Varsity Sports SA, is a group university sports leagues in South Africa. Its members all belong to the University Sport Company, and may each enter only one campus per competition, though they may enter different campuses for different competitions.
History The Varsity Cup tournament was founded in 2008, featuring the rugby teams of eight universities. Varsity Sports was created as an offshoot in 2012. In the first season rugby sevens and beach volleyball were played. In 2013, athletics, field hockey, association football and netball were added. In 2016, mountain biking was added.
Member universities
InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentNicknameColorsVarsity Sports Championships(As of 19 May 2014) (excludes varsity rugby)Varsity Cup Championships(As of 7 April 2014)University of Cape TownCape Town, Western Cape18292008PublicIkeysBlue and white2Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay, Western Cape18662008PublicMatiesMaroon33University of PretoriaPretoria and Johannesburg, Gauteng19082008PublicTuksWhite and red32University of JohannesburgJohannesburg and Soweto, Gauteng20052008PublicUJOrange1Nelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityPort Elizabeth, Eastern Cape and George, Western Cape20052008PublicMadibazBlue and redTshwane University of TechnologyPretoria, Ga-Rankuwa and Soshanguve, Gauteng, Nelspruit and Witbank, Mpumalanga and Polokwane, Limpopo20032008PublicTUTUniversity of the Free StateBloemfontein and QwaQwa, Free State19042008PublicKovsiesOrange1North-West UniversityPotchefstroom and Mahikeng, North West and Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng20042008PublicEaglesPurpleUniversity of WitwatersrandJohannesburg, Gauteng18962011PublicWitsWhiteUniversity of the Western CapeCape Town, Western Cape19592011PublicUWC 2University of Fort HareAlice, Bisho and East London, Eastern Cape19162011PublicUFHRhodes UniversityGrahamstown, Eastern Cape19042011PublicRhodesPurpleUniversity of LimpopoMankweng, Limpopo20052012PublicTurfloopVaal University of TechnologyVanderbijlpark, Gauteng19662013PublicVUT
Sports Varsity Sports currently runs competitions in six sporting codes. These are athletics, beach volleyball, association football, field hockey, netball and rugby sevens. Athletics and football have events for both men and women. Rugby, has only a men's event. Volleyball, netball and hockey have only female events, though men's hockey will be added in 2014.
List of Varsity sports
SportTypeYears Athletics Core 2013–2019 BasketballCore 2018–2021 Beach Volleyball Core 2012, 2013, 2015–2017CricketCore2015–2019, 2022EsportsCore2025–Football (Men)Core2013–presentFootball (Women)Core2013–presentHockeyCore2013–2019, 2022NetballCore2013–present Rugby sevens Core2013–2019, 2022 Mountain biking2016-2017, 2019
Season summaries
2012 In 2012, the only events held were for rugby sevens and beach volleyball.
Ten teams took part in sevens rugby. They were, UFS, NMMU, UCT, TUT, UP-Tuks, UWC, NWU-Pukke, Limpopo, Maties and UJ. The University of Stellenbosh won the first rugby sevens title. They won both of the tournaments, held in Plettenberg Bay and Margate.
Seven teams took part in beach volleyball. They were UWC, UJ, UP-Tuks, UCT, Limpopo, NMMU and TUT. The University of the Western Cape won the tournament. The Plettenbrg Bay event was called off before the final, due to bad weather.
2013 In 2013, the season began with a three meeting athletics series. The overall winner was UP-Tuks.
That was followed by a women's field hockey tournament, which was won by Maties.
The 2013 Varsity Football tournament was won by UP-Tuks.
The 2013 Women's Varsity Football tournament was won by UJ Ladies.
The inaugural Varsity Netball competition was won by UFS-Kovsies.
The 2013 rugby sevens and volleyball tournaments were won by defending champions Maties and UWC respectively.
2014 The 2014 saw a four meeting athletics series, and a men's hockey tournament replacing the women's one from 2013.
The 2014 Varsity Football season will begin in July, and will be followed by netball, rugby sevens and beach volleyball.
2019
The inaugural Varsity Women's Rugby 7s, Basketball.
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, football could restart.
2021
This tournaments, football and netball, will take place in a secure COVID-19 bio-bubble called the Varsity Sport Village, matches will be played at University of Pretoria and Stellenbosch University.
See also Varsity Football (South Africa) Varsity Rugby Women's Varsity Football
References
External links