The 2012 Varsity Cup was contested from 6 February to 9 April 2012. The tournament (also known as the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The tournament was won by for the first time; they beat 29–21 in the final played on 9 April 2012. were automatically relegated to the second-tier Varsity Shield competition for 2013, but won their relegation play-off match against to remain in the Varsity Cup for 2013.
Scoring All four 2012 Varsity Rugby competitions will use a different scoring system to the regular system. Tries will be worth five points as usual, but conversions will be worth three points, while penalties and drop goals will only be worth two points.
Varsity Cup
Competition Rules There are eight participating universities in the 2012 Varsity Cup. These teams will play each other once over the course of the season, either home or away.
Teams receive four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points are awarded to teams that score four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lose a match by seven points or less. Teams are ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top four teams will qualify for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the team that finishes first will have home advantage against the team that finishes fourth, while the team that finishes second will have home advantage against the team that finishes third. The winners of these semi-finals will play each other in the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.
The team that finishes eighth in the Varsity Cup will be relegated to the 2013 Varsity Shield. The team that finishes seventh in the Varsity Cup will play a promotion/relegation match against the second-placed Varsity Shield team for a place in the 2013 Varsity Cup.
Teams
The following teams took part in the 2012 Varsity Cup competition:
2012 Varsity Cup teams Team Name University Stadium Stellenbosch University Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University North-West University Tshwane University of Technology University of Cape Town University of the Free State University of Pretoria University of Johannesburg
Standings 2012 Varsity Cup LogTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTries ForTries AgainstTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 7 6 0 1 244 118 +126 31 16 5 1 30 2 7 6 1 0 206 84 +122 28 10 3 0 29 3 7 4 1 2 270 118 +152 35 15 5 1 24 4 7 4 1 2 237 163 +74 32 21 5 1 24 5 7 3 0 4 233 240 -7 33 33 4 0 16 6 7 2 0 5 188 257 -69 22 34 2 1 11 7 7 1 1 5 164 195 -31 23 25 2 1 9 8 7 0 0 7 82 449 -367 10 60 2 0 2 The top 4 teams qualified for the semi-finals.The seventh-placed team played in the promotion/relegation play-offs.The bottom team was relegated.Points breakdown:*4 points for a win*2 points for a draw*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Fixtures and results Fixtures are subject to change. All times are South African (GMT+2).
Regular season
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round Five
Round Six
Round Seven
Play-off games
Semi-finals
Final
FB 15Clayton Blommetjies RW 14Deon HelbergOC 13Jerome PretoriusIC 12Dabeon Draghoender LW 11Hayden GroepesFH 10Wesley Dunlop SH 9 Lohan Jacobs N8 8 Jono Ross (c)OF 7 Jacques Verwey BF 6 Okkie KrugerRL 5 Franco Mostert LL 4 Mike WilliamsTP 3 Grant Kemp HK 2 Zane Botha LP 1 Sabelo Nhlapo (c) Replacements: 16Kurt Haupt 17Juan Schoeman 18Sthembiso Mlongo 19Wiaan Liebenberg 20Rudi van Rooyen 21Willie du Plessis 22Courtnall Skosan 23Basil Short Coach:Nollis Marais FB 15André SmithRW 14Ryan NellOC 13Wessel CoetzeeIC 12Louis Jordaan LW 11Dean HammondFH 10Andre Kemp SH 9 Donald Stevens N8 8 Grant Hattingh OF 7 Helmut Lehmann (c)BF 6 Sam MabomboRL 5 Hugo KloppersLL 4 Reinel HugoTP 3 Os Hamman HK 2 Rob Herring LP 1 Alister Vermaak Replacements: 16Alfred Ries 17Brummer Badenhorst 18JP Swanepoel 19Nicholas de Jager 20Boela Abrahams 21Jarryd Buys 22Clearance Khumalo 23Hein van der Merwe Coach: Chris Rossouw Player of the Match: Not documented
Assistant referees: Tiaan Jonker & Ben Crouse (South Africa), Jaco Kotze (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Honours 2012 FNB Varsity Cup Champions: (1st title)Player That Rocks: Wesley Dunlop, Forward That Rocks: Jaco Swanepoel, Back That Rocks: Clayton Blommetjies, Top Try Scorers: Chrysander Botha, Andrew van Wyk, (9)Top Points Scorer: Wesley Dunlop, (83)
Varsity Shield
Competition Rules There are five participating universities in the 2012 Varsity Shield. These teams will play each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away.
Teams receive four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points are awarded to teams that score four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lose a match by seven points or less. Teams are ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top two teams will qualify for the title play-offs. The team that finishes first will have home advantage against the team that finishes second.
The team that wins the Varsity Shield will be promoted to the 2013 Varsity Cup.
The team that loses in the play-off final will play a promotion/relegation match against the seventh placed Varsity Cup team for a place in the 2013 Varsity Cup.
The team that finishes bottom might also be challenged to play in a play-off.
