Walter Sisulu University All Blacks captain Lukhangele Tshayi says they will go all out and won’t hold back against Wits in the Varsity Shield final at Wits Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.
That game will mark the All Blacks’ first return to the finals since 2021.
It will also be their third Shield final, the other two failed attempts in 2018 against UWC and five years ago to CPUT.
Similar to the 2026 edition, those two finals were away.
In contrast, Wits won the Shield finals in 2012 and 2016.
“They [Wits] have won it before; we have never done it,” Tshayi said after their 42-32 semifinal victory over UWC at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane last Friday.
“It’s frustrating that the All Blacks have never won the Shield. It is what now drives us as a team to put in more effort.”
He said they were determined to put in a strong 80-minute effort and break the finals hoodoo.
But he knows they will have to dig deep.
Tshayi said they would consult the blueprint from when the two sides met in round one of the competition.
That game in February had the All Blacks as underdogs against Wits, who were at that stage newly relegated from the top tier Varsity Cup.
Most believed it would be one-way traffic because of Wits’ stature.
But the script was rewritten at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium, as the All Blacks had a good chance to seal a win but ended up drawing the game 27-27.
Much water has flowed under the bridge since, and Wits will come into the final brimming with confidence after they blew the Madibaz away 68-10 in the other semifinal in Johannesburg.
“They are well coached. They have a strong pack of forwards, which lays the foundations for their backline to run at you. We will have to make sure that we neutralise all threats immediately in the game if we are to have a strong chance,” Tshayi said.
For his impressive performance this season, fullback Tshayi has been nominated in two categories for the season’s awards: Varsity Shield Player of the Tournament and Backline Player of the Tournament.
In both categories, he is up against KuGompo-born Wits utility back Latica Nela and UWC’s Aaron Swartz.
Tshayi’s teammate and loose forward Sipho Hobosch is up against Wits’ Chris Kachungunu and Madibaz’s Sean van Zijl for the Forward of the Tournament award.
Voting is done on the Varsity Cup website and will close Wednesday.
Winners will be announced after the final.
Daily Dispatch
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