It's official: Maties to host 2009 final
The defending champion Maties will host their second successive FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International Final, after finishing top of the log and then beating FNB Tukkies 38-14 in Monday night’s semifinal in Stellenbosch.
The Maties – who beat UCT 16-10 in last year’s thrilling final – will be hoping to make it two from two final wins; only this time they will be up against the Pukke, who beat UCT 19-17 in their hard-fought semifinal clash in Cape Town earlier in the day.
Varsity Cup organisers on Wednesday confirmed that the 2009 Varsity Cup Final would kick-off at the Danie Craven Stadium at 6.45pm on Monday, March 30; with the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships Final between Huis Armentum (Shimlas) v Dromedaris (UJ) serving as the curtain-raiser at 4.45pm.
Both matches will be televised live on SuperSport One.
“SuperSport are happy with the Danie Craven as a venue to host the 2009 final at 6.45pm, as they did last year,” Varsity Cup MD Duitser Bosman told varsitycup.co.za.
“We’re all looking forward to a full-house at the Danie Craven Stadium and many more viewers witnessing the drama unfold from the ‘safety’ of their couches!”
Whilst the two semifinals on Monday did not quite produce the drama of last season (thankfully, perhaps, one might add!) – with both semi’s last year being won at the death – Bosman and his Varsity Cup team were elated with the interest and the quality of rugby on show.
“Both games were hard-fought affairs, I thought. UCT and Pukke played typical semifinals rugby, whereas Stellenbosch were able to cut loose against a team that had beaten them the week before,” he said.
“It was hard rugby, but enjoyable rugby and it augurs well for the final at the Danie Craven Stadium.”
Kick-off times for Monday, March 30:
4.45pm – Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships Final
Huis Armentum (Shimlas) v Dromedaris (UJ)
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
6.45pm – FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International Final
FNB Maties v FNB Pukke
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
* If the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International Final between Maties and Pukke ends in a draw after regulation time, extra-time will be played.
Extra-time regulations:
– Twenty minutes of extra-time will be played – ten minutes each half, with one minute for half-time in between.
– If the scores are still equal at the conclusion of extra-time, a ‘kick-out’ will be held.
– In the ‘kick-out’, each team chooses five players to place-kick from a designated point on the field as instructed by the Tournament Director, or referee. If the scores are still equal at that point; the kicks will then be done on a sudden-death basis.
– These sudden-death kicks must be taken by other players than the five that have already kicked. Thus a player can kick one kick only in the ‘kick-out’.
