BLOEMFONTEIN – Two local university rugby teams – the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Shimlas and the Ixias of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State – are gearing up for tough competition in the 2026 Varsity Cup. The 2026 season of the two university rugby competitions – the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield – was officially launched on Monday 9 February at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront in the Western Cape.
The launch has set the tone for another epic year of student rugby, and what promises to be another unforgettable sports season.
The two-time FNB Varsity Cup champions, the Shimlas, will commence their 2026 campaign in Bloemfontein on Monday 16 February when they host their arch-rivals Maties, of Stellenbosch University (SU), in a mouth-watering round-one clash. In another equally fascinating fixture in the City of Roses, the Ixias will be looking for an improved start – against the North West University (NWU) Eagles.
There is a breath of fresh air in the Ixias camp following the appointment of new head coach Lubabalo Lento. He has taken over the reins, with experienced campaigners Sarel Pretorius and Wian du Preez joining him as assistants. It is hoped that the new technical team will reignite the fire in the team that has battled relegation in previous years.
On the field, Tokelo Ntaopane has been handed the Ixias captaincy for the season, with Kehan Myburg named as his deputy, as the Ixias look to build strong leadership within a youthful squad. The CUT endured two extremely challenging seasons marked by inconsistency and uncertainty, but the mood has shifted decisively with the new appointments in the technical team.
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