Round 6 of the FNB Varsity Cup takes place on Monday with four fixtures on the card. We take a look at each match from a betting angle and offer up a few suggested plays.
Before we get into the action let’s take a look at the current standings.
LEAGUE TABLE SNAPSHOT
After five rounds the table is headed by NWU Eagles (22 pts), closely followed by UP-Tuks (21 pts). These two have been the standout teams so far.
Maties (16 pts) and UJ (16 pts) sit just behind them, while UCT Ikeys (15 pts) remain firmly in contention in 5th place.
Further down, UFS Shimlas (11 pts) are still in touch with the top half, while Emeris (6 pts) and CUT (4 pts) have struggled to keep pace.
CUT vs UJ – Click here to bet
CUT have endured a tough campaign and remain rooted to the bottom of the table. They have conceded heavily throughout the competition and are yet to record a win.
UJ, by contrast, have been competitive and sit inside the top four. They come into this off a shock 29-17 win over Shimlas and earlier posted a big 61-41 win over Emeris and beat the Eagles at home.
Betting
CUT 5.00
Draw 31.00
UJ 1.18
Handicap: CUT +12.5
Verdict
UJ look the stronger side here and while CUT have shown some fight at times, their defensive issues remain a concern.
BET: UJ -12.5 at 1.85
Maties vs NWU Eagles – Click here to bet
This is the standout fixture of the round with two of the top three sides going head-to-head.
Maties have been strong at home and come into this off a dominant 34-7 win over UCT Ikeys on the road and a 55-20 win over Emeris in Stellenbosch.
NWU Eagles sit top of the table and have been extremely consistent, including wins over Shimlas (45-31) and UP-Tuks (30-22) last week.
Betting
Maties 1.45
Draw 26.00
NWU Eagles 2.80
Handicap: Maties -6.5
Verdict
This should be a tight contest. Maties are strong at home, but NWU have been the most consistent team in the competition.
BET: NWU Eagles +6.5 at 1.85
UFS Shimlas vs UCT Ikeys – Click here to bet
Shimlas have been inconsistent, mixing a big win over CUT (71-19) with losses to stronger sides and last week they lost by 12 points to UJ on the road.
UCT Ikeys have produced some of the most explosive performances this season, including an 87-28 win over UJ and 83-34 over CUT, but they have also been on the receiving end of heavy defeats and were humbled 34-7 at home by Maties last weekend.
Betting
UFS Shimlas 2.05
Draw 21.00
UCT Ikeys 1.85
Handicap: Shimlas +0.5
Verdict
This is one of the tougher games to call. Ikeys can win on the road, but Shimlas at home can be competitive.
BET: UCT Ikeys -0.5 at 1.85
UP-Tuks vs Emeris – Click here to bet
UP-Tuks have been one of the strongest teams in the competition and are currently 2nd on the table. They have posted some big wins, including 78-17 over CUT and 38-22 over Ikeys. They are coming off their 1st defeat of the season 30-22 away at the Eagles.
Emeris have struggled throughout the campaign and have conceded heavily, including a 55-20 loss to Maties and 61-41 to UJ. They are coming off their 1st win a narrow 26-24 victory over CUT at home.
Betting
UP-Tuks 1.01
Draw 46.00
Emeris 16.00
Handicap: UP-Tuks -36.5
Verdict
This looks very one-sided on paper. The key question is whether Tuks can cover what is a big handicap. I think they can.
BET: UP-Tuks -36.5 at 1.85
Look out for total points markets which will be available closer to kick off.
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
