The 2018 Varsity Shield was the 8th season of the Varsity Shield, the second-tier competition in the annual Varsity Rugby series. It was played between 19 February and 9 April 2018 and featured seven university teams.

2018 Varsity Shield
CountriesSouth Africa
Date19 February – 9 April 2018
ChampionsUWC (2nd title)
Runners-upWSU All Blacks
PromotedUWC
Matches played24
Tries scored172
(average 7.2 per match)
← 2017
2019 →

The competition was won by UWC, who beat the WSU All Blacks 55–10 in the final played on 9 April 2018, also winning promotion to the 2019 Varsity Cup.

Competition rules and information

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There were seven participating university teams in the 2019 Varsity Shield. They played each other once during the pool stage, either at home or away. Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams after the pool stage qualified for the semifinals, which were followed by a final.

Teams

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Location of teams in the 2018 Varsity Shield

The teams that played in the 2018 Varsity Shield were:

2018 Varsity Shield teams
Team name University Stadium
CPUT Cape Peninsula University of Technology CPUT Sports Stadium, Cape Town
Rhodes Rhodes University Rhodes Great Field, Grahamstown
TUT Vikings Tshwane University of Technology TUT Stadium, Pretoria
UFH Blues University of Fort Hare Davidson Rugby Field, Alice
UKZN Impi University of KwaZulu-Natal Peter Booysen Sports Park, Pietermaritzburg
UWC University of the Western Cape UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town
WSU All Blacks Walter Sisulu University Buffalo City Stadium, East London

Pool stage

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Standings

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The final log for the 2018 Varsity Shield was:

2018 Varsity Shield log
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 UWC 6 6 0 0 331 86 +245 46 13 6 0 30
2 WSU All Blacks 6 5 0 1 137 111 +26 20 15 2 0 22
3 UKZN Impi 6 3 0 3 148 140 +8 20 18 3 2 17
4 TUT Vikings 6 4 0 2 118 155 −37 16 22 0 1 17
5 UFH Blues 6 2 0 4 116 126 −10 16 17 1 3 12
6 CPUT 6 1 0 5 149 179 −30 19 24 2 3 9
7 Rhodes 6 0 0 6 55 257 −202 9 35 0 0 0
Final standings.

Round-by-round

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The table below shows a team's progression throughout the season. For each round, each team's cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.

Team Progression – 2018 Varsity Shield
Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 SF F
UWC 5
(1st)
10
(1st)
10
(2nd)
15
(1st)
20
(1st)
25
(1st)
30
(1st)
Won Won
WSU All Blacks 0
(7th)
5
(3rd)
10
(3rd)
14
(2nd)
18
(2nd)
22
(2nd)
22
(2nd)
Won Lost
UKZN Impi 4
(3rd)
4
(4th)
6
(5th)
11
(4th)
12
(3rd)
12
(4th)
17
(3rd)
Lost
TUT Vikings 4
(2nd)
8
(2nd)
12
(1st)
12
(3rd)
12
(4th)
13
(3rd)
17
(4th)
Lost
UFH Blues 1
(4th)
1
(6th)
6
(4th)
7
(5th)
11
(5th)
11
(5th)
12
(5th)
CPUT 0
(5th)
1
(5th)
1
(6th)
1
(6th)
2
(6th)
7
(6th)
9
(6th)
Rhodes 0
(6th)
0
(7th)
0
(7th)
0
(7th)
0
(7th)
0
(7th)
0
(7th)
Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

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The following matches were played in the 2018 Varsity Shield:

Round one

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19 February 2018 UWC 42–5 WSU All Blacks UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[1]
Scoreboard[2][3]


19 February 2018 UFH Blues 18–22 UKZN Impi Davidson Rugby Field, Alice  
18:30 Report[4]
Scoreboard[5][6]


19 February 2018 Rhodes 7–26 TUT Vikings Rhodes Great Field, Grahamstown  
18:30 Report[7]
Scoreboard[8][9]
Bye/s: CPUT

Round two

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22 February 2018 WSU All Blacks 47–16 Rhodes Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
16:45 Report[10]
Scoreboard[11][12]


22 February 2018 TUT Vikings 21–18 CPUT TUT Stadium, Pretoria  
18:30 Report[13]
Scoreboard[14][15]


22 February 2018 UWC 57–16 UKZN Impi UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town  
19:00 Report[16]
Scoreboard[17][18]
Bye/s: UFH Blues

Round three

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26 February 2018 UFH Blues 28–7 Rhodes Davidson Rugby Field, Alice  
18:30 Report[19]
Scoreboard[20][21]


26 February 2018 UKZN Impi 20–24 TUT Vikings Howard College Rugby Stadium, Durban  
18:30 Report
Scoreboard[22][23]


26 February 2018 CPUT 21–38 WSU All Blacks CPUT Sports Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[24]
Scoreboard[25][26]
Bye/s: UWC

