The FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International is in its seventh year since a highly successful inaugural competition in 2008.
It is already a highlight on the rugby-mad South Africans’ sporting calendar.
This inter-university rugby competition sees eight of the country’s top universities go head-to-head to take home the title and substantial cash reward.
UJ event manager and organiser Niamh Faherty has been intensely involved in making Varsity Cup a highly anticipated event of the year.
“The community has really come around the last few years and ‘backed their boytjies’. It is a massive event and has gained a lot of popularity over the years,” he said.
This year’s Varsity Cup will once again be implementing the road closures after numerous talks with ward councilors, security companies, JMPD and the Johannesburg Road Agency.
Faherty said these closures are in place to ensure that the residents do not have cars blocking driveways and parking on water meters, and to assist them in ensuring a safe and secure event.
“Only the residents whose streets are closed will be issued the resident passes. We will be handing them out at the Westdene Dam every day from 2 to 6 February.
Residents can swing by and collect their passes to ensure a smooth Varsity Cup.”
The road closures that will be in effect are at the following intersections:
Glasgow Road and 4th Avenue, Lewis Road and Tenby South, Monmouth Road and 4th Avenue, Park Lane North and 4th Avenue, Park Lane South and Dover Street, Seymour Street and Thornton Road, Stafford Street and Thornton Road, Winchester Road and Avalanche Street, Motor Street and 1st Street, Ararat Road and 1st Street, Warwick Road and Aberdeen Road, Lancaster Road and Aberdeen Road, Ararat Street and Lewis Road, Motor Street and Lewis Street.
The home game fixtures are as follows:
16 February: FNB UJ/U20 vs FNB UFS U/20 (Young Guns) friendly at 4pm and FNB UJ vs FNB UFS Shimlas UJ vs Shimlas (Varsity Cup) at 6.30pm.
23 February: FNB UJ/U20 vs FNB UFS U/20 (Young Guns) friendly at 4pm and FNB UJ vs FNB NWU-Pukke (Varsity Cup) at 6.30pm.
16 March : FNB UJ vs FNB UP-Tuks1 (Varsity Cup) at 7pm.
Away fixtures:
09 February – FNB UJ vs FNB CUT (CUT Rugby Stadium)
02 March – FNB UJ vs FNB NMMU Madibaz (NMMU Madibaz Stadium)
09 March – FNB UJ vs FNB Maties (Danie Craven Stadium)
23 March – FNB UJ vs FNB UCT Ikeys
30 March – semi-finals
13 April – finals
Tickets will be on sale as of 26 January for R20 per game at the UJ Unlimited Shop (Kingsway Campus) as well as at the stadium on game day. There will also be a special for the community which will be communicated via the I love Westdene Facebook page as well as the UJ Sport Facebook page.
