FNB Maties will be looking to successfully retain their title as champions of the inaugural FNB Varsity Cup Women’s tournament when they kick off their campaign against FNB UKZN at the Howard College Stadium in Durban this afternoon (Friday 22 March).
As one of the fastest-growing team sports globally, the Varsity Cup Women’s competition continues to ignite the passion for women’s rugby at university level in South Africa. This season again promises to be one filled with thrilling action and unforgettable moments.
According to Maties head coach Johann Zeier nobody really knew what to expect from the competition last year, but it was great for the development of the game.
“Yes, we had no idea what the intensity or speed of the women’s game would be. This year we are kind of preparing for the same. We don’t really know what to expect because we don’t know to what level people have upped their game,” he said.
Zeier admitted Maties were not able to retain all their players from last year because many of the women have either graduated or finished their studies, while some went to overseas clubs and others ended their rugby careers.
“It’s a mixed bag of reasons, but some of them have just moved on. We have retained some of the ladies, but we have had to start quite fresh with a bit of a newer squad. If you look at it in terms of three-year phases, I would say we are now in year one with the average age being a lot lower in our squad this year,” he explained.
Zeier believes the big challenge this year will be that they have no idea how opposing teams have developed. “It’s quite difficult to tell. So we are just trying to focus on ourselves and try to be as prepared as we can be for the game. We have been through quite a tough pre-season. It was longer than last year and the players’ workload was much more,” he said.
“The preparation has been quite demanding and the ladies have done well to get through it. I think we are in a good place at the moment. Our first game will give us a benchmark as to where we stand with regards to the rest of the competition.”
Building on the success of the debut season, the Women’s tournament has expanded to include six teams. Joining the ranks alongside Maties are newcomers FNB UWC. With the inclusion of FNB UP-Tuks, FNB UJ, FNB UKZN, and FNB UFH, fans can expect fierce competition and thrilling matchups throughout the tournament.
The format of the tournament will see teams competing in a pool format. The opening match between the defending champions and UKZN will take place at 14:00.
For updates, visit www.varsitycup.co.za.
