A new Varsity Cup champion will be crowned on Monday, April 13 (2015), after UCT’s reign was ended by the UFS-Shimlas in Bloemfontein last night.

As a result, the unbeaten FNB UFS-Shimlas will now host NWU-Pukke in the first-ever FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International Final in Bloemfontein.

The Free State side saw off defending champions, UCT, in their home semifinal and NWU-Pukke edged table-topping FNB UP-Tuks in Pretoria to book a place in their second consecutive final.

A late try from flyhalf Jonny Welthagen saw NWU-Pukke snatch a dramatic 29-28 victory over UP-Tuks to send the two-time champions crashing out of the competition.

Welthagen had been the villain of NWU-Pukke’s defeat to UCT in last year’s final in Potchefstroom, but he turned to hero in Pretoria as a superb individual effort saw his side through.

NWU-Pukke were the only team to beat UP-Tuks in the round robin phase of the competition and they made it a season double to set up a final clash against their old rivals in Bloemfontein on Monday, April 13.

Shimlas proved too strong for the Ikeys in the first semifinal, outscoring the Cape side by three tries to two to secure a spot in their first final which they will play in front of their home crowd thanks to NWU-Pukke’s win against UP-Tuks.

FNB Wits will hosts FNB UKZN in the Varsity Shield final in Johannesburg next week, after the Kwa-Zulu Natal outfit picked up a comfortable 42-0 victory over FNB Fort Hare in Durban.

Wits had already secured a home final ahead of their clash with FNB UWC, and the teams ended tied for the second time this season as UWC fell short of a place in the final, ending the season in third place.

The Varsity Young Guns Final next week will see a replay of last year’s final only at a different venue as defending champions UFS host UP-Tuks in Bloemfontein.

The Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship Final will see UP-Tuks’ Steinhoff Mopanie go up against UFS-Shimlas’ Steinhoff Vishuis after they cruised to a 71-13 victory over Steinhoff Bastion.

NWU-Pukke’s FNB Patria cruised to an 84-0 win over UCT’s Steinhoff Cobras, but it was not enough as they finished the season in third place.