Connect with us

Default

Varsity Cup 2019: Round 8 Preview

Varsity Cup 2019

A big week of rugby action will get underway on Monday the 25th of March with Round 8 of the 2019 Varsity Cup.

The penultimate set of round-robin Varsity Cup fixtures will take place this Monday, with some mammoth games in store. As you’d expect at this time in the tournament, the battle to make the semi-finals is extremely tight with five sides still in the running to claim the final two berths.


*All odds to be added on release

Tuks v Ikeys
Tuks Stadium 
16:45

To Win (80 Mins)
Tuks 

Draw
Ikeys

Handicap
Tuks
Ikeys

Tuks will play their last round-robin fixture of their 2019 campaign this Monday with the men from Pretoria set to enjoy a bye week in Round 9. The hosts, for the opening fixture of the day, have already secured their semi-final participation but need to take a minimum of two points from their clash with the Ikeys to ensure they have hosting rights to one of the two semi-finals.

Ikeys, on the other hand, are duking it out for one of the two away semi-final berths with the men from Cape Town currently occupying sixth place on the log. The away team have to have to at least pick up a losing bonus point here if they are to leave themselves in with a shout of making the semifinals come the final set of round-robin fixtures next week.

In terms of last week’s results, Ikeys went down 30-29 to Wits while Tuks beat NWU 0-28.

Verdict: Tuks (-) 17/20
Tuks have really upped their game in 2019 and I can see them closing their round robin phase off with a big win. 
_____________________________________________________

CUT v NWU
CUT Rugby Stadium
18:30

To Win (80 Mins)
CUT

Draw
NWU

Handicap
CUT
NWU

CUT and NWU will square off in a crucial clash with both sides knowing a win would greatly enhance their semi-final chances.

The hosts currently lie fifth on the standings but could jump up into fourth place if they win here and the Shimlas go down to Maties later in the day, while NWU could book themselves a semi-final with a round to spare should they win this one.

Last week saw CUT beat cellar-dwellers UWC 21-38, while NWU went down 0-28 to Tuks at home.

When these two sides met last season CUT end up on the wrong side of a 70-7 drubbing.

Verdict: (-) 17/20
While CUT have improved greatly this term I cannot see them staying within a somewhat moderate handicap against a solid NWU side. 
_____________________________________________________

Wits v UWC
Wits Rugby Stadium
18:30

To Win (80 Mins)
Wits
Draw

UWC


Handicap
Wits
UWC

Seventh-placed Wits will be looking to keep their slim hopes of securing a semi-final berth alive by getting a bonus-point cellar-dwellers UWC.

The ‘Witsies’ currently sit six points adrift of the fourth-placed Shimlas and will need to get the five points from their fixture and hope that Maties beat Shimlas and NWU beat CUT to ensure they have a chance of making the semi-finals headed into the final round.

Conversely, UWC  have absolutely nothing to play for bar pride. The new boys on the clock have lost five of their six games this term and head into the penultimate round with a points differential of -109.

Verdict: Wits (-) 17/20
Wits really need to bag here so they’ll be going all out on attack. With a couple of their big name backs returning for this one, I can see them racking up that big win. 
_____________________________________________________

Shimlas v Maties
Shimla Park
19:00

To Win (80 Mins)
Shimlas
Draw

Maties

Handicap
Shimlas
Maties

The round will come to a close out in the Free State where the fourth-placed Shimlas will entertain the first-placed Maties. The visitors have all but already assured themselves a home semi-final and need just six points from their remaining two games to ensure they have hosting rights to the final should they win their semi-final fixture.

Shimlas find themselves in a far more precarious position with the boys from the Free State currently only three points above sixth-place Ikeys. A loss here could see them drop right out of the semi-final places.

Last Monday saw the Shimlas suffer a major setback as they went down 38-32 to CUT. Maties, meanwhile, enjoyed a bye week. 

Verdict: Shimlas (+) 17/20
I cannot see the Shimlas winning this one but I can see them staying within what is a rather large handicap. 

Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets

Hollywoodbets - Play with your Mobile Today - Sports Betting - Mobile Betting - Thumbs Up

More in Default