Tuks became only the second university (after Maties) to win the coveted trophy on three occasions and the men from Pretoria did so on a perfect autumn evening in the capital.
It was the visitors who started with a bang as lock Janco Venter crashed over for a seven-point try after a few solid phases of play from the Maroon Machine. Flyhalf Chris Smith added the extras to give the Stellenbosch University a 0-9 lead.
Tuks cut into that lead three minutes later when Captain Fantastic and flank Chris Massyn barged over to claim a try of his own. Flyhalf Tinus de Beer converted to make it a two-point ball game within 10 minutes of the match.
Maties' sharpshooters Smith and Tiaan Swanepoel (fullback) were on hand to punish the home team for their ill-discipline as they slotted two penalties while De Beer nailed a penalty of his own to bring the curtain down on a gripping first half.
Maties kept the scoreboard ticking early in the second half when Smith sliced the uprights within a minutes of play to extend the Stellenbosch students lead to 13-18.
