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The 2010 Varsity Cup Final - between FNB Maties and FNB UCT - will take place at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Monday, March 29. Kick-off is at 6.30pm.

The Ikey Tigers moved into their second Varsity Cup Final with a composed 27-21 semifinal win over a game FNB Shimlas side in Cape Town on Monday.

The FNB Maties will host a third successive Varsity Cup Final at the Danie Craven Stadium, after smashing FNB Pukke 47-11 in their semifinal meeting at the selfsame venue on Monday evening.

Steinhoff Dagbreek played an intelligent game to edge out Steinhoff Maroela 21-15 in their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships semifinal in Pretoria on Monday evening.

Steinhoff Villagers' (Pukke) hopes of making the final of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga were well and truly shattered on Monday night when they got smashed 57-3 by a rampant Steinhoff Vishuis (Shimlas).

It was the last round of the European Nations Cup on Saturday with two important matches, won by Georgia and Romania. Germany's last chance to avoid relegation failed just.

As the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International nears its business-end, we would like you - our loyal website readers and supporters - to begin voting for YOUR Player(s) of the Tournament.

FNB Shimlas coach Jaco Swanepoel has made a late change to his bench ahead of this afternoon's Varsity Cup semifinal clash against the Ikey Tigers at Groote Schuur.

Dis nie aldag dat jou pa jou afrigter is en boonop dieselfde posisie as jy gespeel het nie. Hierdie rare geval speel hom in die Steinhoff Koshuisliga af waar pa Sias van Rensburg die afrigter van Steinhoff Villagers (Pukke) is waar sy seun (Sarel) die vasskop stut van die span is.

The Ikey Tigers - along with the FNB Maties - have been one of the better teams in the history of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International. However, the Men from Cape Town have not tasted final success yet - despite coming close on two occasions.

Monday's four semifinal sides - Maties, UCT, Shimlas and Pukke - have all played against each other once before this season, in the league phase of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International. Just how many players, however, will be lining up to face up to each other for the second time this year?

The 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships moves into the Last Four on Monday, with four teams set to fight it out for a place in the 2010 final on Monday, March 29.

'n Klompie beserings in die FNB Shimla-kamp het die afrigtingspan genoodsaak om vyf veranderinge (een daarvan takties) aan die 23-tal vir Maandag se halfeindstryd van die FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International - teen die Ikeys in Kaapstad, aan te bring.

Vishuis se mees ervare speler, Gerhard Meyer (agtsteman) is oortuig sy span beskik oor die skietgoed om vanjaar die Steinhoff Koshuisliga te wen.

It is the last round of the European Nations Cup, sometimes refereed to as the Six Nations B, and it is the time to decide who the champion will be. There will also be a clearer view of who will end third and thus have a chance to go to New Zealand via repechage.

Lourens Adriaanse will captain the FNB Maties in their 2010 Varsity Cup semifinal clash against the FNB NWU-Pukke on Monday night (kick-off 6.30pm).

UCT squad captain Nick Fenton-Wells will lead his team into battle against Shimlas, in Monday's FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International semifinal at the Green Mile. (Kick-off 4.15pm.)

Steinhoff Vishuis (Kovsies) are expecting a tough assignment come Monday, when they take on Steinhoff Villagers - from Pukke - in one of the semifinals of this year's Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.

So, after seven weeks of intense league action - it's all down to this; the semifinals of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International and the final fight to see who will contest the third-ever final in this exciting tournament.

The FNB NWU-Pukke will go into Monday evening's Varsity Cup semifinal clash against the FNB Maties without their scrumhalf and talisman Andries Mahoney.

Toks van der Linde has urged the South African rugby public - and, in particular, the various universities' alumni - to get behind their teams ahead of the semifinals of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The Madibas are a far cry from the despondent squad you might expect after picking up the Wooden Spoon in this year's FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Die FNB Pukke-span, verlede jaar se finalis in die FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International, sal hul dringendheid oor die algemeen moet verbeter voor hul herontmoeting met Maties in Maandag se semifinaal.

FNB Tuks se sesde plek op die puntelys van die FNB Varsitybeker-reeks, aangebied deur Steinhoff International, beteken desnoods dat alle betrokkenes hand in eie boesem sal moet steek ten einde 'n herhaling hiervan in 2011 te voorkom.

Maandagaand se deurslaggewende kragmeting - teen UJ - op Shimlapark, waar die FNB Shimlas 51-32 gewen het, was beslis nader as wat die telling weergee.

With the 2010 Varsity Cup semifinals just days away, we look at the various permutations facing the last four teams remaining in the competition.

Top referees Ben Crouse and Dilbert November have been appointed to officiate next Monday's Varsity Cup semifinals in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

There are still a lot of points being scored in the Super 14 - 372 in this round, an average of 62 points per match. Of course, it includes the massive thrashing the Lions received. We give some stats from each match and then the running totals of tries, penalties and so on. The totals tell you who has scored most tries, conceded fewest tries, been penalised most and had most disciplinary action.

Playing selector is always a fun exercise. With that in mind, we have had a stab at selecting the form players in the 2010 Varsity Cup up till now - from the four teams that qualified for the semifinals (Stayers XV) and the four teams that have been knocked out (Leavers XV).

Ikeys ace Tim Whitehead will make his Super 14 debut for the Stormers this weekend - the latest Varsity Cup player to make the step up to the toughest provincial tournament in the southern hemisphere.

The tackle remains a nettle on the rugby field. The IRB has been returning to basics in the application of the law and now gives a ruling to help with the applications of the law, one which, it seems, will be a perennial problem.

Albert van der Merwe, van die Maties se Steinhoff Dagbreek span, skryf vir ons 'n verslag na sy span se 15-5 oorwinning oor die Steinhoff Tornadoes (UK) op Maandag - 'n resultaat wat hulle 'n plek in die Steinhoff Koshuisliga semifinale verseker het.

It was a case of 'job done' for the Ikeys against Tuks on Monday night, but only - according to captain Stu Commins - after a rollicking half-time talk from head coach John Dobson.

It was a close call at the end, but FNB TUT Vikings head coach Alex de Kock was never worried about the outcome of Monday's Varsity Cup 'Wooden Spoon' Final against the Madibas.

With the four Varsity Cup semifinalists confirmed, we caught up with the teams' respective coaches to get their views ahead of next week's play-off matches in Stellenbosch and Cape Town.

After a weekend which included the drab affair at Murrayfield and the scintillating affair at Stade de France, we give some statistics from the matches, including some total so that you see who scored most tries and who was penalised most.

For the third year running - it was again a case of so close, yet so far, for UJ's FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International semifinal hopes.

It is going to take a miracle for the FNB Pukke to beat the FNB Maties in Stellenbosch next week.

The Laws of rugby football are, in a sense, a compendium of failure. Somebody does something that looks wrong or not quite kosher or causing an unwanted effect and that becomes law. This has happened now with deciding the end of a match, after the incident which ended the Wales-France encounter.

It's the last day of Six Nations and it ends with the big one, Le Crunch, at Stade de France. There are also vital matches in ancient Trabazon on the Black Sea - an interesting venue - and Lisbon, the loser of the latter may well be out of hope of qualifying for the World Cup. There is a lot to keep referees on their toes.

Die Wes-Kaapse universiteite, die FNB Maties en die FNB-Ikey Tigers, sal - vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar - gasheer speel wanneer die halfeindwedstryde van die van die FNB Varsitybeker, aangebied deur Steinhoff International, aanstaande week plaasvind.

The UCT Ikey Tigers claimed a third home semifinal in a row, after beating FNB Tuks 38-24 in a hard-fought Varsity Cup encounter at a windy Groote Schuur on Monday night.

Western Cape rivals, the FNB Maties and the FNB Ikey Tigers, will - for the third year running - host next week's semifinals in the third edition of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

FNB Shimlas moved into their first-ever Varsity Cup semifinal with a 51-32 win over FNB UJ in a lively encounter in Bloemfontein on Monday evening.

The FNB TUT Vikings avoided a second successive Varsity Cup Wooden Spoon, thanks to their 45-40 last-round win over a game FNB NMMU in Tshwane on Monday evening.

Today's final-round Varsity Cup clash between FNB Pukke and FNB Maties will matter for nothing when 24 former students - from both universities - go head-to-head in a golfing challenge in Potchefstroom on Tuesday

Steinhoff Dagbreek (Maties) edged out the Steinhoff Tornadoes 15-5 to qualify for the semifinals of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.

What a match in Paris! After the dull stuff of Murrayfield the match between France and Italy sparkled. The French were full of sparkle and it seemed to rub off on Italy who ended brightly. It was the most entertaining of this year's Six Nations.

Steinhoff Vishuis het met 'n reuse sege oor Steinhoff Madibaz - van NMMU - goeie momentum voor volgende Maandag se halfeindstryd van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga opgebou.

The FNB Maties ended the league phase of the 2010 Varsity Cup unbeaten - recording a 33-17 win over FNB Pukke in Potchefstroom on Monday afternoon.

FNB UCT captain Nick Fenton-Wells has been added to the Ikeys bench ahead of today's last-round league fixtures in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Now that it has been decided that Georgia and Russia will be going to the 2011 World Cup the battle to keep hopes alive is for third spot on the European Nations Cup.

'n Paar randspelers van Steinhoff Vishuis kry Maandag 'n laaste kans om hul afrigter te beindruk wanneer hulle teen Steinhoff Madibaz (NMMU) te staan kom. Dis die laaste ronde van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga en Jan Earle, afrigter, hoop om na Maandag te weet wat sy beste span is wat die volgende week in die halfeindronde in aksie sal wees.

Steinhoff Villagers (Pukke) have finished second in the Northern Section of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships - their 25-22 win over TUT's Steinhoff Patriot in Tshwane on Monday booking them a semifinal place.

'Any rugby player just wants to play - I'm no different and I cannot wait for Monday.' Those are the words of fit-again FNB Maties skipper Cameron Peverett who, rather belatedly, will make his first start of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Former Springbok wing Breyton Paulse believes the FNB Maties will be hard to stop as the business-end of the 2010 Varsity Cup approaches, but he has warned them of the 'one-off' pressure they will face in the semifinals.

