CONFIRMED: 'Super Saturdays' for revised Rainbow Cup
SPOTLIGHT: The revised schedule for the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA will see three consecutive “Super Saturdays” of top-class local rugby action, starting next weekend on May 1.
SA Rugby and PRO14 Rugby announced the amended fixtures and kick-off times for the Rainbow Cup SA on Friday.
The opening match is a coastal clash between the Stormers and Sharks at Cape Town Stadium (13:00 UK / 14:00 SA), followed by the Jukskei Derby between the Bulls and the Lions at Loftus Versfeld (18:00 UK / 19:00 SA).
Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “It’s a pity we could not have the competition as we first envisaged it, but to see these four teams slug it out over seven weeks is sure to bring out the best in South African rugby”
Rassie Erasmus, Director of Rugby, said it would have been good to see the South African teams take on the might of European club rugby as the Lions Series moves closer.
“We’ll have to wait a bit longer to face the best club sides of Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, but in the meantime we’ve got a tough competition that will hopefully prepare our players for what promises to be a massive series against the British & Irish Lions,” said Erasmus.
“The rugby we saw when the season restarted last year was hot and cold, but it got better and in the 2021 Kick-Off Pools the teams were looking much better, and hopefully they can take that form and intensity into the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA.
“It was also good to see a number of younger players putting their hands, while our established and experienced players underlined their class. The PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA provides another opportunity for players to stake claims for higher honours and I’m excited to see what our teams can conjure up in the next few weeks.”
The normal PRO14 points’ system will be used – four points for a win, bonus points for scoring four tries or more, or for losing within a margin of seven points or fewer, and two points to each team for a drawn match.
Rounds four to six will see a reverse of the first rounds of fixtures between May 22 and June 12, with a bye for all four teams, details of the kick-off times which will be confirmed in due course.
PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA Fixutres:
Saturday, May 1
Round one:
Stormers v Sharks
Kick-off: 13:00 UK / 14:00 SA (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Bulls v Lions
Kick-off: 18:00 UK / 19:00 SA (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, May 8
Round Two
Sharks v Lions
Kick-off: 15:00 UK / 16:00 SA (Jonsson Kings Park, Durban)
Stormers v Bulls
Kick-off: 17:15 UK / 18:15 SA (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday, May 15
Round Three
Lions v Stormers
Kick-off: TBC (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
Bulls v Sharks
Kick-off: 17:15 UK / 18:15 SA (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Round Four to Six (home teams named first, kick-off times TBC)
Weekend 21/22 May
Sharks v Stormers
Lions v Bulls
Weekend 4/5 June
Lions v Sharks
Bulls v Stormers
Weekend 11/12 June
Stormers v Lions
Sharks v Bulls
*Note: All fixtures are subject to change.
