Experienced FNB Madibaz captain Leon van der Merwe will aim for the perfect farewell when he leads the Gqeberha team in the FNB Varsity Shield final against FNB Varsity College in Durban.
The inspirational No 8, who is in his final Shield campaign before hanging up his academic boots, has been central to Mandela University’s resurgence in 2025.
They have strung together an incredible seven consecutive victories to force their way into second place on the log. Whatever happens in the final, their final position on the points table guarantees them a Varsity Cup promotion-relegation playoff against UJ.
But, before that, the skipper knows they need to find a weakness in the armour of a formidable Varsity College outfit, who beat them 40-14 in the opening round in mid-February.
The Madibaz have been on an upward curve ever since and posted a dominant 41-24 semifinal victory over FNB UWC, whom they only managed to beat with a last-gasp effort in the group stages.
Now, it is about deciphering the secret code that has propelled their final opponents to the top of the Shield standings with only a narrow 36-40 loss to UWC blotting their near-perfect record.
FNB Varsity College finished first by virtue of collecting eight bonus points to Madibaz’s five.
“To have a chance of winning, we’ll need to be disciplined, smart and adaptable,” said Van der Merwe.
“If we give them space, they’ll punish us. We need to play our style, stay composed and trust that our unity and hard work will give us the edge.”
“The final called for a compact defence, closing off their opponents’ passing lanes and avoiding turnovers “in dangerous areas.
“This is the biggest game in front of us. We’re putting everything into it. We’ll only think about the next step once the final is done.”
Van der Merwe made his Varsity Cup debut in 2022 and took over the captaincy in 2023 following a long-term injury to regular skipper Arnouw Nel.
“It’s truly an honour to lead this team. Working with such a talented and dedicated group has been incredibly rewarding.”
He confessed that the “trust and camaraderie we’ve built go far beyond the game”.
“Once they found their feet, they began to express themselves and really showcase their abilities,” he said.
“I always try to lead with consistency, accountability and effort, whether in training or on game day. My goal was to make smart decisions under pressure. Then there’s no challenge we can’t overcome.”