Varsity Cup goes pink
Posted by Boertjie - 19/01/10 at 05:01 pm under Other TournamentsThe FNB Varsity Cup has never been scared of experimentation – and this year will see the introduction of 23-man playing squads for the first time in South African rugby history and pink shorts.
The various top-flight club competitions in England, France and Italy have already made use of eight-man benches, in a bid to stamp out uncontested scrums, and the Varsity Cup will now be trialing this in conjunction with SA Rugby to see if it has a future in this country.
Andre Watson, South African Rugby’s manager of referees, said that a survey will be conducted with players and coaches during and after the tournament.
“Video clips will also be used to establish a full database to evaluate this experiment properly,” said Watson.
“Funnily enough, uncontested scrums are quite rare in top-level rugby in South Africa, but there is no doubt that having that extra player on the bench will block out the possibility of uncontested scrums completely.”
Maties head coach Chean Roux, who has guided his team to successive Varsity Cup triumphs in 2008 and 2009, looks forward to this experiment in 2010. “In last year’s WP Super League, we were forced into uncontested scrums on five occasions – nobody wants that; as a coach, player or a fan; so hopefully this will help stamp out any possibility of uncontested scrums.
“I always pick five forwards on the bench. I will still be choosing five forwards on the bench, but now I can also include an extra back – so it’s a great concept as far as I’m concerned. It also throws up some interesting possibilities as far as tactics are concerned, so it should make for an exciting ruling in more ways than one.”
The Varsity Cup will this year also see players in pink shorts. Varsity Cup will be launching a big cancer awareness drive in 2010, with the introduction of the ‘Pink Shorts’ campaign in this year’s tournament.
This new campaign will see the four official Varsity Cup Man of the Matches from the previous week wear a special pair of pink shorts in the next round of matches – all in the name of cancer awareness and to help raise funds in the continued fight against cancer.
Supporters at the grounds and television viewers at home can make donations via a special SMS. Each SMS sent will cost R5 and all proceeds will go towards a Varsity Cup Trust, which will be donated to rugby players affected by cancer. Bigger donations can also be made via the SMS lines – but will be calculated in terms of R5 units.
Any rugby player in South Africa affected by cancer will be eligible to receive money from this Varsity Cup Trust, but will have to apply via the official Varsity Cup website in order to do so.
January 19th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Pink shorts?
Thin end of the wedge.
January 19th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
These questions about South Africa were posted on a South African Tourism Website and were answered by the website owner (great sense of humour!).
Q: Does it ever get windy in South Africa ? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? ( UK )
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? ( USA )
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Durban to Cape Town – can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )
A: Sure, it’s only two thousand kilometers, take lots of water…
Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in South Africa ? ( Sweden )
A: So it’s true what they say about Swedes…
Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in South Africa ? Can you send me a list of them in JHB, Cape Town , Knysna and Jeffrey’s Bay? ( UK )
A: What did your last slave die of?
Q: Can you give me some information about Koala Bear racing in South Africa? ( USA )
A: Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the pacific. A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe which does not…oh forget it. Sure, the Koala Bear racing is every Tuesday night in Hillbrow. Come naked.
Q: Which direction is north in South Africa ? ( USA )
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.
Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa ? ( UK )
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? ( USA )
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is…oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Hillbrow, straight after the Koala Bear races. Come naked.
Q: Do you have perfume in South Africa ? ( France )
A: No, WE don ‘t stink.
Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in South Africa ? ( USA )
A: Anywhere where a significant number of Americans gather.
Q: Can you tell me the regions in South Africa where the female population is smaller than the male population? ( Italy )
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in South Africa ? ( France )
A: Only at Christmas.
Q: Are there killer bees in South Africa ? ( Germany )
A: Not yet, but for you, we’ll import them.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Cape Town and is milk available all year round?
A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter-gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in South Africa who can dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All South African snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
Q: I was in South Africa in 1969, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Hillbrow. Can you help? ( USA )
A: Yes, but you will probably still have to pay her by the hour.
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
A: Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first.
January 20th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Read in the paper this morning that more people die from colorectal cancer than breast cancer.
Maybe they should wear brown underpants to promote this.
Only problem is many backs will not know which side goes front anymore.
January 21st, 2010 at 9:11 am
Ja I must say I find it stange that breast cancer somehow gets all this high profile marketing whilst the other forms of cancer are neglected…
Whhy does breast cancer get this high profile when there are kids with cancer too…
Screw this pink nonsense IMO…
I am disgusted that FNB and the Universities have neglected to look at say the plastiolukemia that kills thousands of children every year…
Or what about prostate cancer awareness…
You know men are less able to stick a finger up the bum to feel their prostate than what chicks are to feel their brasts…breast cancer has a very high survivability rate…
Prostate cancer less so
It’s like there’s a move to feminization of rugby… next thing you’ll hear that they’re not allowed to moer each other on the field anymore because “of the children they have to be role models for”