THE FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International kicks off in January 2017, with the opening fixtures taking place on January 30, 2017. For the first time since its inception in 2008, the competition will feature a total of nine teams. Even more exciting, is that the popular varsity competition celebrates ten years of Rocking Rugby in 2017. Teams will do battle over twelve weeks, aiming to be crowned the best university rugby team in the country. In another first in Varsity Cup history, teams will now each enjoy a bye during the round robin stage, with four home and four away games being played.
“Heyneke Meyer suggested six years ago the competition look into an equal home and away format, and today with the extra team added, we are finally there,” said Duitser Bosman, Varsity Cup CEO. “Another first in Varsity Cup history, sees the opening week take place in January.”
Varsity Cup fixtures
A repeat of the 2016 semi-finals should make for a thrilling opening week. Defending champions FNB NWU-Pukke travel to Gauteng to face FNB UJ – University of Johannesburg – while three-time champions FNB Maties, are hosted by 2013 and 2014 champions FNB UP-Tuks, at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
FNB Wits, who regained their Varsity Cup status after topping the log of the FNB Varsity Shield -presented by Steinhoff International – will host the 2015 champions, FNB Shimlas, in the night’s first televised match.
The opening week also sees FNB CUT, as the first team to have the luxury of a bye. They kick off their campaign against FNB UCT Ikeys, at the UCT ‘Green Mile’ Rugby Field a week later.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s sports stadium will be undergoing an upgrade in 2017; and the ‘Madibaz’ will therefore forego their home games to the teams they’ll be playing against. Their first match is against UCT and will be played at the Tygerberg Stadium. Due to exams taking place, the ‘Ikeys’ are unable to host the opening fixture at their home ground. The remainder of their home matches will take place at the UCT Rugby Fields.
These two teams will play for the Monte Taljaard Trophy, as they’ve done every year. Taljaard, an ‘Ikey-Tiger’, was a talented young flank who tragically passed away, following a car accident in 2008. Ever since his passing, the Madibaz and Ikey Tigers’ Varsity Cup encounter has been played in honour of Taljaard.
Varsity Shield fixtures
Three new universities join the FNB Varsity Shield, presented by Steinhoff International. They are: FNB Rhodes, FNB CPUT – Cape Peninsula University of Technology – and FNB WSU (Walter Sisulu University). The FNB Varsity Shield season kicks off on February 9. The tournament has grown from five to seven teams. A daunting task awaits the new trio, as all of their opening matches are away games.
It’s an all-Cape affair, in the season opener, as FNB UWC host neighbours CPUT, while Rhodes travel to Tshwane to face FNB TUT. The final new kid on the block, WSU, will be hosted at the Davidson Stadium by FNB UFH (University of Fort Hare) – which will be one of the two televised Varsity Shield matches on SuperSport; the other being the Cape Town derby.
“Varsity Cup has become a highlight on the rugby-mad South African’s sporting calendar, as fans look forward to a unique and entertaining sporting display every Monday night,” said Varsity Cup Manager, Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi.
“There’s great excitement around the eagerly anticipated try-scoring rule this season, which will see a try counting seven points when originating from anywhere in a team’s own half – and five points if in the opposition half. The amended mauling law and scrumming law also added an exciting dimension to the playing conditions in 2016, decreasing the amount of time spent re-setting these two aspects of play.”
