THe FNB Maties and FNB UWC had a combined practise session in the form of a friendly match of scenario plays on Monday evening in Stellenbosch in preparation for the FNB Varsity Cup this year.
The FNB Varsity Cup will be staged at universities around the country for the first time since 2020 when the 15th instalment of South Africa’s ground-breaking tournament kicks off on 14 February.
After a challenging 2021 season, the tournament will return to campuses around the country, with a limited number of fans allowed into the stadiums.
“The South African sporting community has endured a tough time of it over the past two years, so it’s great to see the FNB Varsity Cup returning to the participating universities across the nation,” said Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi, Varsity Cup Tournament Manager. “We’re particularly excited to have the fans back in the stadiums.
“We’re expecting a fiercely competitive tournament. Two teams will be relegated to the FNB Varsity Shield at the end of the 2022 season, so there is certainly a lot on the line.
“The FNB Varsity Cup has always prioritised innovation, pushing the boundaries and changing the lives of those who form part of the community,” Nesi continued.
“This is the 15th season of this amazing tournament, and fans can expect to be entertained on and off the field over the next few months.’
The FNB Varsity Cup tournament kicks off on 14 February. All 10 teams will be in action over the course of nine rounds, with no byes.
Defending champions FNB UP-Tuks will face five-time winners FNB Maties in Pretoria on 14 February (19:00 kick-off, live on SuperSport). In the earlier televised game (17:00), the FNB NWU Eagles will host FNB UCT Ikeys at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds.
After the league phase of the tournament, the top four sides on the log will advance to the semi-finals.
The seven-team FNB Varsity Shield will commence on 4 March when FNB Rhodes host title-holders FNB CPUT at the Rhodes Great Field.
Shield matches will be staged at a single venue each match day from Rounds 1-6, with the home teams hosting games in Round 7. At the end of the round-robin phase, the top four teams on the log will qualify for the semi-finals. Ticketing and access-to-matches details will be released soon.
Two teams will be relegated from the FNB Varsity Cup and one from the FNB Varsity Shield at the end of the current two-year cycle based on the combined 2021-2022 logs.
No team will be promoted from the FNB Varsity Shield to the FNB Varsity Cup at the end of the 2022 season. From the 2023 season, there will be eight teams in the Cup and eight in the Shield. ?
This season, the FNB Varsity Cup’s Pink Shorts campaign will aim to raise awareness around mental health.
“A key narrative of the 15th edition of the FNB Varsity Cup is the mental health of the student athletes,” Nesi said. “Following a disruptive two-year period due to the pandemic, students have been forced to study remotely. It has taken a toll.
“We aim to raise awareness and acknowledge the challenges that these rugby players face on a daily basis.”
