More than just silverware at stake

There will be more than just silverware and bragging rights at stake in Monday’s Varsity Cup Final in Stellenbosch between FNB Maties and FNB UCT. There will also be plenty of cash up for grabs – thanks to sponsors FNB.

The winning Varsity Cup team will be presented with a whopping cheque for R250,000 – along, of course, with the Varsity Cup trophy – with the runners-up pocketing a not-to-be-sneezed at R150,000.

Rotary, who have co-sponsored the Man of the Match Awards this season, will also reward each playing member of the winning squad with a specially-inscribed Rotary watch (worth R4,000 each). Any player that has featured – at some point – in the 2010 Varsity Cup, for the winning side, will be eligible for a watch – along with eight members of that team’s management.

The Player that Rocks (Man of the Match) in the final will walk off with an impressive R5,000, whilst the Varsity Cup organisers will also announce the much talked-about Player of the Tournament winner, along with the Backline Player that Rocks and Forward that Rocks recipients. (More on that below.)

The overall Player that Rocks will walk off with R15,000, with the best forward and the best pack each pocketing R5,000 – all, of course, which is courtesy of tournament sponsors, FNB.

Of course, as we all know, three shortlists (of three players each) have been drawn up for the various Player of the Tournament Awards; the Player that Rocks (overall Player of the Tournament), the Backline Player that Rocks (the Back of the Tournament) and the Forward that Rocks (Forward of the Tournament) and YOU can vote for your favourite player!

The hard-working forwards – for once – dominate the main list, whilst Maties tighthead prop Lourens Adriaanse and UCT No.8 JJ Gagiano have been nominated in two categories.

Predictably, the unbeaten Maties dominate the nominations, with three of their players nominated – in all of the categories. UCT and Shimlas have each had one player nominated.

Members of the public can either vote online (by clicking HERE), or via SMS – by SMS’ing the word ‘Varsity’, followed by the category you are voting for (A, B or C), and the player’s name, to 34581. (SMS’s cost R2.)

The nominated players and their categories:

Player that Rocks – Category A:
Lourens Adriaanse (Maties, prop)
JJ Gagiano (UCT, No.8)
Boom Prinsloo (Shimlas, No.8)

Backline Player that Rocks – Category B:
Dabeon Draghoender (Maties, centre)
Conrad Hoffmann (Maties, scrumhalf/flyhalf)
Andries Mahoney (Pukke, scrumhalf)

Forward that Rocks – Category C:
Lourens Adriaanse (Maties, prop)
Jonathan Gagiano (UCT, No.8)
Edgar Marutlulle (UJ, hooker)