FNB CPUT will go head-to-head with FNB WSU in the first clash of the 2020 Varsity Shield competition this Friday.

CPUT emerged as champions last year after beating FNB Madibaz 32-28 in the 79th minute of a nail-biting final.
The first game of the 2020 competition promises to be another action packed affair and the team calls on the CPUT community to come out and show their support.
Lunathi Nxele returns as team captain in 2020.
Friday’s game will be held at the Bellville Sports Stadium and will start at 19:00.
Tickets are available at the Wellington, Bellville and District Six cash offices and can also be bought at the gate on match day from 15:30
Student tickets cost R10 while non-students pay R20.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Research excellence and success will be celebrated during CPUT’s annual Research Day tomorrow.

The event at which the university will showcase its diverse range of research activities will be held in the Major Sports Hall on the Bellville Campus from 09H00.

This event is one of the highlights on the CPUT calendar and was first celebrated at CPUT in 2008 in order to promote a culture of research at the University.

CPUT researchers will be recognised for their contributions to the body of knowledge from publishing research papers to registering patents and even launching business companies.

Researchers who are newly-rated by the National Research Foundation will also be acknowledged during Research Day.

The highlight of the day will be the coveted research awards for research publication, postgraduate supervision and raising the most industry funding.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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FNB CPUT delivered a statement performance their supporters were hoping for as they ran riot during fulltime to score a comprehensive 76-5 drubbing of FNB Rhodes in their last round-robin match of the 2023 Varsity Shield at the Bellville Sports Stadium last night.

The visitors drew first blood against the home team with a try, leading 5-0 before the third-placed FNB CPUT levelled matters with a 5-5 score line. Before that, Rhodes stunned Alastair Theys' men in the sixth minute when their nippy scrumhalf Nkosinathi Mvelase pinned his ears back and ghosted the defence for the first points. This would however be the visitors' only points for the entire match.

The reply from the two-time Varsity Shield champions was a devastating blow for Rhodes – five tries within 15 minutes through Hugan Engelbrecht, Jo-Neil Baron, Lindisipho Kula, Heinrico Hartogh, and Iwaan Bloys added their names to the try-scoring list. Linton Maritz converted four of his five attempts.

CPUT headed into halftime with a strong 33-5 lead.

A rampant second-half display of skill, speed and precision was a step too far for Rhodes to contain. CPUT ran havoc, scoring twelve tries in total including a brace from Heinrico Hartogh. Maritz scored a try and converted seven of his ten attempts, taking his tally for the match to 19 points.

Speaking after the match, the elated Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, said: “They did well today, after two disappointments they came back, they bounced back like the CPUT that we know. They must actually keep their heads up. Disappointments are always there but you know what, setbacks must always be fulfilled by bounce backs. This was actually a huge comeback.”

Sport Development officer, Bulelani Mlakalaka, said: “The victory confirms a semi-final spot for the team against the [FNB] Madibaz in PE [Gqeberha]. The win gives the good momentum and confidence going into the semi-final.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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CPUT supporters witnessed an error strewn FNB CPUT performance as the home team started its reign in disappointing fashion, going down to visiting team, FNB NMU Madibaz despite having a numerical advantage for the majority of the match.

FNB CPUT’s campaign started with a 21-7 defeat in their quest to bring the trophy home this year. The visitors, FNB NMU Madibaz delivered the statement performance their supporters were hoping for as they forced a comprehensive 16 - 0 halftime scoreline against the hosts, FNB CPUT in their match at the Bellville Sports Stadium.

According to the Varsity Shield website the clinical and all-around disciplined performance by FNB Madibaz saw them edge FNB CPUT, 7-21, in the opening round of the FNB Varsity Shield in Bellville.

It was stated that the Cape side were at disadvantage early on when hooker, Lihle Kula, got red carded for a dangerous tackle in the opening quarter of the match.

Kehan Myburgh brought his kicking boots and slotted four of his five first-half attempts at goal. He converted Kyle Erasmus' 15th minute try, which handed Madibaz a 0-13 lead as the halftime approached. The sides headed into the sheds following a third penalty conversion with the visitors firmly in the lead, 0-16.

The website continued to say that the CPUT came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, Timothy Shortles scored the home side's first and what proved to be only try of the encounter. Myburgh added to kicking success by scoring his side's second try taking his tally to 16 points and extended the Madibaz lead. Despite concerted efforts, the two-time Varsity Shield champions could not penetrate the Madibaz's defensive resolve as they picked up an important away 7-21 victory against the formidable CPUT.

However, the disappointed coach, Alastair Theys, is upbeat about the next match against the FNB UP-Tuks at Tuks Stadium in Pretoria.” It’s unfortunate we lost our first game to NMU – I think from arugby perspective, we prepared well for the game. On the night I just think NMU was the more matured side in the way they handled the game…But CPUT, we looked dangerous on attack when we had a ball in hand but it's not clinical on the night. I do think if we were clinical on the night, we could have a different outcome of the game… Even in the build-up to the game, it was quite hectic for us…

“Nevertheless, we always stay positive as a team to try to overcome whatever challenges that can be thrown our away. I do think the campaign is still young as it was the first round of the campaign, We have a tough game coming this week against Tuks who came down from the Varsity Cup, and they have won the Varsity Cup on two occasions before they were relegated. So they are a tough outfit that is coming up.

Theys continued: “But I am confident that we are going to get better and better as the competition goes along. The aim is to get to knockout stages and it’s a game again because anything can happen in knockout stages. So the [CPUT]community can look forward to the good brand of rugby as it was on Friday night. We will try to turn it around for them and then just keep on doing our best as we are going forward into the tournament.”

FNB CPUT was crowned Varsity Shield champions in 2019 and 2021 and lost to FNB UWC in the final last year. For fixtures and logs, please click here.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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