The FNB UCT Ikey Tigers finally broke their championship curse in sensational style, steamrolling FNB Maties 44-21 in a pulsating Varsity Cup 2025 Final to lift their first trophy in more than a decade, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Played in front of a roaring crowd at Stellenbosch’s Danie Craven Stadium, the showdown was meant to be a fairytale for Maties in their 150th anniversary year — but UCT had other ideas.
Backed by a lethal mix of grit and flair, UCT produced a performance for the ages, dismantling a Maties side that crumbled under pressure and committed critical errors in key moments. It was a sweet victory for the Ikey Tigers, who had fallen short in the last two finals but were third-time lucky under the leadership of coach Robbie Fleck.
The star of the show? None other than winger Ntokozo Makhaza — who exploded onto the finals stage with two tries, including a blistering point-of-origin score that had the crowd gasping. Makhaza didn’t just stop there. He added two conversions and a penalty and kept the scoreboard ticking with a flawless boot, racking up a staggering 32 points — nearly singlehandedly outscoring Maties.
UCT led 19-11 at halftime thanks to Makhaza’s heroics, while Maties replied through Ryan Manuel and the boot of Christiaan Van Heerden Smith. After the break, Maties edged closer with another penalty to make it 19-14, but Makhaza remained calm under pressure and extended the gap with a crucial kick.
The real turning point came when Ikeys fullback Duran Koevort pounced on a handling error and went over, deflating the Maties fightback. Even after Joel Leotlela dotted down for Maties, the visitors weren’t done. Monray Daars closed the show with a late try, slamming the door on any comeback hopes.
The win marks UCT’s first Varsity Cup title since 2014 and denies Maties a fairytale finish to a historic milestone season.
Coach Fleck praised his side’s composure and firepower: ‘We’ve been building towards this, and today we showed we can take the pressure and deliver when it matters most.’
For Maties, led by coach Kabamba Floors, the disappointment was clear. ‘We just didn’t execute when it counted,’ he admitted after the match.
As the celebrations erupted in Cape Town, one thing was clear: UCT didn’t just win — they made a statement.
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Picture: Grant Pitcher / Gallo Images
