Koshuis teams to battle it out
The FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International is putting its teeth deeper into university rugby in South Africa once again – this after the national launch of the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships took place on Monday, February 23 at Stellenbosch University.
The eight universities taking part in this year’s Varsity Cup had to determine their own Koshuisrugby champions.
These eight champions will play in a north and south pool, followed by a semifinal and a final, which will eventually determine the 2009 National Koshuis champions on the evening of the 2009 Varsity Cup Final on Monday, March 30.
Francois Pienaar, as Chairman of the Varsity Cup, launched the competition at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday by saying: “Koshuis rugby is the portrait of commitment and passion in rugby in this country.
“Many players have walked this very path before taking a step up and playing ‘bigger’ rugby, so this tournament has a very real place in our rugby, especially after the success of the koshuis league in 2008 and, of course, the Varsity Cup.”
The eight teams taking part were unveiled on Monday – wearing the jerseys, shorts and socks that the 185 koshuis teams will receive from the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International in 2009.
Steinhoff International, as the main sponsor of the Koshuisrugby Championships, is paying for all the flights and accommodation of all eight these koshuis teams to play against each other.
Derrik Mathew, the marketing director of Steinhoff International, described Steinhoff’s involvement with koshuisrugby at this national level as a “privilege”.
“Koshuisrugby at university level has a lasting impression on every person taking part and many good players started their careers there,” said Mathew to varsitycup.co.za.
“The 2008 koshuis league was a truly unique experience for those taking part and just like the 2009 Varsity Cup has already taken a step up, we’re expecting the 2009 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships to be bigger and better than the inaugural tournament.”
The eight koshuise taking part in the 2009 competition:
FNB UJ – Drommedaris
FNB Tuks – Maroela
FNB TUT – Monitor
FNB NMMU – Barbarians
FNB Shimlas – Armentum
FNB NWU-Pukke – Over de Voor
FNB Maties – Steinhoff Majuba
FNB UCT – Steinhoff Cobras
Click HERE for the Koshuisrugby Championships fixtures!
* The first game of the 2009 Koshuisrugby Championships took place on Monday evening at Stellenbosch, with home side Majuba (Maties) beating the Cobras from UCT. The final score was 43-28 in Majuba’s favour.