Round four

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5 March 2018 CPUT 14–58 UWC CPUT Sports Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[27]
Scoreboard[28][29]


5 March 2018 WSU All Blacks 20–16 UFH Blues Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
18:30 Report[30]
Scoreboard[31][32]


5 March 2018 Rhodes 0–48 UKZN Impi Rhodes Great Field, Grahamstown  
18:30 Report[33]
Scoreboard[34][35]
Bye/s: TUT Vikings

Round five

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12 March 2018 TUT Vikings 18–77 UWC TUT Stadium, Pretoria  
18:30 Report[36]
Scoreboard[37][38]


12 March 2018 UFH Blues 18–17 CPUT Davidson Rugby Field, Alice  
18:30 Report[39]
Scoreboard[40][41]


12 March 2018 UKZN Impi 8–12 WSU All Blacks Howard College Rugby Stadium, Durban  
18:30 Report
Scoreboard[42][43]
Bye/s: Rhodes

Round six

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15 March 2018 UWC 39–18 UFH Blues UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[44]
Scoreboard[45][46]


15 March 2018 WSU All Blacks 12–8 TUT Vikings Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
18:30 Report[47]
Scoreboard[48][49]


15 March 2018 CPUT 50–10 Rhodes CPUT Sports Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[50]
Scoreboard[51][52]
Bye/s: UKZN Impi

Round seven

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19 March 2018 UKZN Impi 34–29 CPUT Peter Booysen Sports Park, Pietermaritzburg  
18:00 Report
Scoreboard[53][54]


19 March 2018 TUT Vikings 21–18 UFH Blues TUT Stadium, Pretoria  
18:00 Report[55]
Scoreboard[56][57]


19 March 2018 Rhodes 15–58 UWC Rhodes Great Field, Grahamstown  
18:00 Report[58]
Scoreboard[59][60]
Bye/s: WSU All Blacks

Play-offs

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Semifinals

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26 March 2018 WSU All Blacks 30–21 UKZN Impi Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
18:30 Report[61]
Scoreboard[62][63]


26 March 2018 UWC 66–7 TUT Vikings UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town  
18:30 Report[64]
Scoreboard[65][66]

Final

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9 April 2018 UWC 55–10 WSU All Blacks UWC Sport Stadium, Cape Town  
19:00 Report[67]
Scoreboard[68][69]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FNB WSU Blown Away by Dominant FNB UWC". Varsity Cup. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 1, Log". South African Rugby Union. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  3. ^ "UWC vs WSU". Varsity Cup. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  4. ^ "FNB UFH stunned by FNB UKZN at home". Varsity Cup. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 2, Log". South African Rugby Union. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  6. ^ "UFH vs UKZN". Varsity Cup. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Mpofu runs FNB Rhodes ragged in Grahamstown". Varsity Cup. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 3, Log". South African Rugby Union. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  10. ^ "FNB WSU brush off FNB Rhodes". Varsity Cup. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
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  14. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 5, Log". South African Rugby Union. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  16. ^ "FNB UWC Run Riot In The Operation Room". Varsity Cup. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
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  22. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 8, Log". South African Rugby Union. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  31. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 11, Log". South African Rugby Union. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  34. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 12, Log". South African Rugby Union. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  37. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 13, Log". South African Rugby Union. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  39. ^ "FNB UFH defeat FNB CPUT in a thrilling clash". Varsity Cup. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  40. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 14, Log". South African Rugby Union. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  41. ^ "UFH vs CPUT". Varsity Cup. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  42. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 15, Log". South African Rugby Union. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  47. ^ "FNB WSU to host semi-final after edging FNB TUT". Varsity Cup. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  48. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 17, Log". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  50. ^ "FNB CPUT put up 50 points in final home game". Varsity Cup. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  51. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 18, Log". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  52. ^ "CPUT vs Rhodes". Varsity Cup. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  53. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 19, Pool Stage". South African Rugby Union. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  55. ^ "Late try sends FNB TUT Vikings into the semis". Varsity Cup. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  56. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 20, Log". South African Rugby Union. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  57. ^ "TUT vs UFH". Varsity Cup. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  58. ^ "FNB UWC run riot at FNB Rhodes". Varsity Cup. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  59. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 21, Log". South African Rugby Union. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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  61. ^ "FNB WSU to play in their first Varsity Shield final". Varsity Cup. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  62. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 22, Semi Final". South African Rugby Union. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  63. ^ "WSU vs UKZN". Varsity Cup. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  64. ^ "Relentless FNB UWC surge to Varsity Shield final". Varsity Cup. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  65. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 23, Semi Final". South African Rugby Union. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  66. ^ "UWC vs TUT". Varsity Cup. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  67. ^ "Varsity Cup-bound FNB UWC secure Varsity Shield crown". Varsity Cup. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  68. ^ "Varsity Shield - Match 24, Final". South African Rugby Union. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  69. ^ "UWC vs WSU". Varsity Cup. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.