VC is more than just rugby
The on-field talent is undeniable and the standard of rugby played has dramatically improved over the years, however, not all of the participants will go on and make a living from this sport.
It is with that in mind that the organisers of the Varsity Cup has pushed the education aspect by instilling an academic requirement which the players need to adhere to if they are to participate in any of the four tournaments (Cup, Shield, Young Guns and Koshuis).
"Last year [2015] was the first year that all players were bona fide students and 2016 will be no different. From Varsity Cup to the Koshuis competition, every player's academic record will be audited as they must have achieved at least 60 credits in their previous year of study.
"For every student to achieve 60 credits, they need to actively attend classes, hand in tutorials and pass their exams. Each team is only allowed to field four first year students, the rest must have met the academic goal set out by the tournament rules.
"This means that when you are watching a match, 70 percent of the participating students have passed their studies from the previous year," Varsity Cup manager, Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi said.
For the second successive year, a Varsity Cup Dream Team compromising of 23 players and six management staff members will be selected by a "respectable panel of selectors". As in 2015, the team will play a match against the Junior Springboks on April 19 at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Current Cheetahs coach Franco Smith was at the helm of that team after he successfully guided the University of Free State Shimlas to their first Varsity Cup title and his Dream Team came agonizingly close to defeating the Junior Springboks.
Some of the players who were part of the 2015 Dream Team have gone on to play Currie Cup and we could see a few of them running out in the Super Rugby competition.
However, the development does not stop by the players and coaches as the focus shifts to doing more to develop the tournament's referees.
"We have introduced an innovation for this tournament which will see the coaches being able to submit a report on each referee after every match. Our aim here is to see these referees rise up the ranks to higher honours," Nesi added.
According to Nesi, the Varsity Cup's mission is to change lives and has become an integral part of university life which exceeds the rugby lines.
"Organising a tournament of this magnitude far exceeds the rugby lines, its all the lives we touch outside of rugby. When Varsity Cup began in 2008, it was the single opportunity for all students to set aside their differences and support their university.
"So the work this tournament has done in uniting students across this country has been tremendous," he stated.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
