Varsity Cup brings the vibe

The FNB Varsity Cup is an exciting platform for up-and-coming rugby talent, however the competition encapsulates far more than just rugby.

Every Monday evening throughout the month of February to March, university campuses around South Africa come to a standstill. Droves of students, parents, university officials and occasionally the professional sportsman/ woman can be seen on the side lines, cheering for their respected university rugby team. The Varsity Cup caters for the seasoned rugby supporter as well as for those who have yet to experience a rugby game. This creates an incredible environment within the stadium for the players and fans alike and the vibe created is unique to the Varsity Cup competition.

The picturesque Green Mile, home of the University of Cape Town’s Ikey Tigers comes to life on Varsity Cup Mondays. As soon as students finish lectures and tutorials they head down to the Green Mile, ready for a memorable and enjoyable time with friends. Even though a few results did not go their way, the Ikeys had a large number of supporters week-in and week-out.

The Cape derby between FNB UCT and the neighbouring FNB UWC was a great way for the tournament to kick-off. The game played on the 4th of February, was the opening fixture of the 2019 campaign. Both teams played expansive brands of rugby which made for an exciting game to watch for all in attendance. A factor which added to the excitement was the fact that the game was really close up until the final whistle. In the end, the Ikeys walked away with a 32-24 victory over their neighbours.

Students supporting the Ikey Tigers.
Courtesy of: Rudi Erasmus.

The Varsity Cup organisers recognised the fact that fans want to experience something different and unique. To solve this dilemma, Varsity Cup along with Steers introduced various mini-games fans could partake in, such as the “Build-a-burger” segment during half-time and strategy breaks. However, the University of Cape Town took it a step further, as they introduced a cheerleading team. This has added to the vibe around the Green Mile, as the cheerleaders perform during half-time and various breaks throughout the game.

The competitions all-time leading try-scorer, Edwill van der Merwe, believes that the Varsity Cup competition is an “amazing platform”. This provides fans with insight as to how much the players enjoy the tournament and all the extra effort the organisers and sponsors put-in, does not go unnoticed. The fact that most of the stadiums and venues used to host the fixtures are packed to capacity each week, is a testament to this.

I for one, am excited to see what the Varsity Cup and its organisers introduce in upcoming campaigns, in order to further incorporate fans and to expand upon their experience of the tournament as a whole.

Folau receives support from peers

Following the Israel Folau saga with Rugby Australia, many other rugby players have come out in support of the Wallabies star.

Rugby Australia could find itself in a precarious position as one of the Wallabies’ rising talents stated that all Pacific Islanders “might as well be sacked” because of their religious beliefs.

With the Israel Folau saga still fresh in memory, Wallabies and Queensland Reds front rower- Taniela Tupou- took to social media in order to voice his support for Wallabies teammate, Israel Folau. Taniela Tupou voiced support for Israel Folau in one of his Facebook posts.

“Seriously ?????????? Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same beliefs??????”

“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had nothing to do with rugby anyways????????”

Tupou, who is also known as the “Tongan Thor” , attached a link to an earlier post by fellow Wallabies rugby player, Samu Kerevi. Kerevi stated, “But to be clear I’m not apologising for my faith in Jesus Christ my saviour. God will always come first in my life and many other professional rugby players.”

Tupou’s “sack me or back Folau” injunction puts Rugby Australia under even more pressure, following the Israel Folau saga which initially put the governing body in an uncomfortable position.

Israel Folau and Rugby Australia

Israel Folau stands firm after a peace offering from the Australian Rugby Union, following his comments over the social media platform- Instagram.

Israel Folau has expressed how he resisted the “temptation” of a peace offering from Rugby Australia that would have afforded him the opportunity to resurrect his playing career.

When asked about the fallout with the governing body, Folau described it as “challenging” and expressed how tempting the “opportunity” to rekindle his career with the New South Wales Waratahs and Wallabies looked.

Folau, who is a devout Christian and firm believer in God, faces his contract being terminated by Rugby Australia after being found to have committed a high-level code of conduct breach for an Instagram post that stated hell awaited “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers” and others.

An independent three-member panel is expected to announce Folau’s sanction, after deciding the “controversial” post which leaves him in a position where his 4 million dollar contract could be terminated.

