The NWU Eagles demonstrated their strength and attacking prowess by dismantling Emeris 63 – 15 at the Fanie du Toit Sportsgrounds on Monday, 23 February. This victory saw the Eagles climb to the top of the table with ten points, level with second place FNB-UP Tuks after match day two of the 2026 varsity Cup season.
Emeris took an early 5-0 lead in the 11th minute by exploiting a weakness in the Eagles’ defence. However, this lead was short-lived, as the Eagles responded with a well-constructed attack in the 16th minute to take a 7-5 lead. The momentum then shifted in favour of the Purple Army.
The Eagles extended their lead to 14 -5 by the 22nd minute, and their aggressive attack stretched the score to 21-5 before the closing stages of the first half. Two additional tries and an accurate penalty conversion by MJ Mostert handed the home side a commanding 30-point lead at halftime.
Eight minutes into the second half, the Eagles once again sliced through Emeris’ defence to make it 42-5. Throughout the game, the Eagle’s defence stood firm, shutting down the attacking channels of Emeris and forcing them to make mistakes. The purple army showed no remorse as they continued to pile pressure, further extending the score to 56 – 15 before sealing a convincing 63 - 15 victory at full time. Therlow Prins was named man of the match in recognition of his resilience and pride displayed on the pitch.
Teams:
FNB NWU Eagles: Alethwa Buthelezi, Jordan McLoughlin, Jason Oosthuizen, Sthephan Krugel (C), Rianel Turner, Ricardo Fourie, Tian van Zyl, Sean Roulston, Njabulo Dladla, MJ Mostert, Therlow Prins, Aiden De Villiers, Mathew Fourtuin, Luyolo Doyi, Luan van der Walt.
FNB Emeris: Christoff Etzebeth, Jacques Marais (C), Soso Maseko, Robert Everson, Kuhle Mthimkhulu, Sphelelo Mbonambi, Lifa Ncwana, Juan Steyl, Chirs Els, Drico Marx, Edward Siguake, Mambo Mhkize, Chris Horak, Nkazimulo Mzollo, Chinjindu Okota.
FNB NWU YGs vs FNB Maties YGs
In a thrilling round one fixture of the Varsity Cup Young Guns campaign, the NWU Young Guns hosted Maties in Potchefstroom, securing a hard-fought 33-28 home victory. This win has certainly set the tone for the season. Recent contests between the two sides have seen the City of Oaks outfit fall short on numerous occasions, with the close results emphasising how evenly matched the two teams are.
NWU YGs went into half-time leading 14-7, but the second half was much tighter as Maties tried to upset the home team. Both teams are familiar with each other’s strengths: Maties are known for their structured play and physical presence. However, the NWU YGs have proven their ability to persevere under pressure - a quality that was showcased in their first win of the season.
The second half became much tighter with the fans were treated to tactical chess matches which was decided by defensive discipline and resilience. With both the NWU Eagles and YGs winning at home, the Fanie du Toit Sports continues to be a slaughter house.
Teams:
NWU YGs: Kian Rademeyer, De Wet Du Plooy, Botshelo Motsepe, Enrich Potgieter, Raluano Ramano, Christoff Nel, Adrian Freemantle, Gj Steenberg, Marcwin Nero, Marno Greeff, David Ndala, Sbabalwe Magwebu, Lorenzo Kroutz, Willem Van Der Berg, Anele Ngwenya.
Maties YGs: Bulela Mbala, Thomas Muller, Gert Cloete, Mathew Gabriel, Pierre Van Selm, Wihan Kotze, Naz Issacs, Gcina Puzi, Liam De Silva, Roydan Madatt, Caleb Louw, Matt Kleyn, Doan Nel, Kwenzokuhle Dlamini, Dawid Badenhorst
NWU YGs secure first home win
MJ Mostert displaying his kicking expertise
