Maties to face old foes UCT Ikeys in 2025 Varsity Cup final

UCT are by way of to their fourth consecutive remaining after defeating UP-Tuks at Tuks Stadium with a decisive efficiency whereas Maties earned a hard-fought victory over defending champions UFS Shimlas on the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.

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The Ikey Tigers picked up their second win over the the Stripe Era this season whereas the Maroon Machine avenged their loss to the Shimlas in final yr’s semi-finals.

The Cape sides will face off on Monday, 14 April within the Varsity Cup remaining on the Danie Craven Stadium.

UP-Tuks 35-48 UCT Ikeys

UCT Ikeys accomplished the double on UP-Tuks to ebook their place within the remaining with an exciting 48-35 triumph at Tuks Stadium on Monday.

The Ikeys began off scorching with back-to-back tries to cement their dominance within the opening 10 minutes courtesy of Thomas Nel and Luke Burger.

An excellent piece of play from Nel registered the primary factors on the board earlier than Burger powered over to double the lead.

Tuks responded with three factors from Jandre Burger to scale back the deficit to simply eight factors.

With the depth rising, each level mattered for each side, which noticed each including a mixed 9 extra factors, six from the guests and three for the Stripe Era.

Each side had been then diminished to 14-men and UCT capitalised with a strive from Xola Nyali.

MJ Nel powered over following a strong maul from UCT 22-metre line noticed the Tuks Stadium erupt and UCT take a 15-point lead on the break.

The half-time discuss from Tuks proved fruitful as they returned with a strive following an astonishing break from Kamohelo Tlome who arrange Andile Myeni for the host’s second strive of the night time.

Nonetheless, a right away response from the guests noticed Nel dot down to finish his brace.

Keagan Blanckenberg then powered over the road to stretch UCT’s lead.

With Tuks preventing to remain in sport, substitute Cayno February flew over the road from one other Tuks maul.

UCT already had their identify written on a finals spot as they held agency in defence to safe their place within the remaining regardless of Tuks including extra factors with a strive from Bom Louw.

Maties 19-7 UFS Shimlas

Of their one hundred and fiftieth yr, Maties will face arch-rivals Ikey Tigers within the Varsity Cup remaining after securing a hard-fought 19-7 victory over UFS Shimlas in a tense semi-final at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.

With rain halting simply earlier than the match, the moist circumstances made dealing with tough, setting the stage for a low-scoring, tactical battle.

Maties instantly put stress on the guests, who struggled with unforced errors all through.

The house facet, led by coach Kabamba Flooring, managed the sport with sensible ways, changing stress into three well-placed penalties by flyhalf Christiaan van Heerden Smith.

Shimlas fought again within the second quarter, intensifying the stress, particularly after Maties had been diminished to 13 gamers attributable to two yellow playing cards.

Although they couldn’t capitalise on all their probabilities, the boys from Bloemfontein earned a penalty strive, closing the hole to 9-7 at half-time.

After the break, Maties proper wing Grant de Jager made his mark, chasing down a kick from Van Heerden Smith to attain some extent of origin strive from his personal half.

Regardless of lacking the conversion, Van Heerden Smith added one other penalty, making it 19-7.

In a match dominated by ahead play, it was De Jager’s opportunistic try to fixed risk in assault that stole the present, making certain Maties’ place within the remaining.