Historic promotion to Varsity Cup for UWC team
THE University of the Western Cape’s rugby team has been promoted to the Varsity Cup, which is one of South Africa’s premier university rugby competitions.
This is the first time the university’s team has been promoted, after they beat all their opponents to finish at the top of the Varsity Shield tournament. The FNB UWC side achieved their historic moment by beating the University of Fort Hare 39-18 at UWC Sports Stadium on Thursday.
“The brotherhood, the players, stuck together. They trust each other and have been working as a team throughout. That has been good for UWC rugby,” said coach Chester Williams, who has been guiding the team since 2016. Williams is assisted by fellow Springbok Bolla Conradie.
UWC also won the Varsity Shield last year after beating the same Fort Hare team. But they stayed in the Shield another year, as promotion to the Varsity Shield only happens every second year.
Of their coaches, Aidynn Cupido, the UWC captain, said: “They have vast experience from the Springboks and the World Cup, and that is something you cannot replace. We are very grateful to have them in our team.”
The university’s rector, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, has been a staunch supporter of UWC’s team, attending all the home games, starting with the first game of their campaign, on February 19, when they trounced Walter Sisulu University 42-5.
On Thursday night, he stood in the stands to watch his side explode in cheers and celebration as the final whistle sounded. “Our team, under the stewardship of former Springbok player Chester Williams, have put in two years of hard work and dedication to get to this point,” he said.
“Advancing to next year’s Varsity Cup is proof that UWC is committed to excellence, performing at the highest levels and nurturing talent. I am very proud of the team and coaching staff, whose hard work has been rewarded with their move to the top tier in university rugby,” Pretorius said.