Action during the 2023 Varsity Cup Final between NWU Eagles and UCT Ikeys at Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom on Monday Action during the 2023 Varsity Cup Final between NWU Eagles and UCT Ikeys at Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom on Monday. Photo: Catherine Kotze/BackpagePix
Cape Town — The North West University Eagles exorcised the ghost of 2014 on their way to beating the University of Cape Town in a tightly fought Varsity Cup final in Potchefstroom on Monday.
A dominant display in the first half, after they led 20-9 at the break, eventually ended up in a 27-25 victory over their opponents to lift the cup.
They had to defend for their lives at the death as the Ikeys threw the kitchen sink at them on the attack, trying to cause a comeback upset just like their team of 2014 did when they came from behind to clinch the Varsity Cup title in Potchefstroom.
But that defence, together with some massive counter-rucking just before the final whistle, earned them a penalty to kick the ball over the touchline for the win.
It was a game of two halves as the home side dominated proceedings at the Fanie du Toit Sportsgrounds for the first forty minutes. They had an overpowering scrum, a rumbling rolling maul and their defensive effort kept the dangerous runners of the Ikeys at bay.
At the back of the rolling maul, Eagles hooker Vernon Paulo was at his best. He scored twice for his team when they rolled the Ikeys with their mauls after good lineouts and after he pounced on a wayward Ikeys kick on their try line.
Paulo ended as the campaign's top try-scorer with 11 five-pointers behind his name.
The two other tries, from fullback Tino Swanepoel, were equally as good especially the one where he fielded a crossfield kick, then rounded the cover defence of the Ikeys with a neat little grubber kick to collect and dive over. With his first try, he caught the Ikeys defence napping to snipe on the blindside to cross the try line untouched.
The second half mostly belonged to the men from Cape Town as they scored early after the restart to get back in the game. Fullback Duran Koevert, eighth man Laro Delport and lock Rynhardt Crous had a good game for their side.
They fought their way back with some good interplay between the forwards and backs and stretched the defence of the Eagles. But in the end, it was just a bridge too far for them to repeat the exploits of their 2014 side claiming a comeback win.
For the Eagles, it's the first Varsity Cup title in front of their home crowd after they lost to the Maties and Ikeys previously. They of course have won the title before after beating Stellenbosch at the Danie Craven.
Points-scorers
NWU Eagles 27 — Tries: Vernon Paulo (2), Tino Swanepoel (2). Conversions: Zinedine Robinson (2). Penalty goal: Robinson.
UCT Ikeys 25 — Tries: Rynhardt Crous (7 points), Jacques van der Walt. Conversions: Ntokozo Makhaza (2). Penalty goals: Makhaza (3).
IOL Sport
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