While Maties and UJ secured their Varsity 7s final places, the remaining 10 teams played out for pride in intriguing clashes.
UP-TUKS LEAVE PIRATES WITH PODIUM PLACE
It wasn’t the match defending champions UP-Tuks or Madibaz wanted to be playing in, but there was the small matter of third place to fight over at Pirates Rugby Club.
UP-Tuks, arguably showed more desire for it, as they gave Madibaz a sevens rugby lesson with Dewald Naudé impressing throughout. The Stripe Generation’s tournament captain Lourens Pretorious also scored a Powerplay try and UP-Tuks were ahead 26-5 at the break.
The team from Pretoria came out even stronger in the second half and it was that man again Naudé who scored his second try of the game and capped off a brilliant tournament as his team romped to a 36-5 victory.
NWU CLAIM ‘BOWL’ WIN OVER CPUT
The Bowl final, effectively for fifth and sixth place, was contested between CPUT and NWU and it was a closely fought affair – as it was when they played in their 2018 closing match.
This time around, NWU brought the flair and commanded the first half as well as the second. The boys in purple were seemingly cruising, until the last minute when CPUT scored a Powerplay try to be within reach. The try was not enough for the Capetonians however, as NWU held on to win the match 24-19.
KOVSIES’ TOURNAMENT ENDS IN A WHIMPER
Kovsies and UWC contested the 7th/8th-place playoff in what was a fall from grace. This was especially so for the Free Staters who emerged the team to beat on the opening day before having their tournament hopes dashed in the Cup quarterfinals.
UWC duly feasted on Kovsies flailing morale, using their own cutting edge, to cruise to a 40-5 victory to clinch seventh place.
WSU TAKE BRAGGING RIGHTS BACK TO EASTERN CAPE
WSU and UFH contested an Eastern Cape derby for ninth and 10th place, and it lived up to potential. UFH got out of the blocks quickest as soon as the match began but WSU grew into the game and they dominated from there on.
WSU scored five tries, while UFH managed to do son only in the closing stages, and that truly deserved their 32-12 victory as they claimed 9th place while UFH finished 10th.
UCT CONDEMN WITS TO ‘WOODEN SPOON’
The battle to avoid the ‘wooden spoon’ was contested by Wits and UCT and it proved a no contest.
The Ikeys showed clear intent, and enjoyed their final clash of #Varsity7sFest 2019 by unveiling a different team celebration for every try which they scored. By winning 36-0, there were quite a few to bring smiles to the crowd’s faces – not so much, however, for Wits who finished last.
PLAYOFFS RESULTS
3rd/4th Madibaz 5 UP-Tuks 36
5th/6th CPUT 19 NWU 34
7th/8th Kovsies 5 UWC 40
9th/10th UFH 12 WSU 32
11th/12th Wits 0 UCT 36
By Nkosinathi Shazi
