Swallows can now wing it against best club sides
SWALLOWS rugby club received a massive boost when it was confirmed yesterday by the South African Rugby Union that they had been included in this year’s Gold Cup club competition.
The Gold Cup is heading into its fifth edition and is the pinnacle of club rugby in South Africa as it sees the best clubs from around the country as well as Zimbabwe and Namibia go head-to-head for to be crowned best of the best.
The 2017 Border Super League champions MPM Old Selbornians had already been confirmed as the Border regions representatives by virtue of winning the league, however runners-up Swallows were then given a wildcard entry, along with Western Province's Tygerberg, to join 12 other already qualified teams.
“It came as a bit of a surprise, but we have always said our goal is to be in the Gold Cup and finally we have made it,” said Swallows Rugby president Zuko Matyeshana.
“We are extremely happy and looking forward to the challenge, it is going to be tough but we are just so excited to be a part of it.”
The participation of Swallows and Tygerberg was confirmed following a meeting of SA Rugby’s executive council last Friday, with the reasoning behind these teams receiving wildcards, chiefly down to the massive support they received during SuperSport Rugby Challenge Festivals where they featured in the curtainraisers.
“Club rugby is a national treasure and both Tygerberg and Swallows epitomise what it means to be modern-day community clubs,” said SA Rugby chief executive, Jurie Roux.
“Both teams showed us during the SuperSport Rugby Challenge that amateur club rugby in South Africa draws bigger crowds than most professional leagues in the world.
“Both clubs are at the heart of their respective communities and are supported through thick and thin by fans whose loyalty stretches back generations. Their presence will also accelerate our drive to transform the game, as well as add massive commercial, broadcast and performance value to the growing Gold Cup brand.”
Matyeshana agreed that the support shown at the Sisa Dukashe as well as their performances in their two televised matches gave his team a big boost in being chosen.
The other 12 clubs already confirmed for this year’s competition are Newark Rustenburg Impala (defending champions), Speedy Car Sales Vaal Reefs (Leopards), Raiders (Golden Lions), Sasol Hydra-Arc (Pumas), Northam Rhinos (Limpopo), QBR (Blue Bulls), Welkom (Griffons), Bloemfontein Police (Free State), Sishen (Griquas), College Rovers (KZN), Old Georgians (Zimbabwe), and FNB Western Suburbs (Namibia).
The automatic qualifiers from Western Province, Boland, SWD, EP and Valke will be decided in the coming weeks and the competition will get under way next month.