Participating teams
Varsity ShieldTeam NameUniversityStadium Central University of Technology CUT Stadium University of Fort Hare Davidson Rugby Field University of KwaZulu-Natal Peter Booysen Sports Park University of the Western Cape UWC Sport Stadium University of the Witwatersrand Wits Rugby Stadium
Standings 2012 Varsity Shield LogTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTries ForTries AgainstTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 8 6 0 2 283 120 +163 35 12 4 1 29 2 8 6 1 1 210 124 +86 25 16 3 0 29 3 8 4 0 4 230 242 -12 29 34 4 1 21 4 8 3 1 4 143 235 -92 17 30 1 0 15 5 8 0 0 8 111 256 -145 16 30 1 2 3 The top 2 teams qualified for the Final.The winner of the Final will be promoted.The loser of the Final will play in the promotion/relegation play-off.Points breakdown:*4 points for a win*2 points for a draw*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Fixtures and results Fixtures are subject to change. All times are South African (GMT+2).
Regular season
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round Five
Round Six
Round Seven
Round Eight
Round Nine
Round Ten
Play-off games
Final
Squads The following players made at least one matchday squad during the season:
Honours 2012 FNB Varsity Shield Champions: (1st title)Player That Rocks: Masixole Banda, Forward That Rocks: Charlton van Jaarsveld, Back That Rocks: Inus Kritzinger, Top Try Scorers: Inus Kritzinger, Alec Mhlanga, Cheslyn Roberts, (6)Top Points Scorer: Jannie Myburgh, (108)
Promotion/relegation was promoted to the 2013 Varsity Cup. was relegated to the 2013 Varsity Shield. beat in a promotion/relegation game and will play in the 2013 Varsity Cup, while will play in the 2013 Varsity Shield. beat in a promotion/relegation game and will play in the 2013 Varsity Shield.
Promotion/relegation play-off
2013 Varsity Cup play-off
2013 Varsity Shield play-off
Young Guns
Competition Rules There are eight participating universities in the 2012 Young Guns competition. These teams are divided into two pools (the FNB pool and the Steinhoff pool) and will play the other teams in the pool once over the course of the season, either home or away.
Teams receive four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points are awarded to teams that score four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lose a match by seven points or less. Teams are ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top two teams in each pool will qualify for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the teams that finish first will have home advantage against the teams that finish second in their respective pools. The winners of these semi-finals will play each other in the final.
Participating teams Young GunsTeam NameSponsored NameUniversityStadium Steinhoff Maties Juniors Stellenbosch University Craven Stadium FNB NMMU Young Guns Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Xerox NMMU Stadium FNB NWU Pukke Young Guns North-West University Fanie du Toit Stadium FNB TUT Vikings Young Guns Tshwane University of Technology TUT Stadium FNB UCT Trojans University of Cape Town UCT Rugby Fields FNB UFS Shimlas Young Guns University of the Free State Xerox Shimla Park FNB UJ Young Guns University of Johannesburg UJ Stadium FNB UP Tuks Young Guns University of Pretoria L.C. de Villiers Rugby Stadium
Standings 2012 Young Guns FNB Pool LogTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTries ForTries AgainstTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 3 3 0 0 248 41 +207 32 5 3 0 15 2 3 2 0 1 147 76 +71 20 8 3 1 12 3 3 1 0 2 73 95 -22 9 13 1 1 6 4 3 0 0 3 22 278 -256 2 37 0 0 02012 Young Guns Steinhoff Pool LogTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTries ForTries AgainstTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 3 2 0 1 128 52 +76 18 6 3 1 12 2 3 2 0 1 139 55 +84 17 8 2 1 11 3 3 2 0 1 106 79 +27 14 10 2 1 11 4 3 0 0 3 21 208 -187 3 28 0 0 0 The top 2 teams in each pool will qualify for the semi-finals.Points breakdown:*4 points for a win*2 points for a draw*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Fixtures and results Fixtures are subject to change. All times are South African (GMT+2).
Regular season
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round Five
Round Six
Round Seven
Play-off games
Semi-finals
Final
Honours 2012 FNB Young Guns Champions: (1st title)
Koshuis Rugby Championship
Competition Rules There are eight participating teams in the 2012 Koshuis Rugby Championship - the winners of the internal leagues of each of the eight Varsity Cup teams. These teams are divided into two pools (the Penny Pinchers pool and the Hertz pool) and will play the other teams in the pool once over the course of the season, either home or away.
Teams receive four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points are awarded to teams that score four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lose a match by seven points or less. Teams are ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top two teams in each pool will qualify for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the teams that finish first will have home advantage against the teams that finish second in their respective pools. The winners of these semi-finals will play each other in the final.
Participating teams Koshuis Rugby ChampionshipKoshuis NameUniversity Team NameUniversity Team Bastion University of Johannesburg Cobras University of Cape Town Dagbreek Stellenbosch University Monitor Tshwane University of Technology Mopanie University of Pretoria Oppidani Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Patria North-West University Vishuis University of the Free State
Standings