The Boland Rugby Union and Western Province Rugby Football Union have announced a brand new club rugby competition, the Community Challenge Club Rugby Competition.
A total of eight clubs – four clubs each from the Boland and Western Province premier leagues – will form part of the inaugural Community Challenge, which kicks off on March 1, 2014. The finals will take place on March 29, 2014.
The purpose of this competition is to strengthen the relationship between WP and Boland since both unions form part of the Stormers franchise, but also to promote and enhance club rugby in these unions.
Both the Boland Rugby Union as well as the Western Province Rugby Football Union have strong traditions of extremely good club rugby structures. This competition will contribute further towards the development of club rugby and players in both unions.
The competition also offers an alternative opportunity for those clubs and players who did not qualify for participation in the Cell C Community Cup to showcase their talents during a competition which will also serve as a talent identification opportunity.
The Community Challenge will ultimately contribute to the development of promising club players for possible inclusion in the respective Boland and Western Province Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup squads. In the future these players could then also come into contention for the Stormers squad that participates in the Super Rugby tournament.
The Community Challenge will also prepare the clubs for their club commitments and give them a better chance to qualify for the Cell C Community Cup in 2015.
The following clubs will be participating in the first-ever Community Challenge:
Group A:
Durb-Bell
Hawston
Tygerberg
Ceres
Group B:
Worcester Villagers
SK Walmers
Saldanha
Belhar
The 2014 Community Challenge fixtures:
1 March:
Ceres v Durb-Bell (Ceres) – 16:00
Hawston v Tygerberg (Hawston) – 16:00
Worcester Villagers v Belhar (Worcester) – 16:00
Saldanha v SK Walmers (Saldanha Bay) – 16:00
8 March:
Durb-Bell v Tygerberg (City Park A) – 13:35
Hawston v Ceres (City Park B) – 13:35
Worcester Villagers v Saldanha (City Park B) – 14:45
Belhar v SK Walmers (City Park A) – 14:45
15 March:
Durb-Bell v Hawston (Durbanville) – 16:00
Tygerberg v Ceres (Florida Park) – 16:00
SK Walmers v Worcester Villagers (Green Point Track) – 16:00
Belhar v Saldanha (Accordian Park) – 16:00
22 March – Semi-finals:
Third Place A v Fourth Place B (venue TBC) – KO TBC
Third Place B v Fourth Place A (venue TBC) – KO TBC
Winner A v Runner-up B (venue TBC) – KO TBC
Winner B v Runner-up A (venue TBC) – KO TBC
29 March – Final:
Plate Final (Third & Fourth) – 14:45 (venue TBC)
Winner SF One v Winner SF Two – 16:00 (venue TBC)