FNB Varsity Cup set to celebrate 500th match

A repeat of the 2008 and 2010 finals will mark the historic occasion for South Africa’s premier intervarsity competition

UCT Ikeys and Maties will go head-to-head on Monday, 28 March as the tournament marks its 500th match. Over the past 15 years, the South African rugby-loving public have made the FNB Varsity Cup a household name. A truly proudly South African product, the premier intervarsity rugby competition has seen over 2000 players come through the ranks and go on to play at higher levels, including 49 Springboks and 40 Blitzboks. The platform that the FNB Varsity Cup offers is not, however, limited to just South African teams.

There will be more memories created on Monday, as fans can look forward to a few unique matchday experiences to mark the 500th FNB Varsity Cup match celebration. These include the credo being read by former UCT Ikeys and Blitzbok star Kyle Brown, who along with Juan de Jongh will also be the strat masters for UCT Ikeys and FNB Maties, respectively. De Jongh represented the Maroon Machine in the inaugural season. Fans will be treated to some spectacular half-time entertainment performed by the Indoni Dance Arts and Leadership Academy. This performance promises to be upbeat and include a rugby element in contemporary style while the national anthem will be rendered by Bongeziwe Mabandla.

Since its inception in 2008, several former FNB Varsity Cup players have gone on to play for international sides, most recently Duhan van der Merwe. The former UP-Tuks and Scotland speedster was part of the British & Irish Lions team that played in a three-match test series against the Springboks in 2021. Van der Merwe shares the record for most tries (6) in a single FNB Varsity Cup match with Munster and former FNB Madibaz loose forward Chris Cloete.

The very first FNB Varsity Cup encounter took place at the very same UCT Rugby Fields where the 500th match will be played. UCT Ikeys hosted NWU Pukke (now known as NWU Eagles), with the visitors winning 23-17. The match featured the likes of Brown, JJ Gagiano, England Sevens player Matt Turner and Namibia international Theuns Kotzé. The visitors were coached by Matthew Proudfoot, who went on to win the World Cup with the Springboks as an assistant coach, while current Stormers head coach John Dobson headed up the coaching at UCT Ikeys.

In interviews last year, both coaches said that the FNB Varsity Cup provided a platform that launched their coaching careers.

"The 2008 tournament remains the highlight of my coaching career," Dobson proudly stated. "Before the Varsity Cup, UCT had never seriously been on the rugby radar. We had been part of the FNB Superbowl [which preceded the Varsity Cup] and embarrassed ourselves. We always felt that we had let down the rugby traditions of the university and the likes of [UCT Springboks] HO de Villiers, Peter Whipp, Nick Mallett and Cecil Moss. Winning the Varsity Cup in 2011 restored UCT’s pride."

Proudfoot shared Dobson's sentiments in that the tournament provided somewhat of a baptism of fire for his coaching career.

"It was a huge privilege to coach NWU-Pukke in the 2008 tournament," Proudfoot stated. "Other coaches that year included Chean Roux [Maties] and John Dobson [UCT Ikeys]. We knew the FNB Varsity Cup was going to have a massive impact on South African rugby. As far as my coaching career is concerned, the FNB Varsity Cup gave me an opportunity as a young coach to be involved in a really tough, week-in, week-out competition that simulated professional rugby for a coach. The tournament was my baptism of fire."

Adding to this momentous occasion of the 500th FNB Varsity Cup match, is that these two sides – UCT Ikeys and Maties – have met in two previous finals (2008 and 2010) with both played at the Danie Craven Stadium. Maties won both finals and have gone on to win the competition a record five times while UCT Ikeys won the competition in 2011 and 2014.