Varsity rugby gets off with a bang in the the next two weeks with the kick-off of the Varsity Shield and Varsity Cup tournaments. Eastern Cape teams – the University of Fort Hare (UFH) Blues and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Madibaz – will be out to improve on last year when both teams endured difficult seasons.
The Blues finished fourth out of the five teams, with two wins and six losses, at the end of their campaign in the Varsity Shield.
“It was a difficult campaign last year and the guys are definitely out to improve on those performances this year,” said UFH Blues coach Lumumba Currie.
“We have a very exciting team this year with a number of youngsters. However, we also have a nice blend of senior players which makes for a good balance.”
With a home game to open their season at the Dobsonville Stadium in Alice, the Blues want a positive result to get their season off to the perfect start.
They take on the University of the Western Cape, who beat them twice and finished a place above them last year.
It is expected as always to be a fiercely competitive game.
“This is going to be a massive match,” said Currie. “There are a number of factors, one being that we want to get off to a good start and win the game, another is that it is part of our centenary celebrations.
“so it is a special occasion and we will be playing live on SuperSport which brings a bit of pressure to the team but it is great exposure for the guys.”
The Blues then have a bye before their second match against the University of
KwaZulu-Natal Impi away. That match should be a good indication of how the team will fare this season as it should be a really challenging encounter.
“Our goal is to win all of our home matches this year” explained Currie.
“That is very important for us as it will put us in a good position on the log. Then we will fight for points in our away games.”
For the NMMU Madibaz, it is a case of forget what happened in 2015. After reaching the semifinals in the 2013 and 2014 seasons and coming within a whisker of making the final on both occasions, they were brought back to earth with a bump.
They finished the season seventh out of the eight teams on the log with just one win and six losses to their name so they will be looking to bounce back from that campaign this year.
The Madibaz get their Varsity Cup campaign under way on Monday February 8 against the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg – a testing opening fixture for the side.
The number of former Border schools players in their squad this year should result in high local interest, but they will need all the support they can get in what promises to be a tough campaign.
Scrum down for varsity sides
The Blues finished fourth out of the five teams, with two wins and six losses, at the end of their campaign in the Varsity Shield.
“It was a difficult campaign last year and the guys are definitely out to improve on those performances this year,” said UFH Blues coach Lumumba Currie.
“We have a very exciting team this year with a number of youngsters. However, we also have a nice blend of senior players which makes for a good balance.”
With a home game to open their season at the Dobsonville Stadium in Alice, the Blues want a positive result to get their season off to the perfect start.
They take on the University of the Western Cape, who beat them twice and finished a place above them last year.
It is expected as always to be a fiercely competitive game.
“This is going to be a massive match,” said Currie. “There are a number of factors, one being that we want to get off to a good start and win the game, another is that it is part of our centenary celebrations.
“so it is a special occasion and we will be playing live on SuperSport which brings a bit of pressure to the team but it is great exposure for the guys.”
The Blues then have a bye before their second match against the University of
KwaZulu-Natal Impi away. That match should be a good indication of how the team will fare this season as it should be a really challenging encounter.
“Our goal is to win all of our home matches this year” explained Currie.
“That is very important for us as it will put us in a good position on the log. Then we will fight for points in our away games.”
For the NMMU Madibaz, it is a case of forget what happened in 2015. After reaching the semifinals in the 2013 and 2014 seasons and coming within a whisker of making the final on both occasions, they were brought back to earth with a bump.
They finished the season seventh out of the eight teams on the log with just one win and six losses to their name so they will be looking to bounce back from that campaign this year.
The Madibaz get their Varsity Cup campaign under way on Monday February 8 against the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg – a testing opening fixture for the side.
The number of former Border schools players in their squad this year should result in high local interest, but they will need all the support they can get in what promises to be a tough campaign.
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