Despite last night's 4-0 victory over DUT, Tuks will not be in action in the semi-finals of the Varsity Football tournament.

Tuks finished fifth on the log. Thus, UJ and TUT will play one semi-final, and Kovsies and NWU will play the other.

The players' inability to score goals will be the lasting memory of Tuks' 2025 Varsity Football campaign. Tuks only managed to get points on the scoreboard in its fifth match. It was not that Tuks played poorly. Every game created scoring opportunities, but the team's haste and mistakes prevented them from capitalising on them. To the credit of the players, they did own up to the shortcomings. There were never any excuses.

In addition, Tuks probably had the toughest draw of the tournament. Its first four matches were against the four teams that will contest the semi-finals next week. Therefore, the match was intense from the very beginning. It could be argued that Tuks did well to draw in its first three games.

From a Tuks perspective, the statistics of the Varsity Football tournament are ironic. Ultimately, Tuks was the team that scored the most goals. They scored one. The top four teams have all scored only seven goals each. The Tuks, UJ, and Northwest each conceded just two goals. This is the fewest of the tournament. Tuks' goal difference, calculated by subtracting goals conceded from goals scored, is eight. This rating is the best in the tournament. UJ is currently the only undefeated team in the tournament. Tuks and NWU have both lost just once.

Ultimately, if Tuks could have won just one more match, the 2025 Varsity campaign would have been a success. But there's no point in dwelling on it. It is what it is.

To the credit of the Tuks' players, each and every one of them played until the last minute to honour the Tuks' "Coveted Stripes."

The last words on this campaign belong to Matome Rangata, who scored one Tuks goal last night. 

"It was definitely tough, but we gave it everything we had, and I'm proud of how the team fought until the end. Having the bragging rights for most goals and fewest conceded is definitely something to be proud of."

The players who scored for Tuks during the tournament are: Raymond Matlamela (3), Quinton Stokes-Waller (2), Malome Rangata, Mathuane Selotola, Paballo Mamabola, Mnqobi Mkhize, and Damian Overmeyer.