Varsity Cup: Shimlas take on Pukke in Bloem

Pukke File Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Pukke File Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Published Feb 26, 2017

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The winners of the last two editions of the Varsity Cup square off in the big match in week five of the competition in Bloemfontein today.

Hosts Shimlas, winners in 2015, take on the Pukke from the North West Univerisity, the winners last season. And there’s not much between the teams as the competition reaches the half-way point.

Shimlas (14 points) beat town rivals, the Central University of Technology, in a postponed fixture last week because of a water-logged field to be in second place in the standings with three wins from four matches. 

Pukke meanwhile are third, with 13 points, after also registering three wins from four matches.

Expect a massive contest between these traditional rivals, with kickoff being at 7pm.

Log-leaders, the Maties from the University of Stellenbosch, also face a big encounter when they travel to Cape Town to take on their traditional rivals, the Ikeys from the University of Cape Town. There is never any love lost between these teams and on this occasion it is the men from the winelands who must be the favourites.

They top the log with three wins from four matches, while UCT are fifth having won twice. They have nine points in the bank compared to Maties’ 14.

Another intriguing match, also scheduled for Bloemfontein, will see the Central University of Technology host the University of Johannesburg; both teams playing for survival in a sense.

CUT, coached by former Springbok hooker Tiaan Liebenberg, have shown good signs this season, but have yet to register a win in three outings. In fact they haven’t even got a point in the bag.

On home soil though they’ll fancy their chances against the men from Johannesburg, who themselves haven’t been too flash this year. They beat Tukkies 18-17 last week for their only win so far in three matches and will be desperate to make it two wins on the trot.

In the fourth match of week five, Tukkies from Pretoria host Wits, with the former the hot favourites to make it three wins from four matches. Wits, who weren’t in action last week and have blown hot and cold up to now, will do well to push Tukkies on their howe patch.

Madibaz from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University take a breather this week.

Fixtures:

UCT v Maties 4.45pm; Tuks v Wits 6.30pm; CUT v UJ 6.30pm; Shimlas v Pukke 7pm.

Independent Media

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