If Steinhoff Villagers can finish the majority of the chances they create, they should come away with the spoils in their last-round Steinhoff Koshuisliga fixture this coming Monday.

The Steinhoff Tornadoes have been forced into making a few last-minute changes to their starting line-up for Monday's do-or-die Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships clash against Dagbreek from Stellenbosch.

A move towards an integrated competition calendar for Tier Two Unions could soon become a reality after a meeting between the International Rugby Board and key stakeholders agreed to work towards a schedule that will further enable Unions to bridge the gap to Tier One status.

It is a question that has been on everyone's lips - what did UCT loosehead prop Ashley Wells say to Western Cape Premier Helen Zille when he received his Varsity Cup Player that Rocks Award from her on Monday, February 22?

Die terugkeer van drie sleutelspelers sal die FNB Shimlas-span versterk vir sy deurslaggewende tuiswedstryd Maandag in die 2010 FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International.

The FNB NMMU Madibas will go into their 'Wooden Spoon Final' against the TUT Vikings without inspirational skipper and scrumhalf Luso Booi.

Hooker Cornel Nieuwoudt will lead his Steinhoff Dagbreek team to Cape Town on Monday - in the Stellenbosch side's final Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships fixture of the season, a game which is effectively a quarterfinal against UCT's Tornadoes.

Lutho Nyeka, known for his organising skills in the FNB TUT Vikings midfield, is back in the selection mix ahead of Monday's Varsity Cup 'Wooden Spoon Final' against FNB NMMU.

Wily Pukke coach Rudy Joubert has made a few minor adjustments to his team's starting XV for Monday's top-of-the-log Varsity Cup clash against the defending champion Maties.

Maties captain Cameron Peverett will make his first start of the 2010 Varsity Cup season when the defending champions travel to Potchefstroom for their final league match of the year against FNB Pukke.

With the defending champion Maties having already sewn up a third successive home semifinal, there will be plenty to play for - elsewhere - in Round Seven of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

We caught up with Shimlas speedster Beast Ndwandwa who has already scored four tries in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Marcel Brache, who has been so impressive at outside centre for FNB UCT, has been moved to fullback for Monday's very important final-round league encounter against FNB Tuks in Cape Town (kick-off 6.30pm).

The Steinhoff Northerns Madibaz have announced their starting XV for Monday's final league match of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.

It has been FNB Tuks' Varsity Cup story of 2010: an ever-growing injury list and yet more changes to their starting line-up.

The International Rugby Board has announced that Samoa will host the 2010 Pacific Nations Cup.

SANZAR has announced the match official for Weeks 6-8. They include the return of Stuart Dickinson and Nathan Pearce from injury and relatively new men in Jaco Peyper, Jonathon White and Garratt Williamson.

The Ikey Tigers have suffered a bitter blow, in the aftermath of Monday's 17-23 Varsity Cup loss to Stellenbosch, with hooker Dayne Jans ruled out of action for the remainder of the 2010 rugby season.

The same fifteen UJ players, who rewrote the history books last Monday against NMMU, have been handed the task of winning Monday's Varsity Cup 'quarterfinal' against Shimlas in Bloemfontein.

The Nadoes are now surely the underdogs ahead of Monday's 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships do-or-die match-up against Stellenbosch rivals, Dagbreek.

Two of SANZAR's panel of referees will not be getting appointments to Super 14 matches until they have made improvements to their performances.

This is the penultimate round of Division 1 of the FIRA-AER's European Nations Cup, the so-called Sis Nations B. Two things are to be decided - who will be champions and who will come third.

We give some statistics from the three closely-contested matches this weekend and then some totals in which you can see which team is most penalised, which kicks most, which scores the most tries and so on.

The refereeing appointments for Round Seven of the 2010 Varsity Cup - an exciting week of fixtures, all of which offer up interesting permutations - have been made; with Ben Crouse, Tiaan Jonker, Mlungiseli Mdashe and Bongani Maloni all in action.

Maties coach Chean Roux has labelled his team's Varsity Cup Derby win over UCT as their worst performance of the season, but he was still a relieved man after the Men from Stellenbosch secured their sixth successive victory of 2010.

Disappointment was a word mentioned often by John Dobson after his team's 17-23 defeat to the Maties in Varsity Cup earlier this week - but the Ikey Tigers head coach now has his eyes fixed firmly on redemption against Tuks next Monday.

The International Rugby Board has announced details of an exciting new format for the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2010, which will be played from May 5 to 29.

Hoe om op die regte tyd jou beste vorm te bereik (te peak), is iets wat vir baie spanne steeds 'n misterie en 'n raaisel bly.

Steinhoff Maroela (Tuks) sal die volgende twee weke gebruik om die foute reg te skaaf wat hom so byna 'n plek in die halfeindronde van die 2010 Steinhoff-koshuisreeks gekos het, se die afrigter, HJ Swanepoel.

Die Maties het hul onoorwonne status behou in die 2010 FNB Varsitybeker-reeks, aangebied deur Steinhoff International, deur die weerbarstige UK se Ikeys naelskraap met 23-17 in 'n klassieke ontmoeting op die Danie Craven-stadion Maandagaand te klop.

No, not his age, but in Saturday he will referee his 50th Super Rugby match when the Chiefs play the Crusaders in Hamilton, a top match.

FNB Tuks mag wel enige realistiese aanspraak op 'n plek in die halfeindronde van die FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International kwyt wees, maar Shaun Davids en sy troepe kan die kaarte steeds deurmekaar krap in die laaste groepwedstryde van die 2010-reeks.

Week 4 of Super 14 and only six matches as the Buills and the Western Force had byes. We give some stats from the week and then some totals so that the activities of each side are obvious. There is the same side with most tries but a new side as the most penalised.

Precocious Golden Lions talent Jaco Taute has been drafted onto the FNB UJ bench for tonight's crucial Varsity Cup clash against FNB NMMU at the UJ Stadium.

UJ will not have the luxury of savouring their record 97-14 win over NMMU as much as they would have liked to - because the next and more deciding challenge is just around the corner.

They might be seventh and last, respectively, on the 2010 Varsity Cup log - but there is still 'everything to play for' when the FNB TUT Vikings host FNB NMMU next Monday in the Wooden Spoon 'Final'.

The Maties retained their unbeaten status in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International when they edged a resilient UCT 23-17 in a classic encounter at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday night.

FNB Maties held off a second-half UCT onslaught to earn a 23-17 victory in front of a jam-packed Danie Craven Stadium on a sweltering Monday Night in Stellenbosch.

Not only is tonight's top-of-the-log Varsity Cup match between Stellenbosch and UCT a clash between the best two teams since the inception of the competition, but it also pits the tournament's longest-serving, and most successful, coaches against each other.

No other match, since the advent of the Varsity Cup in 2008, has enjoyed a build-up as big as tonight's top of the log fixture between the defending champion Maties and UCT's Ikey Tigers.

Former Tornadoes centre Marcel Brache has gone from unknown, to superstar in less than three months.

Steinhoff Bastion (UJ) kan na Maandagaand se wen in die Steinhoff Koshuisliga 'n klein liggie aan die einde van die tonnel sien brand.

The Pukke had a point to make and they sent a strong message to the other contenders as they turned their season around with a convincing 51-17 win over the visiting TUT in Potchefstroom on Monday night.

Adilo Coutriers has been named at fullback for the FNB TUT Vikings, as the winless Men from Tshwane chase their first Varsity Cup win since 2008.

Six Nations back with the others chasing France who are on the road to Rome. France continues to get closer to play-offs and the teams are falling regularly in the Super 14 with only the Bulls unbeaten. So the top referees are swanning about the world with their little whistles.

It was a must-win game for both teams, but Shimlas were the better rounded team and scored four tries to beat Tukkies 27-23 in their FNB Varsity Cup match presented by Steinhoff International, at LC de Villiers on Monday night.

Steinhoff Bastion (UJ) speel vandag teen Steinhoff Patriot (TUT), in 'n wedstryd wat heel mootlik hulle laaste in hierdie jaar se Steinhoff Koshuisliga mag wees (afskop 4.30nm).

The result was probably never in doubt, but the margin was the burning question. In the end the UJ produced a record 97-14 victory over the hapless NMMU outfit in Johannesburg on Monday.

Steinhoff Maroela is deur na die halfeindronde van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga, nadat hy Steinhoff Villagters vanaand met 25-22 in Pretoria geklop het.

You can go for weeks and weeks in the Super 14 with something like two thousand things referees have had to look for each weekend and there is no controversy. Then comes a weekend when controversies flourish. It happened this weekend. They were not every-day controversies, either, but they concerned tries given and not given.

Adriaan Bornman, kaptein van Steinhoff Maroela, moet 'n groot paar skoene volstaan nadat Stanley Twiname in die beginspan van FNB Tuks ingesluit is.

Having tasted victory once before on the hallowed turf that is the Danie Craven Stadium, FNB UCT coach John Dobson knows what it takes to leave Coetzenburg on a high - especially when not many people are giving you a chance to win.

As one of the key men for the in-form FNB Maties this season, No.8 Tertius Daniller believes his teammates need to maintain their composure if they are to beat FNB UCT in their top-of-the-table Varsity Cup clash on Monday evening.

Ofskoon hy nie daar kon wees toe Steinhoff Villagers hul voorbereiding vir Maandag se Steinhoff Koshuisliga-wedstryd teen Maroela afgesluit het nie, glo hy nie dit sal die span nadelig beinvloed nie.

Only one Test but lots of other big matches to try the mettle of top players. Look at the Leicester result, and Toulouse, and the Reds in Hamilton. Those are just a few big results.

The South African Under-20 team on Saturday claimed a 1-0 series win over their Argentina counterparts after the two sides played to a 20-20 draw in their second encounter at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

Some coaches prefer long, dramatic pre-match team talks. Maties coach Chean Roux, for instance, is known to be able to motivate his players well before kick-off. But come Monday evening - when the Maties take on UCT in a top-of-the-log Varsity Cup clash - Roux will not have much to say.

