University of Johannesburg: Rugby clinches famous victory in the second bubble of FNB Varsity Cup
In one of the famous victories for the University of Johannesburg (UJ) sport, the institution’s rugby team clinched their first win in the second bubble of the 2021 FNB Varsity Cup tournament on Thursday, 22 April 2021. The eagerly awaited match was played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
UJ played their fourth match in the tournament against Eastern Cape side, Madibaz (Nelson Mandela University), in a nail-biting encounter that ended with a 33-22 win for the Orange Army, as UJ is affectionately known.
The prestigious tournament was not devoid of the usual drama, whenever the country’s universities lock horns for the coveted prize. The stakes were raised in the initial stages of the tournament, with the universities of University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria and the Central University of Technology all dominating the first bubble. They all convincingly won their opening three matches, leaving the rest of the teams with all to do in the subsequent matches.
After the11-day break, UJ regrouped and clawed its way back in the second bubble with a victory against the Madibaz. The UJ team will now be looking to secure its second win in the fifth round of the tournament (second match in the second bubble) on Tuesday, 27 April 2021. UJ will take on Shimlas (University of the Free State), who were beaten 59-5 by UCT on Thursday.
UJ Senior Executive Director, Student Affairs, University Relations, and UJ Sport, Dr Nolitha Vukuza was full of praise for the Orange Army. “We congratulate the boys, the coach and the technical staff on this victory. We wish the team all the best in the second bubble, she said, adding that the University community will the cheering the teams from homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament is being broadcast live on SuperSport TV.
UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, congratulated the team and said he wished the victory will inspire other sport teams at the University to do well in various tournaments.