UFH - Rugby - Apiwe Sidloyi

Recent developments suggest that Fort Hare’s long-term ambitions for its rugby programme may be realised a lot sooner than anyone thought.

Few would have predicted that the Blues would have been genuine contenders in the Brutten Cup as they head for the semi-finals against Young Leopards at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Saturday (2pm).

Their appearance in the playoff comes only a fortnight after Fort Hare’s East London-based side finished in the top spot of the BCM District Rugby Union Sunday League to win promotion to the First Division in 2025.

UFH head coach Chase Morison, along with his assistants and management team, have worked around the clock since January to put systems in place to ensure the university becomes a formidable presence in the province.

They have managed to do this despite losing players left, right and centre, either due to graduating, suffering serious injury or being called up to the respective Border teams.

Morison described the 2024 season as a “constant journey of improvement”.

Since qualifying for the inaugural Brutten (Border Rugby Union Top Ten) Cup by the “skin of their teeth”, they have racked up a series of famous victories.

The competition features six Border Super League, two Premier League and two District League teams.

UFH - Rugby - Apiwe Sidloyi

Fort Hare will look to Apiwe Sidloyi to stand strong when they face Young Leopards in the Brutten Cup semi-final in Mdantsane on Saturday. Photo: Varsity Sports

“We snuck into the Brut (Brutten). We had to get a bonus-point win against Buffs in our last league game and scored a bonus-point try with only three minutes to go,” Morison explained.

“We were unlucky to lose our first game against Walter Sisulu, but from that point on we put in some stellar performances.”

Among these were a 13-5 triumph against much-fancied East London Police, a 50-10 drubbing of United Brothers – the biggest victory margin in the Top Ten to date – and a hard-fought 32-17 win over Lovedale College.

The Blues ended sixth in the 12-team Super League and Morison said they were using the Brutten to prove they were a much better outfit than their log standing suggested.

Young Leopards will be no pushovers, however.

“They are a strong side,” Morison said, highlighting a few interesting facts that arose from the Brutten Cup.

“UFH and Young Leopards are tied on ‘points for’. They also have a strong forward pack, a good 9 and 12, and a 10 who can kick the ball 50m.”

The coach had no doubt who he preferred coming through the other semi between WSU and Swallows should they, themselves, get past Young Leopards.

WSU, he said, had beaten them in every match this season – albeit only by a single point in two of these fixtures – and nothing would be sweeter than putting one over the old enemy in the grand finale.

He believed the team were primed for the do-or-die affair this weekend.

“At the moment, we have two players per position who are equally good. The work we’ve done in terms of building squad depth has been good and I think we’ll see the fruits of that in the semi-final and final.”

Morison was equally delighted with their promotion to the First Division – the third tier of Border club rugby – after their Sunday League success.

One of the projects the management team had worked on was bringing the rich rugby talent at the East London campus to the fore.

The team’s entry – and subsequent victory – in the league had been a major leap forward, he said.

“The big vision is to make sure the East London team also gets as far as the Super League. We will be smiling in two to three years if we can have two Fort Hare teams playing in a very competitive league.

“We really want to have a crop of 60-75 players to choose from.”

The current player pool was about 35, he said.

“For the Brut, we’ve had a squad of 40 that also includes nine East London players. We are getting there.”