They say that history tends to repeat itself. If that is true then here are six clues at what Varsity Football’s history tells us and who will most likely be the champion of the 2018 season.
1. Debutants have never won
In five years of Varsity Football, the newly promoted team has never won. CUT were the closest, reaching the semi-finals, but never truly looked capable of winning the title. This would rule out both UKZN and UL.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
2. No winner has ever lost more than two matches in a season
Historically, teams winning the title have done so by starting and finishing strongly. Although you can’t completely rule out a fairytale comeback, this rules out UWC.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
3. Miserly defence the hallmark of a winner
The title-winning team has regularly built their season on a rock solid defence. Although they look strong this season, Wits’s defence is leaking goals too easily. Already conceding four in three matches.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
4. Away form
Winning on the road is vital to a title-winning campaign. Although TUT are looking strong, their entire campaign will be on the road and they have already failed to defeat UL, who conceded seven goals a week earlier. Even if they reached the semi-finals and final, they would both be away.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
5. Tuks have too much to do
With four matches remaining in the group stage, including two matches away and one at home to table-toppers NWU, Tuks have too much to do at this stage of the competition. No team has been fifth with just four points after three matches and gone on to win the competition.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
6. Finals experience
NWU have scraped through to semi-finals or not even been on the radar in the past few years. While they were dominant forces in the early years and have since faded, UJ have grown from strength to strength, and a number of their players were recently in a final (2016) and only narrowly lost. If they were to reach the final again this season, they’d have experience on their side.
NWU
UJ
Wits
Tuks
UL
UKZN
UWC
TUT
