After an emotional and hard-fought battle on the highveld, University of Cape Town (UCT) became rugby’s 2011 Varsity Cup winners last night against University of Pretoria (Tuks). UCT’s Ikey Tigers displayed impressive courage, mental strength and dare we say it, tiger blood, to beat Tuks 26-16 and emerge as champions for the first time since the tournament’s inception.

UCT recovered in the second half after trailing 16-10 to the hosts at half time. A heart-stopping defensive effort against Tuks, for 20 phases in the dying minutes of the game, proved the boys in blue and white were not prepared to relinquish the win this year. Ikeys have lost in the final on two other occasions since the Varsity Cup began in 2007. This was a big mental hurdle for them to overcome, and the team’s positive attitude during the tournament has been indicative of the great vibe within the UCT camp at the moment.

The victory was made all the sweeter for UCT supporters and players, considering Ikeys were forced to play the final away from home. This was despite having qualified to play the decider on home turf after the semi-final round two weeks ago. Owing to poor flood lighting at the Green Mile, UCT’s home ground, the critical game was hosted at the Tuks rugby stadium.

One wonders if the prize money will go any way to improving UCT’s infrastructure for next year’s campaign. In the face of limited financial resources, UCT has until now had to rely largely on the sheer commitment and passion of players and staff. The Ikeys’ Varsity Cup campaign budget is minimal compared with many other teams in the tournament.