Their senior counterparts may have left the Varsity Cup competition a bit prematurely, but the NWU Eagles Young Guns aimed to go all the way when they squared off against Tuks in Stellenbosch on Monday, 25 April. It was not to be. The team from Pretoria, doing what Pretoria-based teams seem to be doing in every conceivable rugby competition in South Africa over the past year, beat the Eagles Young Guns 22–14. 

It is not the fairy-tale ending the boys were hoping for, but the journey proved to be memorable. 

In the opening round of the Varsity Cup Young Guns competition, the NWU Eagles beat the University of the Western Cape 29–0 and then demolished Maties 55–26 in Stellenbosch. The CUT Ixias then fell 31–14 in Potchefstroom, and Tuks suffered the same fate at the same venue a week later by going down 22–7 to the Eagles.

Next up was UJ at Olën Park in Potchefstroom. They suffered a 22–7 loss, and in the semi-finals Ikeys ran the Eagles close at the Fanie du Toit Sport Grounds, eventually succumbing 33–27.

This left the undefeated Eagles, the only undefeated side in the tournament, to face Tuks in the final. And the rest is history.

Eagles coach Hannes Esterhuizen again proved why he is so highly regarded when it comes to bringing out the best in young rugby players. He has an uncanny way of unearthing and developing potential and deserves all the plaudits coming his way.

There may be no trophy in their cabinet, but the NWU Eagles Young Guns have plenty to feel proud of.