All eyes will be on Monday's top-of-the-table clash between the Maties and UCT in Stellenbosch, but there are plenty of sub-plots elsewhere in Round Six of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The national selectors on Friday made ten changes and one positional switch to the South Africa U20 starting line-up that will take on the Argentina U20 team on Saturday at Newlands.

Winger Wilhelm Loock, who started last year's Varsity Cup Final for the Maties, has been handed a recall to the defending champions' starting line-up for Monday's top-of-the-log clash against UCT in Stellenbosch.

Shimlas will field an unchanged starting line-up for Monday's crucial away fixture against Tukkies - for only the second time in this year's Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

UCT openside flanker Mike Morris has recovered from injury to take his place in the Ikey Tigers starting line-up for Monday's mouth-watering top-of-the-log Varsity Cup clash against the Maties in Stellenbosch (8.30pm).

Leopards Currie Cup winger Muhammed Shuaib Samaai has been included in the FNB Pukke team for Monday's must-win Varsity Cup clash against the FNB TUT Vikings.

We caught up with Steinhoff Villagers captain and lock Albert Sorgdrager - to talk about his own game, his rich family history and the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.

With everything to play for in the last two rounds of the league phase of the 2010 Varsity Cup, UJ will have their minds fixed on clinical performance against NMMU in Johannesburg on Monday.

Regular flyhalf Shaun Davids will on Monday captain Tuks from fullback when the Pretoria-based side takes on Shimlas in a make-or-break FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International fixture.

UCT rugby fans, who would like to attend Monday's top-of-the-log Varsity Cup clash between the Ikeys and the Maties in Stellenbosch, can purchase tickets from Thursday onwards.

Monday's 8.30pm kick-off between the Maties and UCT is a top of the log encounter between the top two teams in the 2010 Varsity Cup. It is also a top of the log encounter between the best two Varsity Cup sides in the history of this tournament.

Dilbert November will referee Monday's top-of-the-table Varsity Cup clash between FNB Maties and FNB UCT at the historic Danie Craven Stadium.

Mighty Elephants centre Braam Gerber will start in the No.12 shirt for FNB NMMU in a must-win Varsity Cup clash against FNB UJ in Johannesburg this coming Monday.

TUT's Steinhoff Koshuis team, Steinhoff Patriot, will travel to Johannesburg on Monday for a must-win Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships fixture - but also with an eye on the following week's proceedings.

Albert van der Merwe, van die Dagbreek span, skryf vir ons 'n verslag na sy span se oortuigende 61-10 Steinhoff Koshuisliga oorwinning oor die NMMU Madibaz Koshuis span hierdie Maandag.

An experienced member of the Pukke forward machine, varsitycup.co.za caught up with hooker Stoffel Duvenage to find out more about him... and life in Potchefstroom.

The exciting on-field action aside, the Pink Shorts campaign in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International has given rugby fans plenty to talk - and, in some cases, brag - about.

The South African Under-20 team recorded a convincing 39-7 victory over their Argentinean counterparts, Los Pumitas, in Vredenburg on Wednesday.

Monday's slip-up against the Ikey Tigers means that FNB UJ have missed out on a golden opportunity to host a semifinal in the 2010 Varsity Cup.

Tim Whitehead, FNB UCT's star midfielder, will start at inside centre for Western Province in Saturday's Vodacom Cup clash against the Sharks at Newlands.

As Vishuis die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga-beker omhoog wil hou - soos Armentum gedoen het in 2009 - sal hulle drasties aan hul fiksheid moet werk.

At least six of FNB Tuks' potential first-choice players will play no further part in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Former South Africa Schools' star flanks Lean Schwartz and Jean Cook were on Tuesday named in the SA Under-20 starting line-up to play against Argentina U20 in Vredenburg on Wednesday.

Week 3 was a good weekend for the New Zealand sides, for all five of them won. It was a poor weekend for South African and Australians sides who managed just one win each. The stats will tell you what happened match by match and you can then see which side has scored the most (or the least), which team has been penalised most (or least), and other details.

Whilst pleased with the character shown by his charges in their crucial 30-23 Varsity Cup win over UJ on Monday, FNB UCT head coach John Dobson believes his side is capable of much more.

The Steinhoff Tornadoes arrived back in Cape Town on Tuesday knowing that they have all to play for against their next opponents, neighbours Steinhoff Dagbreek (who hail from Stellenbosch), after a lacklustre performance against Vishuis on Monday.

Buiten 'n vrot laaste 15 minute, waarin die FNB Shimlas van hul spelpatroon afgewyk is, het die span se kaptein - Wayne Stevens - nie veel klagtes nie. Shimlas het, natuurlik, Maandagaand op sy tuisveld in Bloemfontein 37-31 oor die FNB TUT Vikings geseevier.

Before the Super 14 got going and at the request of the Super 14 coaches, certain existing laws were highlighted as in need of more careful attention and application with a view to making a faster and more creative game. Andre Watson, South Africa's refereeing boss, has taken stock.

The FNB TUT Vikings have already improved on their 2009 Varsity Cup performance list, but a first win since March 2008 still continues to elude them.

Although the scoreline might not suggest as much, Pukke's 31-24 win over NMMU in their Varsity Cup in Port Elizabeth on Monday was pretty comprehensive.

Have you ever seen a Super 14 match like the one in Johannesburg? Mind you, have you ever seen any match like it? A team scored 65 and loses! It looks like a misprint. We give some statistics for the Week 2 matches.

Die rekord-nederlaag teen die Maties gistermiddag was soos 'n 'helse harde hou op die kennebak', maar desondanks is Tuks se halfeindronde-lot in die 2010 FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International steeds in hul eie hande.

NMMU have had their backs against the wall throughout the 2010 edition of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, but coach Kolie Brandt is quietly busy laying the foundation for a competitive Madibas side in years to come.

The Maties will go into next Monday's top-of-the-log Varsity Cup clash against UCT with yet another new centre pairing, following an injury to inside centre Stephan van der Merwe.

Five teams have announced late changes to their matchday line-ups for Round-Five Varsity Cup action today.

In Europe club and regional rugby is building towards the climax to come in April and May. In SANZAR countries the Super 14 is as eager as ever.

FNB Shimlas kept their 2010 semifinals hopes alive with a 37-31 win over TUT on Monday night in an FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International match.

Die Maties en Ikeys het hul onoorwonne rekords in die 2010 Varsitybeker-reeks voortgesit in week vyf, toe die suidelike universiteite Maandagaand hul noordelike teenstanders stert tussen die bene huistoe gestuur het na 'n reeks interessante uitslae in die FNB-geborgde toernooi, aangebied deur Steinhoff International.

The Maties and the Ikeys continued their unbeaten records this year, as the South ruled the North in some intriguing Round Five battles in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Erick Colyn se insluiting in die beginspan is die merkbaarste verandering aan die Steinhoff Vishuis se span vir Maandag se tweede ronde van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga.

Defending champions, the Maties, rolled out yet another bonus point victory this Varsity Cup season - smashing double semifinalists, Tuks, 64-17 in Stellenbosch on Monday.

Steinhoff Bastion kon Maandagaand nie aan 'n sewe-punt voorsprong vasklou om teen Steinhoff Maroela in die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga te wen nie.

Stellenbosch's Steinhoff Dagbreek recorded their first win of the 2010 season - a comprehensive 61-10 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships victory over a hapless Steinhoff Madibaz side in PE on Monday.

A late Marcello Sampson try helped FNB UCT maintain their unbeaten record in the 2010 Varsity Cup, the Men from Cape Town edging out FNB UJ 30-23 in a classic encounter in Johannesburg on Monday.

Die Steinhoff Bastion span besef as hulle vandag teen Steinhoff Maroela (van Tuks) kan wen, die pad na die volgende ronde van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga effens makliker kan wees.

NMMU student Kiviet Cewu managed to catch up with NMMU Madibaz captain - and scrumhalf - Happy Mashabela ahead of today's Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships match against Stellenbosch's Steinhoff Dagbreek at PE's Xerox NMMU Stadium (kick-off 5pm).

FNB Pukke edged out a game FNB NMMU team in Port Elizabeth on Monday evening - winning 31-24 in a hard-fought Varsity Cup encounter.

Although Steinhoff Vishuis achieved a comfortable 33-5 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships win over Steinhoff Tornadoes on Monday, it was a far from clinical performance by the home side.

South African Referees scrummaging coach Balie Swart on Monday said he was satisfied with the progress of the SA Under-20 scrum in preparation of their first Test against Argentina in Vredenburg on Wednesday.

It was a hectic weekend - Test matches and top international matches with surprising results and great pleasure for winners.

We give some statistics from the three closely contested matches this weekend and then some totals in which you can see which team is most penalised, which kicks most, which scores the most tries and d so on.

With his studies out of the way this season, UCT's experienced Varsity Cup flyhalf, Matt Rosslee, is happy to be putting all his energy into the Ikeys' 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International campaign.

Up till the Irish came across the sea England were unbeaten, but they were well and truly beaten at Kingsholm on Friday night. But the biggest surprise of Round 3 of the Under-20 Six Nations was the extent of Wales's victory over the visiting French. It was a rare smashing.

Skoppe wen wedstryde. En as jou stelskopper meer gereeld mis korrel as wat hy in die kol is, gaan jou span meer gereeld aan die verloorkant wees.

After Round 8 of FIRA-AER's European Nations Cup, the so called Six nations B, Georgia and Russia are nearer qualification for the World Cup in New Zealand.

Varsity Cup players Justin van Staden and Francois du Toit have been chosen to train with the SA Under-20 squad ahead of two 'internationals' against an Argentina U20 outfit next month.

Shaun Davids, FNB Tuks se Varsitybeker-kaptein, besef daar is mense wat sy kop eis omdat hy na hul mening nie die oplossing op losskakel is nie.

FNB NMMU head coach Kolie Brandt has announced his starting XV for Monday's Round Five, Varsity Cup clash against Pukke at the Xerox NMMU Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Stephan van der Merwe is relishing the opportunity to earn consistent Varsity Cup starts for the Maties.

