The 2021 FNB Varsity Cup will resume on Monday with three Round 7 matches at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
The third FNB Varsity Cup bubble – comprising Rounds 7-9, the semi-finals and the final – was pushed out by a week to allow for more Covid-19 testing of participants to take place, while also giving injured players more time to recover.
On Thursday, the Varsity Cup Board approved slight adjustments to the schedule, with two Round 7 matches being moved to Tuesday, 25 May, due to Covid-19 return-to-play protocols.
The three Round 7 matches to be played at Loftus on Monday, 17 May are:
FNB Maties vs FNB Madibaz (15:00, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
FNB UCT Ikeys vs FNB UWC (17:00, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
FNB UFS Shimlas vs FNB UP-Tuks (19:00, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
The two Round 7 matches to be played on the Tuks B-Field on Tuesday, 25 May are:
FNB UJ vs FNB Wits (14:00, DStv Now channel 245)
FNB CUT Ixias vs FNB NWU Eagles (16:00, DStv Now channel 245)
“We are all looking forward to getting Varsity Cup back on, and reaching the business end of the competition,” said Varsity Cup Tournament Director Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi.
“We had a special Varsity Shield final that will go down in the history books and are confident the Cup competition will serve up its own magic.
“We’re thankful that our member universities could make the adjustments work in order to ensure player health and safety remains paramount.”
The Varsity Cup Board also confirmed the times and venues for the Round 8 matches on Thursday, 20 May:
FNB Wits vs FNB UFS Shimlas (14:00, Tuks B-Field, DStv Now channel 245)
FNB Maties vs FNB UJ (15:00, Tuks Stadium, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
FNB Madibaz vs FNB UP-Tuks (16:00, Tuks B-Field, DStv Now channel 245)
FNB UCT UWC vs FNB CUT Ixias (17:00, Tuks Stadium, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
FNB NWU Eagles vs FNB UCT Ikeys (19:00, Tuks Stadium, SuperSport Rugby channel 211)
The times and venues for the Round 9 matches will be confirmed in due course.
