Article by: Pearl Modise <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2021 Edition of the Varsity Cup will take place in a\nsecure bio-bubble at the University of Pretoria from 4 April to 24 May and for\nthe first time in the tournament\u2019s history it will include comprehensive\nbroadcasting of the Varsity Shield matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two tournaments will alternate during this 51-day period\nwith all 17 teams staying at the Varsity Cup Village, where they will leave and\nreturn between bubbles. Matches will be played at Tuks Stadium, the Tuks\nB-Field and Loftus Versfeld Stadium<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SA Rugby\u2019s Covid-19 protocols have been adhered to with players\nand management being tested regularly during the four-week period that led up\nto the tournaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a long and hard journey to this point, but we\u2019re\nfinally going to see the best in young rugby talent again\u201d, says Xhanti-Lomzi\nNesi, Varsity Cup Tournament Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe might not be able to have in-stadium attendance, but we\nhave a feast of rugby planned on Supersport and a couple of surprises for fans.\nVarsity Cup has always been about innovation, pushing the boundaries and\nchanging lives of those who form part of it. In 2021, we\u2019re going to take this\nto the next level\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The top four teams on the Varsity Cup log will qualify for\nthe semi-finals, which will be played on 21 May 2021, followed by the final on\n24 May 2021. The top two teams on the FNB Varsity Shield log will contest the\nfinal on 9 May 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supersport will broadcast 34 of the 48 Varsity Cup matches\nlive and \u2013 for the first time \u2013 all 22 Varsity Shield fixtures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to last year\u2019s Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield\ntournaments being cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Varsity Cup Board\nopted to promote the Madibaz to the Varsity Cup as they had already secured\nenough points on the combined 2019\/20 Varsity Shield log.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no team being relegated from the Varsity Cup in 2020\nthere will be 10 participants in the 2021 tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Varsity Shield will however still have seven teams\nparticipating this year after University Sports South Africa (USSA) nominated\nDurban University of Technology (DUT) to join the tournament. DUT will make\ntheir debut against Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in the first Varsity Shield\nmatch on 12 April 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the 2021 season there will be no promotion or\nrelegation. The bottom two teams on the Varsity Cup Log will be relegated to\nVarsity Shield, while the last placed team on the Varsity Shield log will fall\nout of the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the 2023 season, there will be eight teams in the\nVarsity Cup and eight in the Varsity Shield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Varsity Cup Opening Fixtures (Sunday, 4 April 2021):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n FNB CUT vs FNB UJ (17:00) <\/p>\n\n\n\n FNB UP Tuks vs FNB Wits (19:00)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Matches will be televised live on Supersport Rugby HD\n(Channel 211)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Article by: Pearl Modise The 2021 Edition of the Varsity Cup will take place in a secure bio-bubble at the University of Pretoria from 4 April to 24 May and for the first time in the tournament\u2019s history it will include comprehensive broadcasting of the Varsity Shield matches. The two tournaments will alternate during this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n