The inclusion of Jaco Oosthuizen at flyhalf will probably see TUT take on a more direct approach in their Varsity Cup match against Shimlas in Bloemfontein on Monday.

Die Steinhoff Bastion span van die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) het na hulle teleurstellende 21-23 verloor van Maandag teen Steinhoff Villagers die week hard geoefen om te verseker hulle is reg vir hul volgende wedstyd.

Steinhoff Maroela het net een verandering aan sy beginspan gemaak vir Maandag se Steinhoff Koshuisliga wedstryd teen Bastion (UJ) in die UJ-stadion in Johannesburg.

Ikey Tigers head coach John Dobson has picked two new flanks for Monday's mouth-watering Varsity Cup clash against giantkillers, FNB UJ, in Johannesburg.

There has been a new addition to the 2010 Varsity Cup, with CEO Duitser Bosman becoming a proud parent for the third time on Friday, February 26!

Competition is heating up in the 2010 Varsity Cup. We preview the exciting Round Five tussles, with semifinal places still up for grabs.

Die terugkeer van die FNB Pukke se twee senters, Wouter Watermeyer (binnesenter) en Kempie Rautenbach (buitesenter) behoort die Potchefstroom strudente heelwat vir Maandag se FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International-wedstryd teen NMMU te versterk.

Despite going down 7-24 to Steinhoff Vishuis last week, Steinhoff Dagbreek have announced an unchanged starting XV for Monday's Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships match against the Steinhoff Madibaz (NMMU).

After a close win over Steinhoff Bastion on Monday night in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, Villagers will have to wait an extra week to carry that winning momentum into their next fixture - on March 8 against Tuks' Steinhoff Maroela.

varsitycup.co.za praat met die groot Shimlas slot Henjo van Niekerk - 'n reus in die lynstane vir die Vrystaters hierdie Varsitybeker seisoen.

Craig Joubert's early rugby days were spent on the wrong side of the law; as a youngster he was a talented player - representing Natal in the flyhalf berth for the Primary Schools Craven Week. He chats to rugby365.com about refereeing and technology in the game.

The Shimlas have made no less than nine changes to their matchday-23 for Monday's crucial home Varsity Cup fixture against TUT. Many of those changes, however, have been forced upon coach Jaco Swanepoel.

It's the eighth round of the European Nations Cup, 'Six Nations B, Division 1 of the FIRA-AER compositions, and possibly the last chance for Romania to qualify again for the Rugby World Cup.

FNB UJ - no doubt still on a high after their win in Potch - have retained the same 23 players to take on UCT in Johannesburg this coming Monday.

Andre Kemp will line up at flyhalf for the FNB Maties against FNB Tuks on Monday, March 1; with injuries and Vodacom Cup call-ups forcing the hand of Stellenbosch head coach Chean Roux.

NMMU have suffered four successive crushing defeats in this year's FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, and flyhalf Willem Laubscher insists it is time for some 'tough-talking' to be done in the Madibas change-room.

The people who asked for a fuller application of the tackle law and the requirements of the tackler to comply were the Super 14 coaches. Now there has been some questioning of the application, at least by a coach in New Zealand.

Tuks het hul deurslaggewende wedstryd in die 2010 Varsitybeker teen die Maties, Maandag op Coetzenburg, so byna sonder hul heelagter en puntemasjien, Justin van Staden, aangedurf.

It is one thing to compete well, but another to master the art of winning. So says FNB TUT Vikings assistant coach Jimmy Watt, whose side has not won a match in the Varsity Cup since March 3, 2008.

Ian 'Army' Armstrong, who boasts WP Super League experience for UCT, will start at scrumhalf for the Steinhoff Tornadoes in their second Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships match of the season - this time against the powerful Steinhoff Vishuis side from Bloemfontein.

Stuart Dickinson is injured and has had to withdraw from the Super 14 match between the Cheetahs and the Highlanders in Bloemfontein. His place is taken by Pro Legoete of South Africa.

varsitycup.co.za caught up with impressive FNB Shimlas No.2 PW van Vuuren, who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of many Grey College hookers before him.

Rudy Joubert, afrigter van die FNB Pukke, wou nie verskonings maak na sy span se onverwagse nederlaag (22-23) teen die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) op Maandag nie, maar se die vertolking by die skrums het hulle gekniehalter.

Varsity Cup players from Maties and UCT - the two top teams in the tournament at present - will make up the bulk of the Western Province side for the Cape Town-based team's Vodacom Cup opener against the Boland Kavaliers, in Bredasdorp, this Saturday.

Newcomer Brad van der Westhuizen will make his first-ever start for the Ikeys' Steinhoff Tornadoes, when they play Steinhoff Vishuis (Shimlas) - who smashed Dagbreek 24-7 this past week - in Bloemfontein on Monday, March 1.

FNB Tuks have paid a high price for their biggest win of the season in the FNB Varsity Cup competition presented by Steinhoff International.

Maties coach Chean Roux was obviously pleased with his team's fourth successive bonus point victory in the 2010 Varsity Cup - despite, once again, having to deal with inclement weather conditions.

Johny Stavrinou will referee his third Test this Saturday when Greece play Finland in FIRA-AER's Division 3. It's a long way from Durban for this Cypriot.

Steinhoff Patriot coach Johan Visser was understandably disappointed with his team's 15-42 loss to Steinhoff Maroela in their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships opener on Monday - but more, so, because his players let themselves down.

Varsity Cup referee Tiaan Jonker will officiate the crunch Round Five match between the defending champion FNB Maties and double semifinalists, FNB Tukkies, in Stellenbosch this coming Monday.

Die Shimla-afrigtingspan gee toe dat hulle Maandag in Stellenbosch teen die beter Varsitybeker span die onderspit gedelf het.

Daar is geen rede hoekom Steinhoff Vishuis, van Shimlas, nie vanjaar se Steinhoff Koshuisliga kan wen nie.

The organisers of the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships have announced two fixture changes on Monday, March 8 - due to the adjustments to the kick-off times in the Varsity Cup on that day.

Steinhoff Maroela het 'n goeie begin in die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga nodig gehad, want 'ons moes van vooraf aan 'n span bou', het die afrigter, Paul van der Westhuizen, gisteraand na die klinkende oorwinning teen Patriot (FNB TUT) gese.

After the match between his Waratahs and the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday, Phil Waugh, captain of the Waratahs and an experienced flank forward, complained about the new application of the law because it ceased to allow a contest at the tackle. He has a point.

FNB UJ's second away victory in the 2010 Varsity Cup has given Hugo Van As's charges a sporting chance of qualifying for the play-offs for the first time.

The Varsity Cup will put academics before pleasure for next month's top-of-the-log clash between the FNB Maties and FNB UCT in Stellenbosch; with the kick-off for that much-anticipated match moving from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

UCT head coach John Dobson was honest in the assessment of his team's unconvincing 25-19 Varsity Cup win over a fired-up FNB TUT Vikings team at Groote Schuur on Monday afternoon.

FNB Tuks se grootste uitdaging vandeesweek in die aanloop tot die Varsitybeker-wedstryd teen die FNB Maties Maandag in Stellenbosch, is 'om net op ons eie spel te bly fokus'.

It's another huge week with massive activity on the international front - Six Nations at various levels, FIRA-AER competitions, Super 14 and British & Irish Cup. Then the Vodacom Cup, an essentially South African competition starts this weekend with teams from Namibia and Argentina. The Namibian team is chosen from their national group who are playing in Namibia, calling themselves Welwitchias.

The FNB TUT Vikings' first win since March 2008, in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, is around the corner - according to head coach Alex de Kock.

2010 het aangebreek en so ook die jaarlikse Varsity Cup die kompetisie wat elke jaar die beste rugby koshuis in die land kroon.

The 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships kicks-off on Monday, February 22 and this year's tournament promises to be bigger and better than ever before.

Steinhoff Vishuis recorded a stunning 24-7 away win over Steinhoff Dagbreek in an exciting Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships clash in Stellenbosch on Monday.

The inclusion of Wesleigh Marais (pictured) and Stanley Twiname in the Steinhoff Maroela starting line-up will be a big morale-booster in their quest to start the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships on a winning note.

The unbeaten FNB UCT scrapped out a 25-19 Varsity Cup win over a fired-up and battling FNB TUT Vikings team in Cape Town on Monday.

'n Strafdoel in die doodsnikke deur WD Botha het Maandag aan Steinhoff Villagers (Puk) 'n naelskraapse sege oor Steinhoff Bastion (UJ) in die openingsronde van die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga besorg.

FNB Tuks romped to a 63-36 Varsity Cup win over a hapless FNB NMMU side in Pretoria on Monday evening.

The Steinhoff Tornadoes, UCT's representatives in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, got their campaign off to a red-hot start with a comprehensive 38-21 win over a game Steinhoff Madibaz (NMMU) outfit.

FNB UJ beat last year's losing Varsity Cup finalists, NWU-Pukke, 23-22 in a nailbiting encounter in Potchefstroom on Monday.

The Churchill Cup makes a welcome return to the United States this year, once again stopping in the City of Glendale, Colorado, before making its East Coast debut at in Harrison, New Jersey.

The defending champion FNB Maties scored yet another bonus point victory in the 2010 Varsity Cup, but it was FNB UJ who caused the major shock of the fourth round of action by beating last year's losing finalists, FNB NMU-Pukke, in Potchefstroom.

The FNB Maties survived a small scare to beat FNB Shimlas 31-15 in Stellenbosch on Monday night - having trailed 14-15 at half-time.

Steinhoff Bastion van die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) weet hulle kan beter in die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga. Vir die manne is tweede plek nie 'n opsie nie!

FNB Tuks head coach Freddie Grobler has made a late change to his team's starting XV for today's Varsity Cup match against NMMU in Pretoria. The change sees Gert Smith start at outside centre instead of Ernie Kruger.

FNB UJ and FNB Shimlas have announced some minor changes to their line-ups for Monday's Varsity Cup, Round Four action.

Coach John Dobson has been forced into making some late changes to the Ikeys starting line-up for Monday's Varsity Cup clash against TUT - one of which sees the introduction of centre Mark Esterhuizen on the bench.