However, in a video of the Wallabies star speaking at a church service, he insisted that the process had not yet been concluded and “the outcome is yet to be known”.

Folau stated, “Potentially I could get terminated, which means that there’s no more playing contract and therefore no more finances coming in”.

“It’s been really challenging but also it’s been encouraging to myself to see what my God is actually doing.”

It is understood that should Folau, who is Super Rugby’s all-time leading try scorer, have removed the post from his Instagram account, he could continue with his playing career.

“However, I believe it is always the will of God that comes first.”

The independent panel tasked with deciding the fate of Folau’s playing career, is considering writing submissions from both the player’s legal team and Rugby Australia before delivering their verdict.

Thereafter both parties have an opportunity to appeal, highlighting the fact that this situation could play-out for weeks, even months.

Kings partner with Toulon

South African rugby franchise, the ISUZU Southern Kings have finalised negotiations and reached an agreement to partner with French Top 14 powerhouse, Toulon.

Representatives from the Southern Kings– Deputy Chairman, Rory Stear and Chief Operations Officer, Charl Crous- travelled to France in order to meet with Toulon President, Mourad Boudjellal, to conclude an agreement which will initiate a close working partnership between the two unions.

The ground-breaking partnership will see a sharing of resources between the two unions, an exchange programme between the coaching staff of both teams and key youth development through both teams’ academies. The two unions have also agreed to annual fixtures between the two sides.

The ISUZU Southern Kings‘ Deputy Chairman, Rory Stear, said “This is an amazing opportunity for the ISUZU Southern Kings to twin with a renowned club such as Toulon.” This is a signal of intent from the owners and decision-making party of the Kings, as partnering with a club of Toulon’s stature will ultimately see improvement across the board within the South African based union.

“This is an exciting partnership that will see us ensure that we are on track with our determination to make the ISUZU Southern Kings a world force, just like Toulon.”

The partnership between the two unions is an exciting step for world rugby and will no doubt, have many people keeping an eye on the two teams in order to track their development and growth.

Game-changing All Black retires.

Israel Dagg (30 years old) calls time on his playing career after struggling to fully recover from injury.

Israel Dagg receiving attention from Crusaders team doctors.

Courtesy of: Getty Images

Dagg, one of the most exciting rugby personalities of his generation, decided to hang up his boots after struggling with a knee injury for most of the latter part of his career. The injury caused Dagg to miss the beginning of the 2019 Super Rugby season and after seeking medical advice, he decided to retire.

The unfortunate news brings an end to an exceptional rugby career which kicked-off in late 2006, as then 18 year old Dagg made his debut for Hawkes Bay in the ITM Cup. He ends his career having accumulated 66 Tests for the All Blacks, over 80 games for the Crusaders and 50 appearances for Hawkes Bay.

While disappointed his playing career is over, Dagg has fond memories to look back upon. These include a Rugby World Cup winners medal for the 2011 world cup, as well as winning back-to-back Super Rugby campaigns with the Crusaders in 2017 and 2018. Dagg emphasised this notion as he stated, “It’s been an honour to represent the All Blacks, Crusaders and Hawke’s Bay over the years and I’m incredibly proud to have worn each of those jerseys throughout my career.”

Dagg now has a new role to play within the Crusaders system, one that sees him mentoring younger squad members. “While it’s bittersweet to mark the end of my playing career, I’m grateful to still be able to contribute to this Crusaders team in 2019 and help prepare some of the younger squad members to take the next step in their own careers.”

Apart from his new temporary role with regard to his former employers, Dagg is also excited that he will be able to spend more time with his loved ones and family members.

Even though Israel Dagg was forced to retire early due to injury, he leaves the game as the second most capped All Blacks fullback of all time and as one of the most exciting players to ever set foot on a rugby field, as fans knew that whenever he had ball in-hand he was a threat to the opposition’s try line.

Varsity Cup: Platform for future stars.

Varsity Cup: Equipping the stars of the future to press on toward their goals, both on and off the field.

