South Africa's prestigious intervarsity competition gears up for the 15th season of Rugby That Rocks. 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 matchday 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.