UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

Rugby Club 2013

Practice:  Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 18h00 -20h00
Venue:  Rugby Stadium (East Campus)
Contacts:

head coach: Andy Royle -  082 557 1951, andrew.royle@wits.ac.za
sports officer: Yvonne Swanepoel - 011 717 9417, yvonne.swanepoel@wits.ac.za

Monday night mania resumes in 2013

In 2013, Wits Univ’s 1st rugby VX is campaigning in the elite FNB Varsity Cup competition. The season-opener on Mon 4 Feb is a home fixture - at Wits Rugby Stadium, East Campus - against the UFS's Shimlas. Kick-off is at 19h00. The Cup is SA’s premier inter-varsity rugby tournament. Wits won the Varsity Shield last year – in a play-off against the FS’  Central Univ. of Technology (CUT) after both teams topped the log on 29 points - to gain promotion to the Cup competition.

Above: Wits' XV practice scrumming techniques with the Waikato Chiefs who were hosted at Wits' training facilities in April 2012 during the SA leg of their SuperRugby season.

Above: Lineout action from the 25 Feb 2013 Wits-NWU Pukke Varsity Cup fixture. Wits went down 71-25.

Inter-varsity rugby continues to enjoy enormous support, with FNB’s involvement proving a huge boon. Supporters are drawn from across the entire rugby community, not just students. We expect the rivalry to be especially keen this season as Wits, UJ and Tukkies – Gauteng’s  ‘Jakaranda League’ – are all playing in the Cup competition.

This year too, two games involving Wits will be televised live on SuperSport: an away fixture against NWU-Pukke in Potchefstroom on Mon 11 Feb (kick-off @ 19h00), and the eagerly-awaited local derby at home against UJ on 25 Feb.

And new players introduced in 2012 expected to do battle again this year include centre Bronson Lange, Thapelo Thupe (scrumhalf) prop Oliver Rochet and Thato Mavundla (openside flanker). Unlike the the Varsity Shield's home-and-away double round of league fixtures, teams play each other once only, home or away. But whatever the format, no matter the tournament, regardless of the opposition, Wits supporters are right behind their champion side in 2013! We call on all Witsies - students, staff and alumni - to come Back our Boytjies during their home appearances.

VARSITY CUP FIXTURES

Date

Opponents

Venue

Time

Mon, 4 Feb

FNB UFS-Shimlas

home

19h00

Mon, 11 Feb

FNB NMMU

away

19h00 (TV)

Mon, 18 Feb

FNB NWU-Pukke

home

19h00

Mon, 25 Feb

FNB UJ

home

16h45 (TV)

Mon, 4 Mar

FNB UP-Tuks 1

away

19h00

Mon, 11 Mar

FNB Maties

home

19h00

Mon, 18 Mar

FNB UCT 1st XV

away

19h00

Mon, 25 Mar

Semis: Pos 1 v Pos 4/Pos 2 v Pos 3

TBA

16h30/19h00 (TV)

Mon, 8 Apr

Finals

TBA

19h00

This year also sees Wits fielding sides in the Steinhoff Koshuis Championship (Steinhoff Commerce), and in the Young Guns under-20 competitions, and will again compete in the Pirates Grand Challenge (PGC) and Predators League. Once again we'll be carefully nurturing our u-19's and u-21's through these competitions.

The 2013 Steinhoff Interfaculty Championship will commence on [DAY & DATE}. The competing teams are: Steinhoff Commerce, Steinhoff Engineers, Steinhoff Humanities, Steinhoff Knockando, Steinhoff Masakhane, Steinhoff Men’s Res, Steinhoff SHA, Steinhoff SAUJS, Steinhoff Monash and Steinhoff Medics. Come down to the Wits Rugby Stadium on Wednesdays and support your team.

Team practices will take place every Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18h00 at the East Campus Rugby fields.

For more information, contact Andy Royle (head coach) on 082 557 1951 (andrew.royle@wits.ac.za) or
Yvonne Swanepoel (sports officer) on 011 717 9417 (yvonne.swanepoel@wits.ac.za).