The Varsity Cup competition affords young athletes the opportunity to express themselves on a national platform, while simultaneously striving toward academic success. Adolf Fourie of Steers, who is one of the competitions leading sponsors, stated “The Varsity Cup is an innovative and life changing tournament”. The competition bridges the gap between amateur and professional rugby within South Africa, through its electrifying vibe and talent on display each Monday night.

The Varsity Cup allows players between the ages of 18 to 25 to share the pitch and express themselves each week. The competition is also a platform for up and coming rugby players, fresh out of school, to test their metal against more experienced opposition. One such case, is the University of Cape Town’s William Rose. A first year student at the university, included in the Ikey Tigers squad for the 2019 season. Rose, a nippy and elusive halfback believes, “The competition has a positive impact on people competing in it, as it allows one to experience sport at a higher level”.

William Rose in action for the Ikey Tigers

Courtesy of: William Rose Instagram

Edwill van der Merwe, the competition’s all-time leading try scorer, reiterates the sentiment of the Varsity Cup being a breeding ground for future talent as he states, “Any young player who wants to kickstart their career of rugby, should definitely consider playing Varsity Cup”. One could almost make the assumption that due to the platform of Varsity Cup, players such as Edwill have been pushed into the forefront and into potential selection for provincial competitions such as the Currie Cup.

When asked about their goals for the future and how the platform of Varsity Cup has aided their journey, both William and Edwill share similar sentiments. William stressed the fact that the competition is a “crucial platform” for players seeking to prove their worth as well as an opportunity to crack into contention for provincial selection. Edwill, who has represented Maties for the past 4 seasons, states, “It’s been a blast and the competition has helped me position myself for the future”. The winger who is well adept in playing anywhere across the back-three, has blistering pace and a knack for the try-line. This has seen him play in the Supersport Rugby Challenge, representing the Western Province. The winger has set his sights on playing at a higher level and recognises the fact that the Varsity Cup is a viable stepping-stone.

Edwill van der Merwe in action for Maties
Courtesy of: Edwill van der Merwe Instagram

On the other side of the spectrum, the Varsity Cup allows young aspiring athletes to not only position themselves to obtain their sporting goals but fulfil their academic aspirations as well. “Off the field the Varsity Cup has given me an opportunity to not only play for Maties but study through the University of Stellenbosch which is preparing me for life after rugby”, states Edwill van der Merwe. William Rose emphasises a similar opinion as he believes that the travelling involved with the competition as well as managing lectures and assignments, “pressures you to complete your work in advance”.

The Varsity Cup provides up and coming student athletes with a platform to gain national recognition and a chance at a spot on the roster of a provincial union. An added bonus is that the competition ensures that these aspiring athletes seek to obtain qualifications in their respected fields of study as well. Thus emphasising the notion that the competition is a stepping stone, whether its participants sign a professional contract with a respected union, or opt to seek employment with their respected qualification under the belt.

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World Rugby, Nations Championship and potentially detrimental ruling.

Nations Championship Boom or Bust?

World Rugby has progressed to simplify their stance on the introduction of a yearly rugby competition.

Meetings were held in Dublin, Ireland last week as the organisation for the sport wished to clarify their reasoning behind the potential start-up of a global rugby competition set to launch in 2022. As per a statement from the meeting, “As the international federation for the sport, World Rugby is committed to the global advancement of rugby and its character-building values to build a better, stronger game for players, unions, clubs and fans.”

The introduction of the Nations Championship is finally World Rugby’s answer to the years of pleading by emerging unions in search of an opportunity to break into the forefront of international rugby and global competition. The Nations Championship is set to provide up and coming unions with the opportunity to face tier 1 competition on a regular basis as well as provide these unions with much needed revenue. The two division competition is set to include a merit-based format which rewards good performances through its promotion-relegation system providing a potential pathway for all competing nations to succeed and thrive. “World Rugby’s objective is to provide the best-possible environment and opportunities for players as well as financial certainty for all unions.” However, many have voiced their frustration as the competition is set to exclude the Pacific Nations such as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa while including the USA. This has left many disgruntled as Fiji and Tonga are above the USA in the global World Rugby Rankings.

The Nations Championship is set to provide emerging unions with the opportunity to test their metal against many of the top teams across the globe, as well as provide fans with exciting and entertaining rugby.

One possible headache however, is the looming situation with Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.