Die verdedigende kampioen, FNB Maties, het nog 'n bonuspunt-oorwinning in die 2010 Varsitybeker-reeks behaal, maar dit was die FNB UJ wat die grootste opskudding van die vierde rondte gelewer het - deur verlede jaar se naaswenners, FNB NMU-Pukke, in Potchefstroom te klop.

Steinhoff Maroela began their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships on a high note - beating Steinhoff Patriot 42-15 in Pretoria on Monday afternoon.

As the positional debate continues to follow FNB Maties halfback Conrad Hoffmann during his fledgling rugby career, the Varsity Cup star does not actually mind where he starts for the defending champions.

As the south gets into its Super stride, so the north gets closer to making decisions for the immediate future, such things as play-offs at the top and relegation down below.

Die Steinhoff Villagers se bondgenoot in vanjaar se Steinhoff Koshuisliga, is hul ervare span.

Have you ever seen a Super 14 match like the one in Johannesburg? Mind you, have you ever seen any match like it? A team scored 65 and loses! It looks like a misprint. We give some statistics for the Week 2 matches.

Steinhoff Vishuis - hoping to pick up where fellow Free Staters Huis Armentum ended off in last year's Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships - have named their side for Monday's 2010 opener against Steinhoff Dagbreek.

Now in his third year of Varsity Cup rugby, UCT stalwart JJ Gagiano is better suited than most to comment on the success of this incredible student rugby tournament.

The Steinhoff NMMU Madibaz will travel to Cape Town for their opening 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships clash against UCT's, Steinhoff Tornadoes, on Monday.

Madibas head coach Kolie Brandt has moved his star inside back Willem Laubscher back to flyhalf - from inside centre - for Monday's Varsity Cup clash against FNB Tuks in Pretoria.

Vikings captain flanker Emile Verster was today cleared to play against UCT this coming Monday, despite being sent off in a Varsity Cup - and Pretoria Derby - clash against Tuks earlier this week.

Andre van Zyl will lead Steinhoff Patriot into battle in their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships opener against Steinhoff Maroela in Pretoria on Monday.

Maties se indrukwekkende skakel Conrad Hoffmann speel van die beste rugby van sy loopbaan in vanjaar se Varsitybeker-toernooi, met Speler van die Wedstryd toekennings in die eerste twee rondtes. Hy se egter dat die beste beloning is die ongelooflike ondersteuning wat sy span van die toeskouers in Stellenbosch ontvang.

FNB UJ will field a rather new-look pack of forwards on Monday when they play the Pukke in an FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International fixture.

FNB Pukke head coach Rudy Joubert has made two key changes to his team's front row after this week's 17-16 win over Shimlas; with BG Uys and Johan Coetzee named to start this coming Monday's clash against UJ in Potchefstroom (kick-off 6.30pm).

All eyes will be on Potchefstroom and Pretoria on Monday night as the likes of Pukke, UJ and Tuks continue to chase the top two teams in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International - the defending champion Maties and the Ikey Tigers.

Tuks and UJ will tackle their Varsity Cup fourth-round matches knowing full well that they have to better their current log positions in order to stay in the hunt for the play-offs in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

Stellenbosch student Cornel Nieuwoudt will lead Dagbreek into battle as they kick-off their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships campaign against Steinhoff Vishuis (Shimlas).

The Steinhoff Nadoes have been hard at work on the touch-field for the last few weeks, getting fit, honing their skills and getting focused for the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships campaign.

FNB Tuks coach Freddie Grobler has made plenty of changes to his starting XV for Monday's FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International clash against NMMU in Pretoria (kick-off 6.30pm).

Teenager James King will target a return to action in time to represent Wales at the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina in mid-year, after being ruled out through injury for a period of up to 12 weeks.

Stephan van der Merwe will make his first Varsity Cup start of the year, replacing Dabeon Draghoender, as the defending champion Maties get set to host FNB Shimlas in Stellenbosch on Monday night.

Boland referee Francois Veldsman will officiate the Round Four, Varsity Cup clash between the Maties and Shimlas in Stellenbosch this coming Monday.

Wandile Mjekevu has all the worries of a regular Law student at UJ. However, he also happens to be a very talented rugby player who, just last weekend, made his Super 14 debut for the Lions.

The foremost thing the TUT Vikings will have in mind when they take on the Ikey Tigers on Monday, in the 2010 Varsity Cup, is to make the home team work for every point.

Steinhoff Patriot, TUT's representatives in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, are confident that they will do their university proud this season.

SANZAR's refereeing boss, Lyndon Bray of New Zealand, has removed Josh Noonan of New Zealand from his appointment as an assistant referee at Carisbrook on Friday night.

UCT's 2009 Steinhoff Internal League winners, the Steinhoff Tornadoes, will be playing in their first-ever Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships on Monday afternoon.

Tim Whitehead and Marcel Brache have been reunited at centre for FNB UCT ahead of Monday's meeting with the TUT Vikings in Cape Town (kick-off 4.30pm).

Die Shimla-rugbyspan is aansienlik versterk vir Maandag se FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International wedstryd. Hulle pak, natuurlik, dan die tweemalige kampioen, Maties, in die Eikestad om 7.30nm.

Theuns Kotze, puik heelagter van die Pukke, het Maandag teen Shimlas gewys hoekom hy as een van die vorm heelagters in die Varsitybeker beskou word.

Although Steinhoff Bastion are a complete unknown factor for Pukke's number one koshuis team, Steinhoff Villagers, they are not too worried ahead of their 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships fixture.

The tackle is such a big issue at the moment - the burning issue in rugby. But then it has been a burning issue for many years and looks likely to remain so.

Jan Earle, the coach of the Steinhoff Vishuis team, believes his 'boytjies' are now a better team than the one that won the Kovsies Koshuisliga last year.

We have now had six matches in two rounds of Six Nations and seven matches in a round of Super 14. It is interesting to see how the scrums are going at a time when much effort has gone into eradicating the resetting of scrums.

Die 16-17 nederlaag Maandag teen Pukke het 'n baie bitter smaak in Jaco Swanepoel, Shimla-breier, se mond gelaat.

The 2010 Super 14 has kicked off with, as seems usual, more concentration on the application of existing laws. The Big Four are under the spotlight - tackle, scrum, obstruction and offside ahead of kicks.

The Maties could be without Dabeon Draghoender, after he picked up a knee injury during Monday night's 43-10 Varsity Cup win over UJ in Johannesburg.

The FNB TUT Vikings are still not the wiser as to the fate - and availability - of their captain, Emile Verster, who was sent off in Monday's 30-42 Varsity Cup loss to neighbours, Tuks.

Die kans dat FNB Tuks die eerste keer die seisoen 'n onveranderde vyftiental in die veld sal stoot, is skraal.

Hy word eers op 3 Junie 20 jaar oud, maar Justin van Staden is sy melkbaard ten spyt reeds 'n voorbeeld vir baie ander, meer senior spelers oor hoe om die grootheid van die oomblik te hanteer.

In Murraystraat 93, Brooklyn, is daar gisteraand tot laat feesgevier nadat Sonop die eerste keer in drie probeerslae daarin geslaag het om Steinhoff-Tuks se Uitklop-koshuisliga te wen.

The Madibas are still in good spirits, according to skipper Lusu Booi, despite suffering heavy defeats in the first three rounds of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

They are not invincible, but it will nevertheless take an extreme effort to stop the Maties in the 2010 Varsity Cup - according to FNB UJ head coach Hugo van As.

What happens if a match is abandoned? It can happen if lights fail or if weather becomes threatening.

Freddie Grobler, FNB Tuks se hooafrigter, het gemengde gevoelens oor sy span se vertoning teen die FNB TUT Vikings gisteraand.

South African referee, Stu Berry went from the IRB Sevens tournament in Wellington, New Zealand, to the IRB Sevens tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, a particularly good tournament for him. He writes.

TUT will know the fate of their captain on Wednesday only - at the earliest - after Emile Verster was sent off in injury-time in their FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International fixture against Tuks on Monday.

There is an hiatus on the Test match scene but there are many other hectic clashes in North and South - enough to keep referees sharp.

Whilst pleased with his side's 65-9 Varsity Cup win over NMMU, UCT coach John Dobson was even happier with 'other' aspects of the Ikeys' performance.

Up-and-coming South African referee Stu Berry was one of eight referees at the IRB Sevens in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he was the one chosen to referee the Final of the Cup.

Die groot vraag wat moreaand (16 Februarie) beantwoord sal word, is of Sonop sy lank bekerdroogte kan breek nadat hy in 2007 (finaal), 2008 (semi-finaal) en verlede jaar (finaal) nog elke keer in die pylvak van Steinhoff se Tuks-uitklopliga gestruikel het.

FNB Maties romped to a 43-10 Varsity Cup win over UJ in a rainy Johannesburg on Monday evening.

FNB Tuks were forced to dig deep for a 42-30 win over FNB TUT Vikings in a thrill-a-minute Varsity Cup fixture played in Tshwane on Monday afternoon.

Defending champions, the FNB Maties, and their Western Cape rivals, the Ikey Tigers, are now the only remaining unbeaten sides in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, at the conclusion of Round Three of this exciting competition.

The Ikey Tigers were too good for FNB NMMU in their Monte Taljaard Trophy match in a windy PE on Monday evening, with the fired-up visitors winning 65-9.

He has a full season of rock-hard Carlton League rugby on his 'Rugby CV' - but Tuks' third scrumhalf of the season, Zylon McGaffen, still has the proverbial butterflies in his stomach as an unwanted 'ally' on the day of his Varsity Cup debut.

Today's UCT v NMMU Varsity Cup fixture, as was the case last year, will once again honour the late Monte Taljaard - the talented UCT flanker who was killed in a car accident in 2008. However, for head coach John Dobson and his young charges, this is no different to any other week at the Ikey Tigers.

There was dram in the second round of the Six Nations with that miraculous burst of scoring at Millennium stadium that gave Wales 17 points in the last four minutes, a great performance by France and a sterling performance by Italy.

