Well, isn’t that a pretty picture? The North-West University (NWU) Eagles are sitting on top of the Varsity Cup log after beating CUT Ixias 53-46 in Bloemfontein.

In what was perhaps a case of complacency, the Eagles allowed a generous half-time lead of 37-12 to be systematically etched away by the home side, especially in the last 10 minutes when the Ixias scored three converted tries.

It was a late, impressive blitzkrieg by the underdogs, but the Eagles’ opening salvos proved effective enough to secure the win.

Ruan “Sampie” Swiegers, the former captain of the 2023 FNB Varsity Cup champions, the North-West University (NWU) Eagles, takes us down memory lane. “A lot of memories come to mind when I think of having studied at the NWU for seven years. I know every part of Potchefstroom, the good and the bad,” said Ruan. Apart from roaming around the lively Potchefstroom Campus or enjoying a braai with friends at the residence, Ruan says he will forever treasure the memory of representing the NWU on the rugby field.

Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening. Dangerous weather meant that the North-West University (NWU) Eagles could not complete their Varsity Cup clash against UJ in Johannesburg on Monday night, and the game had to be replayed on Tuesday morning, 19 March. The result? It rained tries as the visitors from Potchefstroom ran in seven times to make it four wins from five games. The scoreboard read 49-12.

The NWU Eagles’ hiccup against the Shimlas a week ago has been followed by a refreshing gulp of points against Wits at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds on Monday, 11 March.

The Eagles lit up Potchefstroom with seven tries against the visitors from Johannesburg for a resounding 51-22 win to temporarily erase memories of their 35-26 reverse in Bloemfontein.

Rugby World Cup-winning coach and former Director of Rugby of SA Rugby, Johan “Rassie” Erasmus, is to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the North-West University (NWU). The NWU Council approved the decision during their ordinary meeting on Thursday, 16 November 2023. The request for the awarding of the degree Philosophiae Doctor (Honoris Causa), in the discipline Coaching Science, was made by the NWU’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

Two rounds and two resounding wins. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles gave their home crowd at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds enough to cheer about as they beat the University of the Western Cape (UWC) 49–15 in their Varsity Cup clash.

A purple wave of six tries washed over the visitors and the tide was firmly in the Eagles’ favour. Telling is the – perhaps mournful – fact that a number of opportunities for the home team went to waste. The Eagles should have won by a bigger margin, and they will be the first to admit it.

How’s that for laying down a marker? The North-West University (NWU) Eagles, the defending champions, showed no ring rust as they got their Varsity Cup campaign off to the best of starts by beating Maties 23-12 at the hallowed Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.

The tennis courts on the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU) will once again play host to some of the world’s top junior players when two ITF J100 tournaments serve their first volleys on 26 February.

ITF is an acronym for the International Tennis Federation, which is the governing body of world tennis.

The tournaments, the last of which will conclude on 8 March, will once again showcase the NWU’s world-class facilities and underline why the university is the preferred destination for international athletes and events.

His name is Schalk, Schalk Pretorius. And if it had not been for Schalk Pretorius, the North-West University (NWU) would have lost a tennis champion.

Many years ago, in the maize farming community of Bothaville, a young Schalk decided that he wanted to play tennis. Very well, said Mom Erika and Dad Vickus, you will play tennis. If the one child plays, the other one does too, and Schalk’s three-year-old sister Suzanie – still more toddler than person – also received a racket in the hand.

She is by no means overly tall, and on the netball court she is often surrounded by skyscrapers. However, heart and courage are not measured in centimetres, and Martiné Jordaan from the North-West University (NWU) is a firebrand on the court.

She has even caught the eye of the selectors for the Protea team, and from 22 to 28 January she was part of a national training camp in Stellenbosch.

Here her fearlessness was clearly apparent, but she says she undergoes a metamorphosis when she leaves the court.