The fixtures for the 2015 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International have been released, with a replay of the epic 2014 final between FNB UCT and FNB NWU-Pukke on the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom lined up.
Ikeys snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on the same field in the final last season with a last gasp, injury time converted try that came after a drop kick charge down on the stroke of full time. The Ikeys counter attack and try that followed will long live on in Varsity Cup folklore as one of the tournament’s enduring moments – the comeback of all comebacks.
The two sides will face each other again in Round Five which will take place on Monday 9 March.
The opening round of the new season will feature replays of both the 2014 semifinals and once again promises much in terms of excitement-filled student rugby fuelled by youthful flair and an attacking approach.
Defending champions FNB UCT will face their old Cape rivals FNB Maties at home on the Green Mile, whilst FNB NWU-Pukke will be up against the FNB NMMU Madibaz at the Fanie du Toit Sportsgrounds in Potchefstroom in the opening round on Monday 9 February.
Both semifinals in 2014 were won by the home side, with three-time champions Maties going down to the Ikeys and NWU-Pukke snatching a dramatic one-point victory over the Madibaz before going on to contest thememorable final which saw UCT score three tries in the last five minutes to claim their second title.
The other two matches in the opening round will both be in Bloemfontein as newly promoted Varsity Shield champions FNB CUT host FNB UJ and FNB UP-Tuks take on FNB UFS-Shimlas.
The Varsity Shield will get started a week earlier with the opening clashes between FNB UWC and FNB UKZN in Bellville and FNB TUT and FNB Fort Hare in Pretoria – both televised live on Supersport 1 on Monday 2 February 2015.
The 2015 Varsity Shield season will see the return of FNB Wits, who did not manage to win a game in their two years in the Varsity Cup.
The FNB Varsity Young Guns and Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships will both get underway on Monday 23 February with a big double-header at the CUT Rugby Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Reigning Young Guns champions UFS will be up against local rivals CUT, and Shimlas koshuis champions Steinhoff Vishuis taking on CUT’s Steinhoff Tigers.
The finals of the Varsity Shield and Young Guns competitions will take place on Monday 6 April, whilst the Varsity Cup and Koshuisrugby Championship finals will be on Monday 13 April with all four matches televised live on Supersport 1.
February 2015 |
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| 9 | FNB NWU-PUKKE | v | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | Fanie du Toit Sport Grounds, Potch | 16:45 |
| 9 | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | v | FNB UP – TUKS | Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein | 18:30 |
| 9 | FNB CUT | v | FNB UJ | CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein | 18:30 |
| 9 | FNB UCT | v | FNB MATIES | UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town | 19:00 |
| 16 | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | v | FNB CUT | NMMU Stadium, PE | 16:45 |
| 16 | FNB UP – TUKS | v | FNB UCT | Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria | 18:30 |
| 16 | FNB UJ | v | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | UJ Stadium, Johannesburg | 18:30 |
| 16 | FNB MATIES | v | FNB NWU-PUKKE | Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch | 19:00 |
| 23 | FNB CUT | v | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein | 16:45 |
| 23 | FNB UCT | v | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town | 18:30 |
| 23 | FNB UJ | v | FNB NWU-PUKKE | UJ Stadium, Johannesburg | 18:30 |
| 23 | FNB UP – TUKS | v | FNB MATIES | Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria | 19:00 |
March 2015 |
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| 2 | FNB UCT | v | FNB CUT | UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town | 16:45 |
| 2 | FNB NWU-PUKKE | v | FNB UP – TUKS | Fanie du Toit Sport Grounds, Potch | 18:30 |
| 2 | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | v | FNB MATIES | Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein | 18:30 |
| 2 | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | v | FNB UJ | NMMU Stadium, PE | 19:00 |
| 9 | FNB MATIES | v | FNB UJ | Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch | 16:45 |
| 9 | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | v | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | NMMU Stadium, PE | 18:30 |
| 9 | FNB UP – TUKS | v | FNB CUT | Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria | 18:30 |
| 9 | FNB NWU-PUKKE | v | FNB UCT | Fanie du Toit Sport Grounds, Potch | 19:00 |
| 16 | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | v | FNB UCT | Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein | 16:45 |
| 16 | FNB MATIES | v | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch | 18:30 |
| 16 | FNB CUT | v | FNB NWU-PUKKE | CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein | 18:30 |
| 16 | FNB UJ | v | FNB UP – TUKS | UJ Stadium, Johannesburg | 19:00 |
| 23 | FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | v | FNB UP – TUKS | NMMU Stadium, PE | 16:45 |
| 23 | FNB UCT | v | FNB UJ | UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town | 18:30 |
| 23 | FNB CUT | v | FNB MATIES | CUT Rugby Stadium, Bloemfontein | 18:30 |
| 23 | FNB UFS SHIMLAS | v | FNB NWU-PUKKE | Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein | 19:00 |
| 30 | 2nd | v | 3rd | 16:45 | |
| 30 | 1st | v | 4th | 19:00 | |
April 2015 |
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| 13 | Winner SF2 | v | Winner SF1 | 19:00 | |