FNB UJ and FNB Shimlas have made a few late changes to their starting line-ups for today's Round Three, Varsity Cup action.

NWU-Pukke bounced back from last week's disappointing loss to secure a hard-earned 17-16 home win over Shimlas in their FNB Varsity Cup match presented by Steinhoff International on Monday evening.

In Round 2 Wales beat Scotland in a thriller, France's were too good for Ireland and England just managed to spare their blushes against Italy. We give some statistics from the matches. You would be surprised which team passed least.

There are three Six Nations competitions - the senior men, the Under-20s and the women, but at this time there are other international matches, taken seriously by those who play and those who organise.

Russia's victory over Spain in Madrid has almost guaranteed them a place the final tournament of the World Cup for the first time.

Hy is gedoop Johannes Gerhardus en sy ouers noem hom Johan, maar vir die res is hy bekend as Boom. Hierdie 21-jarige losvoorspeler het verlede Maandag in 'n FNB Varsitybeker-wedstryd, aangebied deur Steinhoff Internasionaal, vier keer agter die doellyn gaan kuier; wat 'n gesamentlike Varsitybeker-rekord is.

Ikeys captain Stu Commins believes that UCT are well-suited to cope with the windy conditions in PE, as they prepare to travel to the 'Windy City' to take on NMMU this Monday (kick-off 6.30pm).

Maties prop Lourens Adriaanse is not your average front row forward. But that is not to say he does not do - on the field - what all front rowers should! Off the field, however, it is a different story.

Die beseringspook het vandeesweek behoorlik amok onder die NWU se FNB Pukke gesaai en vyf veranderinge moes aan die beginspan aangebring word.

FNB UJ head coach Hugo van As believes the Bulls' emphatic win in the 2009 Super 14 Final was the closest to 80 minutes of total brilliance SA rugby has seen in many years.

FNB NMMU flyhalf Willem Laubscher admits that the first two weeks of the Varsity Cup have been 'a struggle' for the Madibas, but he is still loving every minute of playing in such a great competition.

UJ flyhalf Andre Smith believes the Varsity Cup has given its players a sneak peak into the lives of fully professional rugby players.

Aluzant Munnik will line up at flyhalf for NMMU in Monday's Varsity Cup and Monte Taljaard Trophy clash in PE.

Apart from the matches in the Six Nations competitions, there are also other internationals art around this time.

The big fish this time for the Russian Bear is in Madrid where they play Spain on Saturday. Victory would take them very close to New Zealand in 2011 for the top two teams in the European Nations Cup qualify for the World Cup without further ado and the third-placed side has a chance through repechage.

John Dobson has made a few changes to the Ikeys' starting line-up for the Monte Taljaard Trophy match at the Xerox NMMU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

The timing of Jaco Snyman's recovery from concussion could not have been more convenient as he may well be one of his team's major trump cards in Monday's FNB Varsity Cup match presented by Steinhoff International against the Maties.

Last year the Shimlas were hardly ever able to name an unchanged team, but things seems to be changing in the 2010 edition of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The TUT Vikings coaching staff on Friday morning had to take the 'painful decision' to not include seasoned flanker Athi Mtya in their starting line-up for Monday's all-Pretoria Varsity Cup clash against Tuks.

Die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) se Bastion Manskoshuis begin Maandag, Februarie 22 op die Fanie du Toit sportsgronde in Potchefstroom hul aanslag op die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga-titel.

It might just be Round Three of the 2010 Varsity Cup, but already we are faced with some crucial matches this week - many of which will affect the overall standings in this competition.

FNB Maties head coach Chean Roux believes the quality of opposition in the 2010 Varsity Cup is the best he has seen in the history of this three-year competition.

It could be blessing in disguise that TUT have archrivals Tuks as their next opponents in the Varsity Cup.

Steinhoff Vishuis is oorgehaal om nie net mededingend in die 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisliga te wees nie, maar om die titel te buit.

A frustrating day at the office. This, in short, is how NWU-Pukke coach Rudy Joubert felt after Monday's 11-18 Varsity Cup loss to the Ikey Tigers in Cape Town.

FNB Tuks kroon aanstaande Woensdag (Februarie 17) 'n nuwe kampioen in Steinhoff se koshuis-uitklopliga, nadat Maroela se heerskappy gisteraand (Februarie 10) oplaas beeindig is.

Coach Chean Roux has handed the Maties' No.10 shirt to Conrad Hoffmann in the absence of Hayden Groepes. The defending champions will, of course, play UJ in Johannesburg on Monday evening.

Provincial side Griquas have included a host of Varsity Cup stars in their team for a pre-season friendly against the SWD Eagles in Oudtshoorn on Wednesday.

Freddie Grobler has been forced to make three more changes to the FNB Tuks line-up for Monday's Varsity Cup - and Pretoria Derby - match against the FNB TUT Vikings.

Ex-Bok great Hennie Le Roux - an NMMU Old Boy - has praised the Varsity Cup, labelling the tournament a 'wonderful platform' for young players to showcase their abilities.

FNB Tuks will have a 'no-nonsense' approach in their must-win Varsity Cup match against their Pretoria neighbours, the FNB TUT Vikings, on Monday.

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille was an eager spectator at Monday's UCT v Pukke Varsity Cup match, with Ikey Tigers head coach John Dobson labelling her an 'inspiration' afterwards.

Conrad Hoffmann, wat verlede jaar genoem is as 'n moontlike langtermyn-oplossing vir Westelike Provinsie in die No.10 trui, gaan waarskynlik nou vir die tweemalige kampioen Maties op losskakel uitdraf in Maandag se FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International aksie.

Na 'n teleurstellende 2009 Steinhoff Koshuisliga-kompetisie vir die NWU-Pukke se Over de Voor, is die hoofafrigter van Steinhoff Villagers vasbeslote om dinge vanjaar om te swaai in Potchefstroom.

The South African U20s conceded their second defeat on their two week tour to France after going down 13-3 to a French Selection XV in Paris on Tuesday evening.

Referees are to be present at Super 14 media conferences after matches this, according to Lyndon Bray, SANZAR's referee coordinator and the manager of New Zealand's top referees.

Six Nations hurries along and Super 14 bursts out. It is a hectic time. And then Portugal play Georgia, perhaps their last hope of qualifying for New Zealand. Match officials a rushing hither and thither.

The South African Under-20 team containing 14 changes will line-up to take on a French Selection XV in an international friendly in Paris on Tuesday.

Anders as wat die geval na verlede week se wedstryd teen die Universiteit van Kaapstad was, is die Shimlas breier Jaco Swanepoel vandeesweek baie tevrede met sy span se vertoning teen NMMU.

Tiaan Jonker will referee next week's big Varsity Cup battle between the Pukke and Shimlas in Potchefstroom.

UCT vice-captain Stu Commins was understandably elated with his side's 18-11 Varsity Cup win over Pukke on Monday, but he believes it is all a step in the right direction in terms of maintaining the necessary consistency required to win this tough tournament.

The Steinhoff Tornadoes opened their 2010 pre-season with a win against Magic Lions.

It took a last-minute penalty by UJ flyhalf Andre Smith to tie up the scores at 34-34, as nine tries and a see-sawing scoreline by Tukkies and UJ did the 2010 Varsity Cup competition full justice at Tukkies Athletics Stadium on Monday night.

UCT head coach John Dobson has elected to move two of his Stormers squad members - who started against Shimlas last week - onto the bench for this afternoon's Varsity Cup clash with NWU-Pukke at Groote Schuur's Green Mile (kick-off 4.30pm, live on SS1).

Swak dissipline is FNB Tuks se grootste enkele tekortkoming en die rede waarom die Universiteit van Pretoria steeds na sy eerste Varsitybeker-sege van die 2010 seisoen soek, meen Blikkies Groenewald, tegniese direkteur van TuksRugby.

FNB UJ's biggest challenge in the coming week will be to close the gap between brilliance and mediocrity, according to head coach Hugo van As.

FNB Maties remained in first place on the Varsity Cup log after yet another exciting Monday night's worth action - but UJ, Shimlas and UCT all made their presence felt at the top of the standings at the completion of Round Two.

Connoisseurs of the game should not be disheartened by the many penalties awarded in the first round of the 2010 Varsity Cup.

FNB Maties romped to an emphatic 62-0 Varsity Cup win over an outclassed TUT Vikings outfit at Stellenbosch's Danie Craven Stadium on Monday evening.

The Ikey Tigers beat NWU-Pukke 18-11 in a hard-fought and very physical Varsity Cup match in Cape Town on Monday.

The fixtures for the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships have been announced; with eight university residences once again set to fight it out for the title of South Africa's best koshuis team!

We give some statistics from the matches in the first round of the Six nations - tight matches rather than matches of creativity and adventure.

SANZAR has made known the referees appointed to the first five rounds of the Super 14. They include Steve Walsh, making his comeback to refereeing as an Australian referee.

Russia's victory over Portugal in the European Nations Cup, edges them closer to a first appearance at the final round of the Rugby World Cup, this time in New Zealand in 2011.

FNB Shimlas recorded their first victory in the 2010 Varsity Cup when they smashed NMMU 54-5 in Bloemfontein on Monday evening.

Three teams have made late changes to their 23-man matchday squads ahead of today's Round Two Varsity Cup clashes - the most notable being that of FNB UJ who have drafted in star fullback Earl Lewis from the bench.

The NMMU Madibas will make the trip to Bloemfontein to face up to the Shimlas on Monday, knowing full well that they have a tough ask in countering the physical Free Staters - especially at the breakdown.

FNB Maties, the back-to-back Varsity Cup champions, defended their Premier League title at the Castle Cape Town Tens, beating Hamilton's 19-12 in a physical final on Sunday.

History or statistics may well not win matches, but the superstitious amongst us will nevertheless insist that UJ has a distinct psychological advantage over Tuks even before these two neighbouring universities' actual clash on Monday.

Great ceremonies but not great rugby marked the start of the Six Nations for 2010. Perhaps the most significant result of the weekend was Russia's victory over Portugal making the Russian participation in the World Cup in 2011 likely rather than possible.

