Sixteen teams line up at the start of the 2011 Vodacom Cup on Friday. Our dedicated Pages for the Vodacom Cup can be found under OTHER RUGBY. All Fixtures, Results and Logs can be accessed here and at OTHER RUGBY.

Sixteen teams line up at the start of the 2011 Vodacom Cup on Friday, aiming to lift the title while SARU and provincial unions will take rugby back to the community by creating family fun days at selected matches.

A total of 140 schools across the country have been invited to matches and will participate in events in a competition that will culminate with one school driving off with a brand new school mini-bus – courtesy of SARU and Vodacom – as part of the initiative.

On the field the focus will be on a different prize – claiming the 14th edition of the Vodacom Cup.

The competition retains its international flavour with the participation of teams from Rugby World Cup-bound Argentina (Pampas XV) and Namibia (Welwitschias).

The Pampas XV are grouped in the South Section with Western Province, Boland Cavaliers, SWD Eagles, EP Kings, Border Bulldogs, The Sharks XVs and the Free State Cheetahs.

The Welwitschias are joined by the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Valke, Pumas, Platinum Leopards, Griquas and the Griffons in the North Section.

Each section will play in a single round across the section and will compete in eight matches – four home and four away matches.

The tournament kicks off in Bloemfontein Friday when last year’s losing finalists – Free State Cheetahs – host the Valke at the Free State Rugby Stadium.

The Welwitschias travel to Port Elizabeth for their clash against the EP Kings on Friday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Friday’s other Vodacom Cup games take place in East London where the Border Bulldogs host the Platinum Leopards and at Outeniqua Park in George where the SWD Eagles start their 2011 campaign against the Ford Pumas.

The Blue Bulls begin their title defence in Durban on Saturday when they take on The Sharks XVs at Kings Park as a curtain-raiser to the Sharks v Blues Super Rugby match.

The Pampas XV will play their first “home” game of the competition on Saturday when they “host” the Griffons at the Fanie du Toit Stadium in Potchefstroom before the Newlands clash featuring Western Province and the Golden Lions – another Super Rugby curtain raiser.

The four-time Vodacom Cup champions – Griquas – are in the town of Bredasdorp on Saturday for their clash against the Boland Cavaliers.

Vodacom Cup Fixtures (Round One):

Friday, February 25:

EP Kings v Namibia (19:00) – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Free State Cheetahs v Valke (16:45) – Free State Rugby Stadium

Border v Platinum Leopards (19:00) – Buffalo City Stadium

SWD Eagles v Ford Pumas (19:00) – Outeniqua Park, George

Saturday, February 26:

Western Province v Golden Lions (16:45) – DHL Newlands

Sharks XV v Vodacom Blue Bulls (14: 40) – Mr Price Kings Park, Durban

Boland Cavaliers v Griquas (16:00) – Bredasdorp

Pampas XV v Griffons (15:00) – Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom