One-of-a-kind Varsity Cup
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fter the absence of any spectator-based sporting events in 2020 during the nationwide pandemic lockdown, supporters of the annual FNB Varsity Cup were delighted to once again cheer for their team, albeit via televised broadcasts. Making use of UP’s premier facilities, the 2021 Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield tournaments were played in a secure bio-bubble from 4 April to 24 May. The matches were played across five “bubbles” at three venues in Pretoria with all 17 teams hosted at the Varsity Cup Village at UP’s sports centre.
This format enabled players to return to their respective universities for the 11 days between bubbles for in-person tutorials, practicals and tests. Although being able to leave the village between bubbles gave the players the chance to relax and recharge, they had to be extra-vigilant around family and friends to ensure that they tested negative on their return to the Varsity Cup Village. The players benefitted from free time between matches to study or to just switch off from rugby, and could make use of dedicated study areas. Team managers had to ensure that the players were well prepared mentally for this new format, which entailed playing without any fans to cheer them on, with the marked absence of the famous Varsity Cup student vibe. The media – and particularly SuperSport – played an important role in bringing the excitement of the tournament to spectators. Of the 48 Varsity Cup matches, 34 were broadcast live, while all 22 Varsity Shield fixtures were broadcast. According to the players, the accommodation provided by UP was phenomenal, and all the arrangements were impeccable. The organisers of the FNB Varsity Cup commended the University for the amazing support that was provided for this unusual tournament. “It was a massive and structured effort, in which we solved a major problem in a controlled, structured and responsible manner,” said Steven Ball, TuksSport Director and Acting CEO of the High Performance Centre. “Our appreciation goes out to UP’s Executive for its support and backing in this initiative, which allowed us to plant a stake as the leading sporting university in Africa,” concludes Ball.
As hosts, Future Africa and TuksSport celebrated the magnitude of the event and it being a first, by planting one tree for every Varsity Cup team. This represented a sign of unity among the teams to improve their environment not only on the field of play.
The UP-Tuks1 team “were the cherry on the top” when they claimed victory by beating UCT 34-27 in a special final.
Photographs by Reg Caldecott
58 TUKKIE | University of Pretoria
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