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January 15 - Hard at training for the FNB Varsity Cup competition that starts on February 6, the University of Johannesburg have the realisation that they start off against last year’s two finalists in the first two rounds of this year’s competition.
First-up opponents for UJ are the 2011 losing finalists Tukkies, the side that eliminated them at home in the semi-final. In another semi-final replay, the defending champions Ikeys Tigers are at home against the Shimlas.
After the first round match on Monday February 6, UJ are at home against Ikeys on February 13.
The other two matches in the first round see Maties at home against Tshwane University for Technology (TUT); and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) host the NWU-Pukke in Port Elizabeth.
** The two finalists in last year’s Varsity Shield, Wits and the Central University for Technology (CUT) do battle in Bloemfontein on January 30. Just three days later, on February 2, Wits are at home to the University of Fort Hare.
** Varsity Cup Rugby has come up with changes again, with the importance of tries being the major focus ahead of the 2012 tournaments. Thanks to a special dispensation from the International Rugby Board, the Varsity Cup Rugby organisers have changed around the value of points for the four 2012 Varsity Cup Rugby competitions. Conversions will be worth three points and penalties and drop-goals will be worth just two points.
It is an exciting change – but also regarded as controversial in some quarters as it is felt that more cynical penalties could be conceded in an effort to prevent the scoring of tries. Therefore, the critics say, more penalty tries could follow.
** Varsity Cup Rugby has also been expanded. Last year the Varsity Cup Shield for the four universities who missed qualification for the Varsity Cup competition was introduced. This year there will also be an all-new students only Under-20 competition, the Varsity Young Guns, to join the two senior competitions and the now firmly established Steinhoff Koshuisrugby competition.
The Young Guns competition will be played in two pools, and UJ start off at home against NMMU on February 6; then play the Pukke at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom on March 12 and host the Maties on March 19.
The fixtures for the 2012 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International are (home teams first, TV games in brackets):
Monday, February 6 - Round One:
17.00: FNB Tuks v FNB UJ, Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria (TV)
19.00: FNB UCT v FNB Shimlas, UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town (TV)
19.00: FNB Maties v FNB TUT, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
19.00: FNB NMMU v FNB Pukke, Xerox NMMU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Monday, February 13 - Round Two:
17.00: FNB TUT v FNB TUT, TUT Stadium, Tshwane (TV)
19.00: FNB Pukke v FNB Maties, Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds, Potchefstroom (TV)
19.00: FNB UJ v FNB UCT, UJ Stadium, Johannesburg
19.00: FNB Shimlas v FNB NMMU, Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein
Monday, February 20 - Round Three:
17.00: FNB UJ v FNB NMMU, UJ Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB Tuks v FNB Pukke, Tuks Rugby Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB Maties v FNB Shimlas, Danie Craven Stadium
19.00: FNB TUT v FNB UCT, TUT Stadium
Monday, February 27 - Round Four:
17.00: FNB NMMU v FNB UCT, Xerox NMMU Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB Shimlas v FNB UJ, Xerox Shimla Park (TV)
19.00: FNB Maties v FNB Tuks, Danie Craven Stadium
19.00: FNB Pukke v FNB TUT, Fanie du Toit Sports Ground
Monday, March 5 - Round Five:
17.00: FNB UCT v FNB Pukke, UCT Rugby Fields (TV)
19.00: FNB Tuks v FNB Shimlas, Tuks Rugby Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB UJ v FNB TUT, UJ Stadium
19.00: FNB NMMU v FNB Maties, Xerox NMMU Stadium
Monday, March 12 - Round Six:
17.00: FNB Shimlas v FNB TUT, Xerox Shimla Park (TV)
19.00: FNB Maties v FNB UCT, Danie Craven Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB Tuks v FNB NMMU, Tuks Rugby Stadium
19.00: FNB Pukke v FNB UJ, Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds
Monday, March 19 - Round Seven:
17.00: FNB UCT v FNB Tuks, UCT Rugby Fields (TV)
19.00: FNB UJ v FNB Maties, UJ Stadium (TV)
19.00: FNB Pukke v FNB Shimlas, Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds
19.00: FNB TUT v FNB NMMU, TUT Stadium
Monday, March 26 - Semifinals:
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