualified for their first-ever final with a 28-12 victory over FNB Fort Hare in Bellville.
They will meet the FNB CUT Ixias who kept their unbeaten run for the season going with a comfortable 42-20 victory over wooden spoonists FNB TUT.
The Bloemfontein side have played in all three Varsity Shield finals, and they will host their second against UWC next week while the TUT Vikings were left to reflect on a disappointing campaign after getting relegated from the Varsity Cup last year.
The final of the Varsity Young Guns competition will also see UP-Tuks take on Maties after both sides secured home semifinal victories on Monday.
