The Eagles' victory in their rescheduled round seven clash sets up a semi-final meeting with table-topping UCT Ikeys at Tuks Stadium on Friday (19h00), with second-placed Maties taking on third-placed UP-Tuks in the first semi-final (17h00). Both matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport Rugby (channel 211).
Promotion / Relegation
There will be no promotion or relegation after the 2021 FNB Varsity Cup tournament. As confirmed before the start of the 2021 season, at the end of the 2022 season, the two teams at the bottom of the combined 2021-2022 FNB Varsity Cup log will automatically be relegated to the FNB Varsity Shield, while the team at the bottom of the combined 2021-2022 FNB Varsity Shield log will automatically be relegated from that competition.
From the 2023 season, there will be eight teams in the Cup and eight in the Shield. The team ending bottom on the FNB Varsity Cup log will automatically be relegated to the FNB Varsity Shield, while the team finishing top of the FNB Varsity Shield log will automatically be promoted to the FNB Varsity Cup.
There will be no promotion/relegation match between the seventh-placed FNB Varsity Cup team and the second-placed FNB Varsity Shield team. This automatic promotion and relegation will occur on an annual basis, and not a two-year cycle. The Varsity Cup Board of Directors will review the system annually.
Wits finished their 2021 FNB Varsity Cup campaign on a high.
Match and scoring summaries:
FNB UJ 20 (8), FNB Wits 22 (7)
Wits flyhalf Keagan Lailvaux kicked an 81st-minute drop goal to break UJ hearts in this dramatic Johannesburg derby. Wits’ third win of the campaign saw them leapfrog UJ into eighth place on the FNB Varsity Cup log.
UJ had only themselves to blame for the loss as their indiscipline resulted in four yellow cards – two in each half.
Scorers:
FNB UJ – Tries: Mpho Kubheka, Kayden Kiewit, Nkondlo Radebe. Conversion: Jurich Claasens. Penalty Goal: Claasens.
FNB Wits – Tries: Hlumelo Ndudula (2), Setshaba Mokoena. Conversions: Keagan Lailvaux (2). Drop goal: Lailvaux
FNB CUT Ixias 32 (15), FNB NWU Eagles 35 (25)
NWU withstood a brave comeback from CUT to secure a place in the semi-finals.
The Ixias outscored their opponents by five tries to three, but flyhalf Charles Williams missed three conversions, while opposite number Niven Petersen made no mistake with three conversions and four penalty goals in what was effectively a 'quarter-final' showdown.
Scorers:
FNB CUT Ixias – Tries: Brendon Fortuin, Janus Venter (2), Heino Bezuidenhout, Xander Botha. Conversions: Charles Williams (2). Penalty goal: Williams.
FNB NWU Eagles – Tries: Jeandré Leonard (1x5, 1x7), Ruben Dreyer. Conversions: Nivan Petersen (3). Penalty goals: Petersen (4).
