The 2022 Varsity Cup could justifiably be called the most important in the existence of this competition, as not only will it be important for the universities to win this year's competition after Covid 19 disrupted the past two year's competitions, it will also be a catfight at the bottom of the log as two teams will be automatically relegated to the Shield competition after the log points of 2021 and 2022 were combined.
At this early stage Maties and Ikeys must be seen as the early favourites while the Shimlas showed that will not easily be forced into the relegations zone. TUKS and NWU Eagles should make appearances in the playoffs while the Madibaz is seemingly well on their way to being relegated.
FNB NWU Eagles 26-35 FNB UCT Ikeys
2021 finalists, UCT scored a last-minute try to beat NWU in the opening round of the 2022 FNB Varsity Cup in Potchefstroom on Monday. FNB UCT fought back from a 12-point deficit to claim a bonus-point win against FNB NWU at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds.
The hosts dominated the set pieces and controlled the game for much of the first half. Flyhalf Nivan Petersen contributed 16 points from the kicking tee as NWU took a commanding 26-14 lead into the break.
The Ikeys improved at the scrum and lineout in the second halfa and managed to draw level with the Eagles as the end of the game approached. They may have taken the lead several times at the death if not for three missed goal attempts.
The match was decided in the final minute when Ikeys replacement Duran Koevort pounced on a loose ball and raced away to score a point-of-origin (seven-point) try, and Kyle Bowman rubbed salt into the hosts' wounds with his conversion, which denied the Eagles a losing bonus point.
FNB UP-Tuks 09-19 FNB Maties
The match between FNB Maties and FNB Tuks in Pretoria was a proper humdinger, with replacement hooker Sean Swart scoring a 70th-minute try which gave the visitors a 19-9 win at Tuks Stadium.
Not only were both teams guilty of making several unforced errors, but their decision making at especially the line-outs and penalty attempts could have swung the game either way.
Maties dominated possession and territory but weren’t able to take their try-scoring chances in the first half. They relied on captain Adriaan van der Bank to keep the scoreboard ticking over, with opposite number Jandré Burger also kicking three penalties to make it 9-9.
The visitors' bold decision to kick a late penalty to touch instead of at goal paid off as they won the lineout and Swart rumbled over the try-line. Replacement Jurie Mathee kicked the conversion and added an 80th-minute penalty to seal the win.
FNB UWC 16-56 FNB Shimlas
FNB UFS Shimlas showed their attacking teeth when they ran in eight tries against FNB UWC in Bellville to record a comfortable 56-16 win which shot them to the top of the standings.
The visitors were utterly relentless, scoring five unanswered tries in the first half, while discipline was a problem for the hosts as UWC conceded a number of penalties, two yellow cards, as well as a penalty try.
Shimlas stretched their lead to 42 points before UWC finally troubled the scorers. Despite a late fightback by the hosts, the visitors still managed to rack up a half-century of points.
FNB Wits 31-20 FNB Madibaz
FNB Wits got their 2022 campaign off to a flying start when they put five tries past the FNB Madibaz for a 31-20 victory at Wits Rugby Stadium.
The underdogs from Gqeberha competed well in the initial stages and led 6-5 after 23 minutes thanks to two Chadwyn November penalties.
The complexion of the game changed, however, after Warwick Griffin was shown a yellow card in the 31st minute. Wits scored two tries while the Madibaz tighthead was in the sin bin. By half-time, they had amassed a 19-6 lead.
Restored to 15 men, the visitors fought back in the early stages of the second half. They failed to maintain that effort, however, as the contest moved into the final quarter.
Wits reasserted their dominance, scoring two quick tries to secure the victory as well as the bonus point for four tries or more.
FNB CUT 42-44 FNB UJ
FNB UJ withstood a committed FNB CUT fightback to claim a 44-42 win at CUT Rugby Stadium in Bloemfontein, where the visitors led 27-7 after 33 minutes only to find themselves trailing 42-38 with 11 minutes remaining.
However, UJ hit back when flank CJ Masuku went over for their sixth try, which flyhalf Jonathan Viljoen converted, and while CUT pushed hard for a match-winning try they had to be satisfied with two bonus points.
The Orange Army started the match well when flank Johannes Terblanche scored two early tries from mauls to make it 13-0 after 16 minutes.
But some harsh words from coach Braam van Straaten during the first strategy break lit a fire under his players and set up a thrilling second half.