We tracked down in-form Pukke scrumhalf Andries Mahoney to find out more about the man who scored a hat-trick of tries against Tukkies last Monday.

The Danie Craven Stadium in beautiful Stellenbosch, home of the FNB Maties, has one of the most scenic settings in world rugby.

The Nadoes have - over the years - scouted far and wide for talent, but how lucky for them when they came across Damion 'Dutchie' Stander standing aside the training field with a beer in hand one day...

Justin van Staden will replace injured left-wing Aaron Denenga in the FNB Tuks starting line-up for Monday's Varsity Cup meeting with FNB UJ in Pretoria.

Die twee klipharde opwarmwedstryde teen die SWD Arende kan FNB Tuks van groot waarde in hul Varsitybeker-kragmeting teen FNB UJ wees.

The second round of the 2010 Varsity Cup gets underway this Monday and two matches - in particular - will be worth keeping an eye on.

Much has been made of the emphasis on the tackler's obligation to release the tackled player. For many it is seen as a new law. But is it.

Pukke have announced two changes to their starting line-up for Monday's mouth-watering Varsity Cup match-up against the Ikey Tigers in Cape Town.

A winning Varsity Cup team deserves a full vote of confidence, according to FNB UJ head coach Hugo van As.

TUT have named their side to take on the 'Blue Bulls-esque' Maties next Monday, according to Vikings assistant coach Jimmy Watt

The European Nations Cup - "Six Nations B" - is played over two years, and this is the second year. There is a lot at stake for the six sides.

Andre Watson, South Africa's manager of referees and the leading referee in the world at one stage, has come to the defence of the application of the law which stresses the release of the tackled player by the tackler. He has done so in the face of media queries after the first round of the Varsity Cup.

The strict application of law in four key areas has seen a decline in the number of reset scrums and kicks in general play, as well as an increase in tries - according to Andre Watson, SA Rugby's Manager of Referees.

Maties boss Chean Roux has - as promised - re-jigged his forwards pack ahead of his team's Varsity Cup meeting with FNB TUT in Stellenbosch on Monday evening (kick-off 7.30pm).

FNB Shimlas head coach Jaco Swanepoel has named an unchanged matchday 23 for Monday's Varsity Cup game against NMMU in Bloemfontein.

Experienced utility back Pete Haw has been named on the left-wing for the Ikey Tigers for Monday afternoon's Varsity Cup grudge match against FNB NWU-Pukke at the Green Mile in Cape Town.

Ons moes gewen het, eerder as om gelykop te speel. So se Jaco Swanepoel, afrigter van die Shimlas oor Maandag.

FNB NMMU head coach Kolie Brandt has juggled his team's loose trio ahead of Monday's Varsity Cup clash against FNB Shimlas at Xerox Shimlas Park (kick-off 6.30pm).

The FNB Maties will once again be without injured skipper Cameron Peverett when they host the TUT Vikings in a Round Two Varsity Cup fixture in Stellenbosch.

Whilst praising the Varsity Cup for helping Eastern Cape rugby, NMMU coach Kolie Brandt believes South African rugby has a responsibility to do more to promote rugby in the region.

With just over 100 days to go until the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2010 kicks off, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced the Pools and Match Schedule for the key age grade tournament at a launch in Moscow.

Scrumhalf Lohan Jacobs and flank Lean Schwartz said on Wednesday that the players selected for the SA U20 squad will be aiming to impress the national selectors with outstanding performances during their two week tour to France.

Injuries will force Tuks head coach Freddie Grobler to include at least three new faces in his starting line-up for Monday's Varsity Cup match against UJ.

John Dobson was disappointed with UCT's 30-30 draw against the Shimlas in Varsity Cup action this past Monday, but the Ikeys coach is already hard at work in a bid to rectify his team's errors ahead of next week.

Jimmy Watt believes the TUT Vikings lost their 2010 Varsity Cup opener in the first 15 minutes - when half-hearted defence led directly to two soft tries for FNB UJ.

Injuries to flanker Warwick Tecklenberg and winger Aaron Denenga will force Tuks coach Freddie Grobler to change his starting line-up for next week's Varsity Cup meeting with UJ.

Ondanks 'n goeie 35-24-sege oor Tukkies in Maandagaand se Varsitybeker-wedstryd was die NWU-Pukke se breier nie heeltemal tevrede nie.

At the National Referees' course at Newlands and the provincial Referees' course at Hartebeesthoek in January, scrumming dominated discussion of law application. Scrumming is one of the Big Four along with Tackle, Offside and Maul.

UCT's Orientation Week kicked-off last week and with the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships - and the Varsity Cup - around the corner, the Nadoes saw this as a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of these great tournaments.

Pukke showed they mean business in the 2010 Varsity Cup, after claiming a 35-24 victory over Tukkies on Monday evening.

Coach Hugo van As was satisfied with the result of UJ's opening Varsity Cup match against the FNB TUT Vikings, but not with the way in which his team executed their gameplan.

The Australians are making a big fuss about the possible introduction of a two-referee system in Super Rugby, but it is a systems that has long been in use in South Africa.

The Six Nations breaks out this weekend and there are more than just the senior men's teams involved. There is also the second year of the European Nations Cup. Top referees are busy.

An injury-time penalty by Ikeys replacement Doug Mallett earned his side a 30-30 draw against FNB Shimlas in the opening match of the 2010 Varsity Cup in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

UWC were once again too strong for Fort Hare in their annual Varsity Cup curtain-raiser, with the Cape side winning 33-6 at a windy Xerox NMMU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Monday afternoon.

FNB UJ began their 2010 Varsity Cup campaign with a 28-14 bonus-point victory over TUT in Pretoria on Monday.

FNB Maties, the back-to-back Varsity Cup champions, started their 2010 campaign with a ruthless 68-20 victory over a spirited FNB NMMU team in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

Last year's finalists, Maties and Pukke, showed they mean business in the 2010 Varsity Cup; with both of them securing bonus point wins on Monday.

UWC and Fort Hare, who will be playing in a Varsity Cup curtain-raiser on Monday afternoon, have named their starting line-ups for what should be an entertaining match.

The ultra-competitive 2010 Varsity Cup officially gets underway on Monday, but there will also be plenty of competition off the field thanks to SuperBru's Varsity Cup competition.

Maties prop Lourens Adriaanse will captain the defending champions in their Varsity Cup opener against NMMU on Monday - prompting the big man to suggest that the brains are, indeed, well and truly in the front row.

The Varsity Cup will break even more ground this year, with the 2010 tournament set to feature time-outs - an opportunity for the players to take in some liquid refreshments, but also to allow the coaches onto the field to chat to their players.

There were cup finals in Ireland and Japan, serious competitions in five of the six nations and warm-ups south of the equator. Portugal, who resume their FIRA-AER competition with the hope of World Cup qualification had a warm-up match against England Students.

Every now and again, usually before some important, high-profile tournament, the is talk about changing laws or emphasising some application of laws. This year, just when the Super 14 gets under way it is the Big Four, especially the tackle, especially what the tackler gets up to.

To achieve a better (more entertaining) game SANZAR referees and assistant referees will be focussing on freeing up the ball and creating clarity around rulings at the tackle area and at scrum-time in this year's Super 14 competition.

FNB Maties have named a host of WP squad members in their starting line-up for Monday's Varsity Cup opener against NMMU.

It will be a special day in the Marais household on Monday when Wesleigh and Donnovan become the first siblings to represent Tuks in the FNB Varsity Cup competition presented by Steinhoff International.

The experience of loose forward Emile Verster made him a logical choice as the FNB TUT Vikings' new captain for the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup competition presented by Steinhoff International.

The factor of the unknown, as it the case with most the opening matches of the Varsity Cup, can be good or bad, according to FNB UJ head coach Hugo van As.

FNB Pukke, the losing finalists in last year's Varsity Cup, have picked a new-look side for Monday's tricky tournament opener against Tuks in Pretoria (kick-off 6.30pm).

The third installment of the Varsity Cup kicks-off at two venues this coming Monday (February 1); with double headers in Port Elizabeth and Pretoria set to get the South African rugby season off to a cracking start.

John Dobson has selected a very experienced starting line-up for UCT's Varsity Cup opener against Shimlas in Port Elizabeth this coming Monday.

Monday's Varsity Cup double header fixtures at FNB Tuks' LC de Villiers Stadium have been moved to the adjacent Tukkies Athletics Stadium because of problems with the playing surface.

FNB NMMU coach Kolie Brandt has selected his side for Monday's Varsity Cup opener against the defending champion Maties, with scrumhalf Lusu Booi leading his charges into battle.

Five former Blue Bulls U19 players have been included in the TUT squad for their 2010 Varsity Cup opener against UJ.

FNB UJ head coach Hugo van As has little doubt that he will field a 'stabilised team' against TUT when the teams clash in the opening round of the 2010 Varsity Cup.

Madibas skipper and scrumhalf Lusu Booi is relishing the responsibility of leading his NMMU side in this year's Varsity Cup.

Nick Fenton-Wells will lead the Ikey Tigers in the 2010 Varsity Cup - an opportunity which he describes as a 'huge honour'.

FNB Tuks head coach Freddie Grobler has chosen 12 new 'caps' for his team's 2010 Varsity Cup opener against Pukke this Monday.

Clinton de Klerk, UJ's new Varsity Cup captain, believes the highly-competitive nature of this tournament makes a game-by-game approach 'non-negotiable'.

New TUT Vikings captain - and loose forward - Emile Verster's playmaking skills are not his only attribute.

Throughout the rugby world there are misgivings about citing and the consistency in citing. SANZAR is now taking steps to try to achieve greater consistency and to eliminate the ongoing suspicion that nationality leads to citing bias.

Met die uitsondering van vyf spelers, gaan die beste beskikbare Shimla-span Maandag die Universiteit van Kaapstad (UK) in die openingsronde van die 2010 FNB Varsitybeker aangebied deur Steinhoff International aandurf.

Those who have been to Newlands for the two matches in the tri-series will have seen the referees, Jonathan Kaplan and Mark Lawrence, wearing bands around their heads, needing only a feather to look like Redskin braves.

