They came, they saw, and they conquered. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles have been crowned the new Varsity Cup champions after beating Ikeys from the University of Cape Town (UCT at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom, on Monday night, 17 April 2023.
This win marks the first time the NWU Eagles have won the trophy since 2016 and the second time overall.
It was the culmination of a dream campaign for the Eagles, who, under the guidance of coach Burger van der Westhuizen, topped the Varsity Cup log, having only lost one game during the group stages.
Nerve-wracking, nail-biting and mesmerising the game was for ages. The Eagles only missed 16 tackles and made a mountain complete. The half-time score read 20-9 for the Eagles.
The Eagles were backed by the fanatical home support, with the stands painted in the NWU’s distinctive purple. No one could have perfectly set the stage for such an unforgettable evening for the Eagles team.
Ikeys had nothing to lose, which did not bode well for the Eagles. The home team was a firm favourite, and all the pressure was on them. However, they had everything going for them.
The team had a lingering 2014 disaster to contend with, although none of the players was part of the team that lost to Ikeys during that final in Potchefstroom, they were well aware of the stigma sticking since that encounter. Ikeys scored three tries quickly to eradicate the Eagles’ more-than-comfortable lead with five minutes of game time to spare.
Would the hex of nine years ago hold?
It didn’t.
The NWU Eagles showed great fortitude and resolve. They kept fighting. They kept defending, resulting in their victory.
"Congratulations to our NWU Eagles, this was a well-deserved victory. You were great! It was a triumph seven years after we last won the Varsity Cup in 2016, and we have reclaimed our mantle as Varsity Cup champions. "The NWU community is proud of you. We are indeed the champions," says Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the NWU.
