The CPUT Rugby Club has been crowned Super League C 2022 champions.

The winning trophy was presented to the club during the recent Western Province Rugby Awards Dinner, held at Kelvin Grove.

“CPUT Rugby Club will be promoted to Super League B in the 2023 season, which is the second-best League in Western Province Club Rugby,” said Bulelani Mlakalaka, Sport Development Officer: Rugby, Boxing and Tennis.

“It was a great honour to accept the award on behalf of the university. I must say the CPUT rugby club is very happy to be promoted to the second best club rugby in the Western Province Rugby Union Club Rugby,” he added.

He accepted the trophy at the event with club captain Siyasanga Ngubelanga.

Mlakalaka said the Club was only four years old.

“For many years CPUT Rugby was in a merger with Gardens Rugby Club and the club was called CPUT Gardens. In 2018, Mr Siyabulela Mkwalo, who was a manager of Sport Arts and Culture, and myself wrote several proposals to the Western Province Rugby Union, seeking a breakaway from the merger and forming a University rugby team like other sister universities in the Western Cape.”

Once the proposal was approved Mlakalaka had to draw up a five-year plan in 2019 with the aim of taking CPUT rugby to the top club league in Western Province Club rugby, called Super League A.

“In 2019 we had to start from the lowest league, called City League, which is the fourth division. At the end of the season in 2019, we managed to get promotion to Super League C although we did not win the trophy.”

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the plans had to be delayed for two years.

“On our return to the Western Province Club Rugby League after two years we had to push with our five-year plan. The League started one day after we lost the Varsity Shield finals against Fort Hare in Alice, Eastern Cape but the CPUT Rugby Club did not sit down and lick their wounds.”

CPUT Rugby Club was placed second on the final log and according to the format of the league, the top four teams play against each other in what Western Province Club Rugby called promotion and relegation semi-finals.

On 17 September CPUT defeated Macassar Rugby Club in the semi-finals with a final score of 22-12. CPUT then club qualified for the finals.

On 24 September the club faced Strand Rugby Club and won the finals 26 -19.

“On behalf of CPUT, I would like to congratulate the student athletes (players) and coaches. They all put their body on the line to represent CPUT. It is my dream to put CPUT rugby on the map. I will always push my technical staff and players to work extra hard so that our team can be recognised all over South Africa,” said Mlakalaka

He thanked all CPUT supporters, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo and the SRC for their support.

The team’s head coach is Alastair Theys, the assistant coaches are Jongi Nokwe and Sentle Lehoko, the strength and conditioning coach is Brandon Isaacs, the physiotherapist is Byron Isaacs, the team managers are Bongani Ntshobodwana and Theo Lwandile Ngqwala and the club captain is Siyasanga Ngubelanga.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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FNB CPUT claimed victory last night after beating FNB WSU in a nail-biting Varsity Shield final at Tuks Stadium.

Winger Nathan Nkutu scored a late extra-time try to secure the win for the defending champions.  

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) had fought back from 23-6 down midway through the second half to draw level after 66 minutes. FNB WSU captain Litha Nkula then missed two late penalty goal attempts to win it, with the game going into extra time.

Nkula was on target with a penalty in the first half of extra time but it was Nkutu who snatched victory for FNB CPUT with a 99th-minute try.

It took five minutes of this match for the defending champions to show off their attacking prowess as they faked a driving maul to send the pass out wide to wing Asisipho Malotana, who threw off a tackle to touch down. Flyhalf Feghon-Leigh Snyders missed the extras but did add a penalty six minutes later to make it a two-score game. 

CPUT Tekkies were dealt a blow when hooker Siyasanga Ngubelanga was shown a yellow card for repeated team infringements, but their defence proved solid as a rock as WSU All Blacks could only land two penalties via the boot of Nkula.

Lock Ameer Hendricks then scored FNB CPUT's second try from a charged down kick as they took a 15-6 lead into the break.

Snyders upped the ante for the CPUT Tekkies in the second half, crossing for a brilliant five-pointer before knocking over a clutch drop goal minutes later.

The WSU All Blacks finally secured their first try just after the second strategy break when wing Sakhele Ngeno raced over the chalk so quickly that he had trouble stopping to actually score. Nkula had no issues in converting. 

FNB CPUT lost Mputa to a yellow card in the 62nd minute and FNB WSU did not need to RSVP to the party as Nkula slotted his third penalty before scrumhalf Eric Mcaphukana dotted down from a dominant 5m scrum. Nkula's conversion levelled the scores to ensure a spicy hot final 10 minutes. 

After a disallowed try to Nkula – who was penalised for kicking the ball out of an FNB WSU player's hands – and Nkula's two late penalty misses, the final was forced into two, 10-minute extra-time halves.

Nkula slotted a penalty within three minutes, but it was Nkutu who would determine the defending champions' fortune, racing into the right-hand corner to score the match-winner. 

Snyders added the conversion as the CPUT Tekkies successfully defended their 2019 title after last year's tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

FNB CPUT’s Sesona Macala won the 2021 FNB Varsity Shield Overall Player That Rocks award.

 FNB CPUT hooker Siyasanga Ngubelanga won the FNB Forward That Rocks award. Ngubelanga scored six tries in this year’s FNB Varsity Shield, including four against the FNB DUT Rhinos and two against the FNB TUT Vikings.

• FNB Player That Rocks: Nathan Nkutu (FNB CPUT)
  FNB CPUT – Tries: Asisipho Malotana, Mogamat Ameer Hendricks, Feghon-Leigh Snyders, Nathan Nkutu. Conversions: Snyders (2). Penalty: Snyders. Drop goal: Snyders.
  FNB WSU All Blacks – Tries: Sakhele Ngeno, Eric Mcaphukana. Conversions: Litha Nkula (2). Penalties: Nkula (4).

Written by CPUT News

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