Bloemfontein, South Africa – The FNB UFS Shimlas defeated FNB Maties 50-39 in a high-scoring opening match of the 2026 Varsity Cup on Monday, February 16, at Shimla Park, marking a significant upset in the first round of the competition.
The match, characterized by a combined total of 13 tries, saw Shimlas overpower the historically successful Maties, who have won the Varsity Cup five times from 11 final appearances, most recently in 2019. Maties captain Ezekiel Ngobeni had expressed determination to overcome the disappointment of their 44-21 defeat to UCT Ikeys in the 2025 final, but the team could not secure a win in their opening match.
Elsewhere in the opening round, FNB UP-Tuks defeated defending champions FNB UCT Ikeys 38-22 at Tuks Stadium. FNB NWU Eagles secured a victory against FNB CUT Ixias, while UJ faced off against Emeris. Full results from all matches were not immediately available.
Prior to the start of the 2026 campaign, Maties had prepared with warm-up matches against the Junior Boks and Boland’s senior side, with Ngobeni stating that these matches were valuable in assessing the team’s strengths and weaknesses. “Playing quality teams like the Junior Boks is always good for you,” he told Netwerk24. “You learn so much from it and it allows us as a team to see what works and what doesn’t.”
The 2026 Varsity Cup also saw the introduction of an NFL innovation, though details of the specific change were not disclosed. The competition began with a focus on attacking play, as evidenced by the high strive-scoring rate in the opening matches.
For Maties, the loss to Shimlas represents a setback in their campaign to “regain the trophy,” as outlined by Stellenbosch University. The Maties Young Guns began their campaign away against FNB NWU on February 23, while the Maties women’s team will begin their defense of the cup on March 6 against FNB UFH at the Danie Craven Stadium.
Maties Rugby Head Coach Kabamba Floors emphasized the team’s increased experience this year, noting that the squad comprises 80 percent experienced players and 20 percent novel recruits, compared to a 50-50 split last year. Floors stated the team is focused on strategic execution and minimizing external pressures. He also acknowledged the challenge of facing stronger teams on their home grounds early in the competition.
