The Eagles held on for a 27-25 victory over the team from the Mother City despite a second-half surge from the visitors as they attempted a repeat of the famous 2014 final between the two teams.

The previous final between these two teams was also in Potchefstroom when the Ikeys came back from 33-20 down to beat the then Pukke 39-33.

A brace of tries by Vernon Paulo and a try by Tino Swanepoel, assisted the Eagles to lead the final 20-9 at the half-time break. The Ikeys kept themselves in the game up until that point with three penalties by the winger, Ntokozo Makhaza.

In the second half, the Ikeys came out all guns blazing and a seven-point try by Reynhardt Crous saw them narrow the gap to just two points.

While the Ikeys launched wave after wave of attack in the second stanza, the Eagles defensive effort was simply outstanding.

Swanepoel gave the Eagles a cushion again by dotting down to complete his brace in the final, and pushed the score up to 27-18.

The Ikeys managed to score through the replacement Jac van der Walt to narrow the gap to just two points again.

Ultimately the Eagles hung on for dear life and they managed to see out the game for a 27-25 win which will go down as one of team’s finest moments on the field.

This was only the Eagles' second-ever Varsity Cup final after previously having won the tournament in 2016 when they edged the Maties 7-6 in Stellenbosch.

Earlier in the day, the Central University of Technology Ixias retained their Varsity Cup status as they ran riot in thumping the Madibaz 91-10 in the promotion-relegation match. The Ixias scored 13 tries and outclassed the visitors from Gqeberha, who in turn, managed to cross the whitewash on just one occasion.

NWU Eagles:  Tries - Vernon Paulo (2), Tino Swanepoel (2) Conv. - Zinedine Robinson (2). Pen - Robinson.

UCT Ikeys: Tries - Reynhardt Crous, Jac van der Walt Conv. - Ntokozo Makhaza (2). Pen. - Makhaza (3).

Morgan Piek OFM Sport