Recap of the 2024 FNB Varsity Cup Women's tournament

The 2025 FNB Varsity Cup Women's tournament is set to kick off on Friday, 14 March 2025 with FNB UFH entering as defending champions. All eyes will be on whether the Baby Blues can repeat their sensational performance from last season and win back-to-back titles or if a new champion will rise up and lift the coveted trophy.

Let's take a look back at the 2024 season which showcased the growing prominence of women's rugby in South Africa, culminating in a thrilling finale that set the stage for an even more anticipated 2025 tournament.

The opening round saw inaugural champions FNB Maties open their accounty with a decisive shut-out of the Impi while newcomers FNB UWC won on debut against the Orange Army in a closely contested match.

Round 2 saw the Maroon Machine continue their dominant run by outplaying FNB Tuks while the Baby Blues scored a narrow two point win over FNB UJ in a thrilling encounter.

The final round robin match ups saw both FNB UFH and the Stripe Generation put in commanding performances to cruise into the semi's.

The playoffs were one sided as FNB Maties and FNB UFH easily advanced with decisive victories to set up a highly anticipated final between the two unbeaten powerhouses of the tournament.

With FNB Maties yet to taste defeat since the start of the competition in 2023, the Baby Blues entered the final very much as the underdog and it was the Eastern Cape ladies who put their hands up early in the match when Sivuyiseko Makhomazi broke the Maties’ defence with a sensational run from inside her own half and offloaded to Purity Ngogodo for the opening try.

FNB UFH went into the break 25-7 ahead, but consecutive tries by the Maroon Machine narrowed the gap to just 6 points.

Zintle Mkhokheli then dotted down for the Baby Blues before Elme Kruger secured her hat-trick for FNB Maties with five minutes to left play. It was however too late with FNB UFH triumphantly claiming the 2024 title. 

The opening match of the 2025 tournament will be a repeat of last year's final where the 2024 champions FNB UFH will begin the defence of their title against 2023 champs FNB Maties and for the first time ever it will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Be there to find out who will lift the trophy in 2025!

For a complete list of fixtures and updates check HERE.