The Varsity Cup is a collection of four university rugby competitions in South Africa. Established in 2008, the tournament was part-founded
by former Springbok captain, Francois Pienaar.
The inaugural
Varsity Cup featured eight universities, including rugby powerhouses
such as Maties, Ikey Tigers and UP Tuks. Three more cups were added in
subsequent years: Res Rugby (2008), the Varsity Shield (2011) and the
U20 Young Guns competition (2012). Collectively, the four tournaments
became known as ‘Varsity Rugby’.
Over the years, the competition
has grown in popularity and become a significant fixture in the South
African rugby calendar (a Women’s Varsity Cup was also launched in
2023). Today, the tournament is particularly well known for its
high-energy matches and talented players.
The Varsity Cup, the premier competition, is contested annually by
South Africa’s top nine university rugby teams. The tournament follows a round-robin format, with each team playing against the others either at home or away. The top four teams then advance to the semi-finals.
Maties and UP Tuks are the most successful teams in Varsity Cup history with
five wins each. Other notable sides include Ikey Tigers, NWU Eagles and
UFS Shimlas, who have two wins each.
However, Varsity rugby is
not just about competition. The tournament has also introduced several
unique rules that add to the season’s enjoyability. For instance,
depending on where an attacking move starts, teams can be awarded up to
nine points for a try.
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