All roads lead to the Danie Craven Stadium Monday (14 April), when the all-Cape 2025 FNB Varsity Cup final will be contested by FNB Maties and FNB UCT.
This after the two sides were victorious in the respective semi-finals this past Monday evening (7 April). The Ikeys triumphed 35-48 over FNB UP-Tuks at Tuks Stadium in Pretoria, while Maties earned a hard-fought 19-7 win over FNB UFS Shimlas.
Wet conditions made handling difficult for both sides, setting the stage for a low-scoring, tactical battle. Maties immediately put pressure on the visitors, who struggled with unforced errors throughout the encounter. The home side, led by coach Kabamba Floors, controlled the game with smart tactics, converting pressure into three well-placed penalties by flyhalf Christiaan van Heerden-Smith.
Shimlas fought back in the second quarter, intensifying the pressure, especially after Maties were reduced to 13 players due to two yellow cards. Though they couldn’t capitalise on all their chances, the men from Bloemfontein earned a penalty try, closing the gap to 9-7 at half-time.
After the break Maties right wing Grant de Jager made his mark, chasing down a kick from Van Heerden-Smith to score a point-of-origin try from his own half. Despite missing the conversion, Van Heerden-Smith added another penalty a short while later, taking the score to 19-7. In a match dominated by forward play it was De Jager’s opportunistic try and constant threat on attack that did it, ensuring the Maroons’ place in the final.
Reaching the final of the prestigious competition in the institution’s 150th year is a fitting celebration for the Stellenbosch outfit, who will contest the final for the 11th time since the tournament’s establishment in 2008 and will by gunning for their sixth victory. Next week’s final will be the eighth time the Ikeys are involved in the “last dance” and they will hope to claim the spoils for the third time.
• The final match kicks-off at 19:00.
