Big night for WSU All Blacks

THERE is everything to play for as the final round of group stage fixtures of the FNB Varsity Shield competition will be battled out tonight.

The Walter Sisulu University All Blacks face the biggest challenge of their fledgling Varsity Shield career as they take on the University of the Western Cape at the Buffalo City (BCM) Stadium, with them needing a win to guarantee them a spot in the semifinals.

UWC have already sealed the top spot on the log, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game and they will thus host a semifinal and possibly the final if they get that far.

However, WSU, who currently occupy the final semi spot, can possibly be passed by two teams below them if they lose the match.

“The boys are very excited. We all know what is at stake and we’re going to be playing as if it is the final,” WSU coach Sipho Metula said.

It’s an unfortunate situation for WSU, considering they have not lost a match on the field yet this season.

Their fielding of ineligible players in their first two matches meant those wins were overturned with the points going to the opposing teams, leaving WSU needing a win over the competition’s form team to qualify.

UWC, however, have proven they are not unbeatable as they lost to the Fort Hare Blues earlier in the competition and WSU will be confident having enjoyed some top performances at home so far this season.

“We believe that, along with UWC, we are the two form teams in the competition, so we think this will be a very exciting match and are looking forward to it,” Metula claimed.

“The boys have loved playing at the BCM Stadium during this season and the support here has been amazing, so we just want to thank them by putting in another massive performance against UWC.”

The other Eastern Cape team in action tonight, Rhodes University, will be playing their final Varsity Shield match of their debut season.

It has been a difficult campaign for Rhodes as they still search for their first win and they face a tough opponent in the University of KwaZuluNatal Impi in Durban.

The Impi will also be very motivated to get the win as they are still well on their way in the hunt for a semifinal spot. They will be targeting a full house of points against the challengers from Grahamstown.

Rhodes, however, have shown that they are more than capable in close defeats against the Central University of Technology and Tshwane University of Technology Vikings earlier in the season and hope to go one better this time and end their campaign on a high.

The University of Fort Hare Blues have a bye this week, safe with the knowledge that they are guaranteed a spot in the semifinals.

They will be watching the match between CPUT and the Vikings in Cape Town with great interest as a win for CPUT will see them leapfrog the Blues into second place and secure a home semifinal, while the Blues will then have to travel for their playoff match.

The Vikings will be going all out for a win as they still have a mathematical chance of making the semifinals.

All of tonight’s matches kick off at 6.30pm with still everything to play for.