Safety protocols for the 2021 Varsity Cup and Shield

This year’s FNB Varsity Cup and FNB Varsity Shield tournaments will take place in a secure bio-bubble called the FNB Varsity Cup Village.

The University of Pretoria will host the village, with matches also being played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. The two tournaments will alternate during the 51-day period between 4 April to 24 May, with the Varsity Cup played across three bubbles and the Varsity Shield across two.

Teams will be required to remain in the village for the duration of each bubble and adhere to Covid-19 protocols. Here is some interesting information on how the tournament and bubble will work:

Travel

•   Each team will travel to the village with 35 passengers (30 players and five management staff) as well as additional management members requested by the team. n Eight teams will travel straight to the village on a bus, with the other nine using both air travel and a bus. n Before travelling, all participants (players and management) will undergo Covid-19 education.

Covid-19 testing and screening 

• All teams and participants will need to provide a report of a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 test 48 hours before arriving at the village.
• Varsity Cup will provide RT-PCR Covid-19 testing for 45 people per team, per bubble (making provision for teams to select reserve players/staff).
• Each team will appoint a Covid-19 manager and is encouraged to travel with a medical doctor, although an independent tournament doctor will be made available to all teams.
• All participants will be screened daily for Covid-19. Should a participant be ‘red-flagged and then test negative for Covid-19, they will remain in isolation for 72 hours before being tested again. If that test is negative, they will be allowed back into the village. If it is positive, they will be required to isolate for 10 days, with isolation facilities being provided by tournament organisers.
• All Covid- 19 safety protocols and precautions will be adhered to while travelling and in the village.

Accommodation

• Teams will stay at the Tuks High-Performance Centre and Future Africa residence.
• Players of the same teams will share rooms. There will be no sharing of rooms between players from different teams.
• Teams will be kept in separate ‘pods’ while in the village and there will be no interaction between teams on non-match days
•  There will be a shared physiotherapy room and a medical room per team, which will have strict hygiene policies in place. Dining
• Teams will have meals in the common dining area on a rotational basis, with the Future Africa dining area split into three separate spaces.
• Eating areas will be clearly demarcated, with good social distancing between participants.
• Kitchen staff will serve all food, with limited use of the communal/buffet arrangement to prevent cutlery from being touched by multiple people.

Studying

• A study area will be made available for participants, with face masks to be worn at all times.
• All players will have access to the Internet while in the village and be able to continue with online remote learning.
• After each week-long bubble, students will return to their universities for necessary in-person tutorials, practicals and tests.

Training

• Teams will travel to the training venue by bus.
• Teams will enter the gym facilities and swimming pool by a single entry and exit point.
• The training venue will be sanitised before a team arrives.
• All players will be given their own personal aluminium water bottle, with no sharing of bottles allowed.
• Bookings will be made to ensure the staggering of players in the gym.
• Players will have post-match showers at their accommodation and not at the training venue.

Matches

• All venues will have one entry and exit point, with screening and sanitation at that point
•  When varsity matches are played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, only varsity teams will be at the stadium on that day. They will not come into contact with Bulls players or management staff.
• Physical contact is to be avoided inside the stadium, with social distancing and face mask use only to be broken by players entering the field.
• Players will have post-match showers at their accommodation and not at the match venue.

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