The headline of this story could just be TUT's war-cry for the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The special panel of referees for the Varsity Cup enjoyed a camp up at Hartebeesthoek recently to prepare them for the popular series. The referees for February have been appointed.

Vishuis will represent Shimlas at the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships - no doubt hoping to emulate Huis Armentum's dominance of this competition of last season.

SANZAR coaches and referees have accepted joint responsibility at the tackle and the scrums in order to produce a faster, more attractive game.

The referees for Round One of the 2010 Varsity Cup have been announced, with Ben Crouse set to officiate the first match of the third Varsity Cup tournament - between Shimlas and UCT in Port Elizabeth.

varsitycup.co.za caught up with new Varsity Cup Chairman Jurie Roux to find out more about him as a person... and also about his plans for the 2010 tournament and beyond.

Skroef Fourie is no doubt still the taste of Bastion - after his penalty goal in last year's Steinhoff Koshuis Final at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) helped his team into the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby championships.

Steinhoff Dagbreek will take over from Majuba as Stellenbosch's representatives in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby championships.

Coach John Dobson declared himself 'satisfied' with UCT's final hit-out against Boland on Monday evening - despite the double Varsity Cup semifinalists going down 12-14 at the Green Mile.

During the SA Referees course at Newlands, attended by the top 11 referees in South Africa plus the people who assess them and the people who select them, applying laws to the Big Four were discussed - the Tackle, the Scrum, Offside and the Maul & Obstruction.

UJ head coach Hugo van As refuses to make any predictions ahead of his team's 2010 Varsity Cup campaign.

In just the second rugby Test between the two countries Russia smashed Namibia 30-15 in the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek, through there was only one try's difference between the two teams.

FNB TUT Vikings forwards coach Jimmy Watt is confident that his charges are better prepared for the 2010 Varsity Cup than they were for last year's tournament - where they had the dubious honour of collecting the Wooden Spoon.

Maroela will return to the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby championships this year as Tukkies' representatives.

We caught up with new Stormers coaches Matt Proudfoot and Robbie Fleck to find out how the Varsity Cup benefited - and fast-tracked - their respective coaching careers!

Time flies. The first month of the new year is at an end after two hectic weekends of European action and the SANZAR teams are preparing for battle which commences next month. And referees on high alert.

No, not the referee. For the second time this season in the UK, there has been a case of 16 men playing for the same team for a brief while during a match.

rugby365.com columnist Keith Moore pays his tribute to the voice of rugby, Bill McLaren.

After this crunch weekend, the European Rugby Cup is able to produce the quarterfinalists for both the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup.

With the 2010 Varsity Cup just over a week away now, we introduce the eight players that will be captaining their respective universities this coming season.

Last year's Varsity Cup finalists, FNB Pukke, claimed a 40-36 pre-season victory over the Griffons in Welkom on Saturday evening.

The Pumas scored a convincing 35-12 win over UJ in a lively Varsity Cup pre-season encounter in Witbank on Friday night.

It was 'mission accomplished' for FNB Maties head coach Chean Roux - despite the students losing 26-59 to a WP Invitation XV at Newlands on Saturday.

FNB Tukkies lost 10-36 to Currie Cup side, the Eagles, in a Varsity Cup pre-season clash in George on Friday.

With the Varsity Cup set to employ 23-man playing squads in the 2010 season, they will also be working hand-in-hand with South Africa's referees - off the field - in order to establish a strong working relationship.

With the 2010 Varsity Cup a little over a week away, the NWU-Pukke - the losing finalists in 2009 - will play their one and only practice match on Saturday.

We have seen what the referees watch and who watches the referee. What happens after that?

FNB Maties coach Chean Roux will be using tomorrow's friendly against a WP XV as a 'final trial' for his squad ahead of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The high-flying Nadoes have bolstered their squad for the upcoming 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships with a few mean and fit looking players, but none meaner than Brennan Kevin Wright.

As they prepare for the European Nations Cup and a possible place in the Rugby World Cup, Russia have been spending their time in Southern Africa, mostly in Pretoria but this weekend they go west to play Namibia in the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday afternoon.

South Africa's top eleven referees plus assessors, TMOs and selectors met at Newlands in Cape Town for two days at the end of last week.

Test referees Jonathan Kaplan, Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence and Craig Joubert, and the rest of the members of the SA referees? National Panel received their BokSmart certification after attending one of the National Rugby Safety Programmes? courses in Cape Town last week.

The USA Rugby Referees National Panel Development Group announced today the introduction of an unique approach to evaluating and developing referees called The GAME System.

With the 2010 Varsity Cup less than two weeks away now, we caught up with the eight head coaches of South Africa's top rugby universities to find out more about their pre-season training, their ambitions and the law experiments this season...

The Varsity Cup has never been scared of experimentation. From setting the trends off the field with a unique marketing strategy, to taking over Monday nights for two months of the year and, more crucially, allowing the use of the much talked about white card in the 2008 final.

Die Tuks-slot Erich 'Perd' van der Westhuizen sal ses maande nie kan rugby speeel nie, nadat hy sy heup in die opwarmwedstryd teen Rusland - verlede week - ontrwig het.

The Varsity Cup will embark on a campaign this coming season to help players and supporters become even prouder of their country, in what is shaping up as a massive sporting year in South Africa.

The 2010 Steinhoff Koshuis Championships is just around the corner and UCT's Nadoes - a legendary team which was first started in the late 1990s - are hoping to make the Cape Town university's presence felt this coming season!

Former UCT fullback James Richards has been elected as the new captain of Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club.

Today's proposed pre-season friendly between UCT's Varsity Cup squad and WP's Vodacom Cup team has been called off.

Jaco Swanepoel, Shimlas-afrigter, hoop om na Dinsdag se oefeningswedstryd teen die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) op Kroonstad meer antwoorde op 'n klompie vrae te kry.

Law changes have made clear how far the ball must travel at a quick throw-in from touch.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes - Who will guard the guards. Ancient Roman Juvenal asked the question and he was not even thinking about rugby referees, but it is a question often asked in a rugby context - who is going to referee the referees?

With the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International set to employ 23-man playing squads in the 2010 season, as part of an experimentation with SA Rugby, the country's top student rugby tournament will also be working hand-in-hand with South Africa's referees - off the field - in order to establish a strong working relationship.

After the departure of coach John Williams, Namibia has appointed a new coach in Johan Diergaardt and he has chosen his first team for a Test against Russia in the Hage Geingob stadium in Windhoek on 23 January.

Maties centre Juan de Jongh, the first Bok Varsity Cup product, has paid tribute to the tournament for his rapid rise to rugby prominence.

The European competitions are reaching a stage when decisions will be made and there were surprises this weekend, including the massive defeat the Saints inflicted on Perpignan, the reigning champions of France.

It is the crunch round of the European compositions this weekend and the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup reach the end of the pool stages and decide who is qualified for the knock-out stages.

Two double-headers - in Port Elizabeth and Pretoria - will help launch the 2010 Varsity Cup, as the third edition of this exciting student rugby tournament gets underway on Monday, February 1.

Centre Jamie Roberts scored two of the Cardiff Blues' seven tries on Sunday afternoon as they recorded an impressive 45-20 victory over Harlequins, booking themselves a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Sale Sharks threatened to ruin the party for Toulouse but in the end, thanks to a 19-13 win away from home at Edgeley Park, the French giants secured themselves a home Heineken Cup quarterfinal draw.

They were made to work for it but eventually, with a strong second half performance, Biarritz stormed to a 41-20 win over Glasgow in their Heineken Cup, Pool Two, clash on Sunday - securing themselves a home quarterfinal spot.

A hat-trick of tries from Fijian flank Akapusi Qera helped Gloucester end their Heineken Cup campaign on a high in Wales - recording a 32-23 victory over the Dragons in their Pool Two clash on Sunday afternoon.

Munster have qualified as top seeds for the 2009/10 Heineken Cup quarter-finals and will face Northampton Saints in a rematch of Round 6 battle

The Scarlets got the job done in Brive on Saturday night, recording a tight 20-17 victory over the Top 14 team in their Round Six, Pool Six, Heineken Cup clash.

A red card for Bath lock Danny Grewcock cost the English side dearly on Saturday night - with Steve Meehan's men struggling to stay with Ulster in their Heineken Cup encounter at the Recreation Ground, going down 28-10 in the end.

An unbelievably dramatic finish to Saturday's Round Six, Pool Six, clash between Leinster and London Irish saw the two teams draw, 11-all, and the Exiles knocked out of the 2009/10 Heineken Cup.

Edinburgh ended off their 2009/10 Heineken Cup campaign with a hard-fought 9-7 victory over Stade Francais at Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon.

Clermont secured their spot at the top of Pool Three with a bonus point win over Viadana in Italy on Saturday afternoon, running in eight tries to record a 59-20 victory.

A simply brilliant Heineken Cup Pool Six match at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon saw the Ospreys record a dramatic 17-12 win over Leicester and secure themselves a spot in the quarterfinals of the European competition.

Two of the most exciting wings in England return to action for London Irish just in time for their must-win Heineken Cup, Pool Six clash with Leinster at Twickenham.

British and Irish Lions duo Stephen Jones and Matthew Rees return to the Scarlets squad this weekend, as the region faces Brive this Saturday in the final round of its pool six games in the Heineken Cup.

Recalled French star Mathieu Bastareaud has been named on the benchs for Stade Francais big Heineken Cup clash with Edinburgh this Saturday.

Bath have named a strong lineup for Saturday's Heineken Cup Cup clash with Ulster - reaffirming their determination not to finish their European campaign without a win.

James Hook has a chance to stake a claim for a starting spot in Warren Gatland?s Six Nations side after being named at inside center for the Ospreys in their must win encounter with Leicester at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Clermont head to Italy needing, expecting and determined to get a five point haul against Viadana.

Perpignan have named a far more first-choice looking side for this weekend 'revenge-seeking' Heineken Cup clash with Treviso at the Stade Aime Giral.

'We're ready' - that's the mantra coming out of Northampton this week as they prepare to take on Munster in a must win Heineken Cup clash at Thomond Park on Friday night.