The next generation of South African rugby stars is ready to take centre stage as the inaugural SA Rugby Under-23 Cup kicks off this Saturday in Durban, with the competition featuring a double-round league format for the country’s four major international franchises.
In the first match of the inaugural tournament, the Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 will host the Lions XV at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, with kick-off scheduled for 13h45.
Designed to bridge the gap between age-grade rugby and senior provincial and franchise ranks, the competition provides a vital platform for emerging talent to gain competitive match minutes and stay battle-hardened.
A key feature of the new tournament is the strategic provision for up to seven over-age players to be included in each 23-player match-day squad, with up to four such players in the starting line-up.
This will provide a crucial “return-to-play” platform for senior players who are coming back from long-term injuries and need game time, or for those on the fringe of franchise selection, who might otherwise not see action in competitions such as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.
Following this weekend's opener in Durban, the action intensifies on Friday, 27 March, with a double-header of fixtures: the Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 will then host the DHL Stormers XXIII in a coastal clash, while Vodacom Bulls XV and Lions XV take their Jukskei derby north to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The league phase will run until the weekend of 9 May, with the final scheduled for 16 May between the two top-placed teams on the log.
Fixtures:
Saturday, 21 March:
13h45: Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 vs Lions XV (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
Friday, 27 March:
16h00: Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 vs DHL Stormers XXIII (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
18h00: Vodacom Bulls XV vs Lions XV (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
Saturday, 11 April:
Time TBC: Vodacom Bulls XV v DHL Stormers XXIII (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, 18 April:
13h00: Lions XV v Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
16h00: DHL Stormers XXIII v Vodacom Bulls XV (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday, 25 April:
13h00: Lions XV v Vodacom Bulls XV (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
16h00: DHL Stormers XXIII v Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday, 2 May:
13h30: Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 v Vodacom Bulls XV (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
14h00: DHL Stormers XXIII v Lions XV (Venue TBC)
Friday, 8 May:
13h00: Lions XV v DHL Stormers XXIII (Venue TBC)
Saturday, 9 May:
Time TBC: Vodacom Bulls XV v Hollywoodbets Sharks U23 (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, 16 May:
Final