The tournament‚ which has grown from eight universities in 2008 to 16 this year‚ will welcome Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)‚ Rhodes University (Rhodes) and Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in the Shield section.
The Varsity Shield section has grown from five to seven teams.
Last year’s Varsity Shield winners‚ Wits University‚ will re-join Varsity Cup after a few seasons of absence to grow the elite section from eight to nine teams.
This season‚ each of the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield teams have selected a local shelter or organisation that counsels and supports abused women and children.
Varsity Cup will give each university the right to commit support and donate funds to the amount of R25 000 and the players will also be physically involved‚ along with each university’s chosen Miss Varsity Cup and Miss Varsity Shield.
“There is definitely excitement from the three new universities‚” said Varsity Cup Manager Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi.
“There is a long-standing rivalry between the University of Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu University‚ both rugby-mad universities‚ and we can’t wait to see what they will deliver this season.”
The Western Cape now boasts four teams in the tournament‚ two teams in Varsity Cup (Maties and UCT)‚ and two teams in Varsity Shield (UWC and CPUT).
Eastern Cape has one team in Varsity Cup (Madibaz) and three in Varsity Shield (University of Fort Hare‚ Walter Sisulu University and Rhodes). – TMG Digital
