Wits held onto their slender two-point lead for the final ten minutes.

Wits, despite being down to 13 men at one stage, secured their place in the Varsity Cup next year with a hard-fought 19-17 victory over defending Varsity Shield champions, CUT, in a dramatic final played in Bloemfontein last night.

The result means that CUT (Central University of Technology) will line up against the Ikey Tigers in the promotion/relegation match which will serve as one of two curtain-raisers to the Varsity Cup Final in Pretoria next Monday.

The FNB Varsity Shield is a second tier competition that started in 2011 for five more universities than compete in the Varsity Cup. Success in the Varsity Shield Tournament means promotion to the high stakes Varsity Cup competition the following year.

Last Monday, Stellenbosch University’s Maties smashed their challengers from UJ 23-0 in a semi-final triumph which will see the men in maroon face TUKS in the Varsity Cup Final next week in Pretoria.

[Source: News 24, Varsity Cup]