The Varsity Cup kicked off with some exciting matches on Monday a week ago and today there are some great contests on the menu again later today.
FNB NWU Eagles host FNB UWC @ 17h00 in Potchefstroom, hoping to not slump to another defeat after they dominated in a brilliant 1st half display of Varsity rugby against the Ikeys.
The slump of the Eagles started with the replacement of star flyhalf Nivan Petersen who is nursing an injury. Although UWC will not be able to overrun the Eagles like the Ikeys did a quality replacement for Peterson needs to be found sooner than later.
The UWC comes off a 56-16 thrashing from the Shimlas in Bloemfontein and will have to improve a lot to be a threat to the Eagles who played in the Varsity Cup semi-finals in 2021
FNB Wits will host FNB CUT Ixias @ 19h00 in Johannesburg.
This could be the most exciting fixture of Round 2 of the 2022 Varsity Cup. Wits who are still in the "danger" zone regarding the relegation will want to add another 5 points to put some space between them and the bottom of the log.
Wits will be looking to build on its great start (31-20) against the Madibaz while the Ixias will hope for a better start to their match after the trailed 7-27 against UJ at the end of the first half last weekend. UJ scored a try during the last seconds of the match to secure a 44-44 draw.
We Preview Round 2 of the Varsity Cup Matches
FNB Madibaz will host FNB TUKS @ 19h00 in Gqeberha.
One would not blame the hosts who are 13 log points behind 9th placed UJ on the combined 2021/2022 log to rather concentrate on their Round 3 fixture against UWC when they could salvage some log points to avoid an almost certain automatic relegation to the Varsity Shield at the end of 2022.
The Madibaz competed well in the initial stages of their match against FNB Wits before a yellow card to loosehead Warwick Griffin cost them momentum late in the first half.
Against a big dominating pack of TUKS, the evening could/will just become very dark for the hosts. TUKS on the other hand have to concentrate on making the right decision during the game. Poor decision making cost them several scoring opportunities against Maties a week ago.
Maties will travel to Bloemfontein well knowing that the Shimlas of 2021 is not the team they will encounter @ 19h00.
In the early stages, Maties is once again one of the favourites to lift the trophy at the end of the season and one will have to see if the "new" Shimlas have the ammunition to compete with the big dogs in this year's Varsity Cup.
Andre Tredoux and his coaching staff have revived the once feared Shimlas which is clearly reflected in the eight tries that they scored in their win against UWC (56-16) a week ago.
However, they must first overcome the big pack of the Maties' combined with brilliant defensive structures. Add to that the powerful runs of Taigh Schoor from 12 that tested TUKS' defence on Monday. The loss of 8th-man Louw Nel unfortunately will impact the attacking dangers of Maties.
FNB UCT Ikeys will host FNB UJ in Bellville at 17h00.
UJ will be desperate for a win as they try to evade the relegation ghost especially after their "win" against CUT Ixias was overturned after an appeal by CUT after the match. UJ are currently second from the bottom on the 2021/2022 log on 18 log points, two points behind 8th placed UWC.
UCT Ikeys will have to make a better start to the match than they did in their win of 35-26 against the NWU Eagles. The Ikeys scored 26 unanswered points during the last 45 minutes of the match against the Eagles to win in the dying seconds of the match.