The WSU All Blacks made history at the weekend by becoming the first varsity side to be crowned Border Super League champions.
They managed the feat with two games (against Swallows and Fort Beaufort United) to spare.
WSU dethroned defending champions East London Police, beating the Bobbies 33-25 in front of their home fans at Police Park in Cambridge.
The bonus-point victory moved the All Blacks to 45 points after nine games, surpassing Police, who finished their league campaign with 44 points on Saturday.
Police had won the league for the four previous seasons.
All Blacks captain and utility back Lukhangele Tshayi described winning the league as special for the university.
“Police are the biggest team in the league.
“Beating them on their home ground was incredible because we beat the best for the title,” Tshayi said.
“We have been coming close to winning the league over the years.
“The lessons we got from coming short over the [past] few years prepared us to do well because we learnt.”
The league title added to the list of the All Blacks’ achievements over the past 12 months.
Earlier in 2026, they reached the Varsity Shield final but were beaten by Wits.
They also competed in the playoffs to get into the Varsity Cup but fell short, succumbing to Emeris (formerly Varsity College).
Before that, they won the Brutten Ten Cup, Border Rugby’s competition.
“We told ourselves after losing that final and those playoffs that we wanted at least one piece of silverware before the year-end.
“We targeted the league for us to build the confidence for the Varsity Shield next year because that is the big fish we want,” Tshayi said.
With two games left, Tshayi wants the team to go undefeated in the league and win all 11 games with bonus points, which would be an unprecedented achivement.
“We want to be the first team to win all our games with bonus points,” he said.
While the All Blacks were in euphoric mood, relegation fears escalated for the WSU Eagles, who lost 26-25 to Breakers at the weekend.
The Eagles did get a losing bonus point, but that was not what they would have wanted.
They have eight points after 10 matches and have a game in hand, a must-win if they are to survive.
Old Boys are the team above them on 11 points.
Old Boys have played all their games, and their fate depends on the Eagles’ result.
In the Premier League, the Wallabies beat the Ngculu Zebras 22-5 at Station Field in Stutterheim, and United Brothers overcame Ocean Sweepers 26-18.
The Ncera Leopards pulled off a surprise victory in Breidbach, beating Africans 30-18.
Black Eagles won 24-13 against Busy Boys while the game between Winter Rose and the Ntlaza Lions did not proceed.
• Border U21 started the defence of their SA Rugby Shield campaign on a bad note, going down 34-47 to Boland at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Saturday.
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