The FNB Varsity Shield Rugby kicks off on Friday, 23 February and fans are in for a treat as most matches will be broadcast on SuperSport. Seven teams will be battling it out with the final being played on 26 April.
The format of the Varsity Shield tournament will differ slightly from FNB Varsity Cup, as rounds one to six will be played over three bumper weekends at select venues, with the action kicking off at Rhodes University.
In the first of three bumper weekends, defending champions FNB CPUT (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) will play FNB Rhodes at Rhodes Great Field (7pm kick-off), while 2015 Varsity Shield winners the FNB UKZN Impi (University of KwaZulu-Natal) face a spirited FNB WSU All Blacks (Walter Sisulu University) onslaught at 5pm.
The earlier kick-off, at 3pm, sees the FNB UFH Blues (Fort Hare) play the FNB TUT Vikings (Tshwane University of Technology), with FNB DUT (Durban University of Technology) having a bye on day one.
2024 FNB Varsity Shield Fixtures
The Varsity Shield fixtures were finalized for the 2024 season.
23 February 2024
15:00 CPUT vs Madibaz @ CPUT Sports Stadium (TV)
19:00 UFH vs UP-Tuks @ Davidson Stadium
19:00 Varsity College vs TUT @ VCollege Durban North
19:00 WSU vs UKZN @ Sisa Dukashe Stadium
01 March 2024
15:00 UP-Tuks vs CPUT @ Tuks Stadium (TV)
19:00 Varsity College vs UFH @ VCollege Durban North
19:00 Madibaz vs UKZN @ Madibaz Stadium
19:00 TUT vs WSU @ TUT Sports Stadium
08 March 2024
15:00 UKZN vs Varsity College @ Peter Booysen Stadium (TV)
19:00 CPUT vs TUT @ CPUT Sports Stadium
19:00 UFH vs Madibaz @ Davidson Stadium
19:00 WSU vs UP-Tuks @ Sisa Dukashe Stadium
15 March 2024
15:00 UKZN vs TUT @ Howard College Stadium (TV)
19:00 UP-Tuks vs Varsity College @ Tuks Stadium
19:00 Madibaz vs WSU @ Madibaz Stadium
19:00 UFH vs CPUT @ Davidson Stadium
22 March 2024
15:00 WSU vs UFH @ Sisa Dukashe Stadium (TV)
19:00 Varsity College vs CPUT @ VCollege Durban North
19:00 TUT vs Madibaz @ TUT Sports Stadium
19:00 UKZN vs UP-Tuks @ Howard College Stadium
05 April 2024
15:00 CPUT vs WSU @ CPUT Sports Stadium (TV)
19:00 UFH vs UKZN @ Davidson Stadium
19:00 Madibaz vs Varsity College @ Madibaz Stadium
19:00 UP-Tuks vs TUT @ Tuks Stadium
12 April 2024
15:00 UP-Tuks vs Madibaz @ Tuks Stadium (TV)
19:00 UKZN vs CPUT @ Howard College Stadium
19:00 TUT vs UFH @ TUT Sports Stadium
19:00 WSU vs Varsity College @ Sisa Dukashe Stadium
19 April 2024
Semi-Final (TV)
26 April 2024
Final (TV)
‘The return of Varsity Cup to the universities has been received really well, and through our amazing and excellent partnership with SuperSport every single match of the first six rounds of the Varsity Shield competition will be broadcast live,’ said Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi, Varsity Cup Tournament Manager. ‘We’re equally excited to welcome fans back in the stadiums and at our bumper weekends.’
At the end of the 2023 season, the team at the bottom of the combined 2021-2022 Varsity Shield log will be relegated from the tournament altogether. The 2023 Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield titles will both be contested by eight teams.
‘CPUT have held the trophy since 2019, with 2020 being an incomplete season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are expecting all six Varsity Shield teams to bring their A-game throughout the competition. The Varsity Shield has always prioritized innovation, pushing the boundaries and changing the lives of those who form part of the community,’ Nesi continued.
At the end of the round-robin phase, the top four teams on the log will qualify for the semifinals, which will be played on 14 April, with the final on 22 April.
FNB Rugby Varsity Cup Sevens Streaming Channels broadcast partners
- HSBC World Rugby 7s Website (Selected regions, Free)
- Sky Sports (UK)
- Fox Sports (Australia)
- Ten Play (Australia)
- Sky NZ (New Zealand)
- NBC Sports (USA)
- TSN (Canada)
- DAZN (Germany)
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