In 2016 UWC came agonisingly close to winning Varsity 7s, losing out to neighbours Maties. But in the year that the UWC 15-man team qualified for the Varsity Cup, could it also be their year in the sevens format?
Following their emphatic run to the Varsity 7s final in 2016, UWC were unable to build momentum last year, suffering three losses as they slumped to a sixth place finish.
But the university would be celebrating just months later as their 15-man team ran rampant in the Varsity Shield to earn promotion to the Varsity Cup for 2019. The momentum continued as their sevens side recently won the USSA 7s tournament, defeating 2017 champions UJ in the final.
The 2018 Varsity 7s format has changed and it may suit UWC. Instead of 10 teams facing one another in the group stage, there will now be 12 teams split into three pools of four.
UWC couldn’t have asked for an easier group, with Madibaz and two newcomers in CPUT and WSU.
The core group of their team remains, as players who have brought UWC much success, such as Rohaan Adams and Verno Treu, return this year, alongside Varsity Shield stars Kurt-Lee Arendse and Keagan Fortune. It’s a great opportunity for UWC o lift the title!
UWC fixtures for 5 October
10:00 UWC vs CPUT
12:12 UWC vs Madibaz
14:24 UWC vs WSU
UWC squad
| Hendrik Schalk | Carstens |
| Verno | Treu |
| Bradman | Grove |
| Khayle | Isaacs |
| Jason | Cloete |
| Kurt-Lee | Arendse |
| Ethan | Setera |
| Keagan | Fortune |
| Byron | Isaacs |
| Shane | Pietersen |
| Rohaan | Adams |
| Tauriq | Isaacs |
