Rugby
Varsity Cup kicks off earlier due to load-shedding─── MORGAN PIEK 08:15 Mon, 20 Feb 2023
The 2023 Varsity Cup will kick off earlier on Monday afternoon, and the tournament will now officially start in Bloemfontein.
The opening match was set to see the champions, the University of Pretoria Tuks, in action against the University of the Free State Shimlas in Pretoria, however, this has changed.
The opening fixture will now be played in Bloemfontein, with the Central University of Technology Ixias up against Wits. This match has been brought forward with kick-off now at 15:30 because of load-shedding.
This match was originally scheduled to get under way at 19:00.
Ixias coach Melusi Mthethwa told OFM Sport that the new time slot can work in their favour.
"Where we are sitting, I think that it can work out to be a positive thing for us," said Mthethwa, who will be in charge of his first Varsity Cup game as coach.
"In Bloemfontein, if it's sunny at that time, it is quite difficult to play. We also need to adapt. It is our home field, and we do train at that time.
"We are going to be ready for that."
Meanwhile, at 17:00 Tuks will still host the Shimlas at the LC de Villiers, while at 19:00 the North West University Eagles tackle the University of Johannesburg at the Fanie in Potchefstroom, while the University of Stellenbosch Maties tackle the University of Cape Town Ikeys in Coetzenburg.
