Defending champions FNB UP-Tuks had to work hard for their 39-24 bonus-point win against a plucky FNB Wits team that scored three tries on March 28 in Pretoria.
Two late penalties by fullback Clyde Lewis, who scored a point-of-origin try in the first half, eventually put the result beyond doubt.
In Johannesburg, the FNB UFS Shimlas finished strongly to record a 37-26 bonus-point victory against FNB UJ.
The Orange Army led 23-16 at half-time and 26-23 on the hour mark but ran out of steam in the final quarter as replacement Kwezi Dlamini and centre Jooste Nel crossed the line for the visitors.
The FNB Player That Rocks Suleiman Hartzenberg scored two late tries as the FNB UCT Ikeys claimed a thrilling 44-27 victory over arch-rivals FNB Maties in the 500th FNB Varsity Cup match.
Earlier in the day, FNB UWC scored a 44-38 bonus-point win in Cape Town, but allowed the FNB CUT Ixias to claim two valuable log points from the fixture.
In Potchefstroom, the FNB NWU Eagles ran in eight tries to hammer the already-relegated FNB Madibaz 61-26 and keep their slim semi-final hopes alive.
Two of them were scored by flank Chris Vermaak, but it was right-wing Pienaar van Niekerk who earned the FNB Player That Rocks award. To their credit, the FNB Madibaz did score four tries to earn a bonus point.
FNB Varsity Cup round eight fixtures ( April 4):
• FNB UWC vs FNB UJ (17:00, UWC Stadium)
• FNB UFS Shimlas vs FNB UP-Tuks (19:00, Shimla Park)
• FNB Maties vs FNB Madibaz (19:00, Danie Craven Stadium)
• FNB CUT Ixias vs FNB NWU Eagles (19:00, CUT Rugby Stadium)
• FNB Wits vs FNB UCT Ikeys (19:00, Wits Rugby Stadium)
