NMU Madibaz looking forward to boost of Varsity Cup ‘home comforts’

AFTER being forced to play all their matches away from Port Elizabeth last year, the NMU Madibaz will make a welcome return to home turf when Varsity Cup rugby kicks off in Port Elizabeth on February 5.

The students will fine-tune their preparations for their opening match against the UCT Ikey Tigers with a training game against the Southern Kings today.

Because of an upgrade at the Madibaz Stadium, the Bay team played all eight of their matches away during a tough campaign which saw them win only two games last year.

This season, four matches have been scheduled for the NMU Stadium and this will boost prospects of an improved showing.

“It is a welcome relief that the stadium has been sorted out and we are looking forward to having home comforts this season,” Madibaz coach David Maidza said.

Nine of the country’s best universities will all be competing for top honours, and 2018 is a promotion/relegation year which adds a cutting edge to the tournament.

Every second year, the team that finishes last in the Varsity Cup competition will automatically be relegated to the Varsity Shield, while the team that finishes first in the Varsity Shield, gains automatic promotion to Varsity Cup.

The Varsity Cup team finishing second from the bottom will play a promotion/relegation match against the Varsity Shield team that finishes second from the top.

The nine university teams competing, are:

University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks), University of Free State (Shimlas), University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of Stellenbosch (Maties), Nelson Mandela University (Madibaz), University of Cape Town (UCT), Wits University (Wits), North West University (NWU) and Central University of Technology (CUT).