 | |
| Conference | USSA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Commissioner | Francois Pienaar (since 2012) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| No. of teams | 24 |
| Headquarters | Cape Town, Western Cape |
| Region | South Africa |
| Official website | varsitysportssa |
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.
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. [1] In 2016, mountain biking was added.
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.
| Sport | Type | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics | Core | 2013–2019 |
| Basketball | Core | 2018–2021 |
| Beach Volleyball | Core | 2012, 2013, 2015-2017 |
| Cricket | Core | 2015–2019, 2022 |
| Football (Men) | Core | 2013–present |
| Football (Women) | Core | 2013–present |
| Hockey | Core | 2013–2019, 2022 |
| Netball | Core | 2013–present |
| Rugby sevens | Core | 2013–2019, 2022 |
| Mountain biking | 2016-2017, 2019 |
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. [3] The University of Stellenbosh won the first rugby sevens title. They won both of the tournaments, held in Plettenberg Bay and Margate. [4]
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. [5]
In 2013, the season began with a three meeting athletics series. The overall winner was UP-Tuks. [6]
That was followed by a women's field hockey tournament, which was won by Maties. [7]
The 2013 Varsity Football tournament was won by UP-Tuks. [8]
The 2013 Women's Varsity Football tournament was won by UJ Ladies. [9]
The inaugural Varsity Netball competition was won by UFS-Kovsies. [10]
The 2013 rugby sevens and volleyball tournaments were won by defending champions Maties and UWC respectively. [11]
The 2014 saw a four meeting athletics series, and a men's hockey tournament replacing the women's one from 2013.[ citation needed ]
The 2014 Varsity Football season will begin in July, and will be followed by netball, rugby sevens and beach volleyball.[ needs update ][ citation needed ]
The inaugural Varsity Women’s Rugby 7s, [12] Basketball. [13]
Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [14] football could restart. [15]
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 [16] and Stellenbosch University. [17]
Varsity Cup is the collective name for four South African rugby union competitions involving the top rugby playing universities in the country. It was launched in 2008, with eight teams participating in the Varsity Cup competition and each university's internal champions competing in the Koshuis Rugby Championships. In 2011, a second tier competition called the Varsity Shield was added, increasing the number of participating universities to thirteen. A Young Guns tournament for the Under-20 side of the Varsity Cup teams was launched in 2012. A further expansion for the 2017 season saw three additional universities added to the Varsity Shield, totaling sixteen teams.
The 2009 Varsity Cup was contested from 2 February to 30 March 2009. The tournament was the second season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2011 Varsity Cup was contested from 7 February to 11 April 2011. The tournament was the fourth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2008 Varsity Cup was contested from 18 February to 7 April 2008. The tournament was the first season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2010 Varsity Cup was contested from 1 February to 29 March 2010. The tournament was the third season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2013 Varsity Cup was contested from 4 February to 8 April 2013. The tournament was the sixth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2013 Varsity Football challenge was the first season of a South African university association football competition. It involved some of the top football playing universities in the country, which belong to the University Sports Company. The tournament is run by Varsity Sports South Africa, and is endorsed by the South African Football Association and University Sport South Africa.
The 2014 Varsity Rugby competitions were contested from 27 January to 7 April 2014. Varsity Rugby is the collective name of four rugby union competitions played between several university teams in South Africa, with the Varsity Cup being the premier competition. The 2014 season was the seventh edition of this tournament.
The 2014 Varsity Football challenge is the second season of a South African university association football competition. It involves some of the top football playing universities in the country, which belong to the University Sports Company. The tournament is run by Varsity Sports SA, and is endorsed by the South African Football Association and University Sport South Africa.
The 2015 Varsity Cup was contested from 9 February to 13 April 2015. The tournament was the eighth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
2015 Varsity Rugby was the 2015 edition of four rugby union competitions annually played between several university teams in South Africa. It was contested from January to April 2015 and was the eighth edition of these competitions.
The 2014 Varsity Cup was contested from 3 February to 7 April 2014. The tournament was the seventh season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2013 Varsity Cup was contested from 4 February to 8 April 2013. The tournament was the sixth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
The 2015 Varsity Football challenge is the third season of a South African university association football competition. It involves some of the top football playing universities in the country, which belong to the University Sports Company. The tournament is run by Varsity Sports SA, and is endorsed by the South African Football Association and University Sport South Africa.
The 2016 Varsity Cup was contested from 8 February to 11 April 2016. The tournament was the ninth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-university rugby union competition featuring eight South African universities.
2016 Varsity Rugby was the 2016 edition of four rugby union competitions annually played between several university teams in South Africa. It was contested from 1 February to 18 April 2016 and was the ninth edition of these competitions.
Beyers Johannes de Villiers is a former South African rugby union player, who played as a flanker. He played first class rugby for Western Province in 2016 and represented university side Maties in the Varsity Cup between 2013 and 2017. He retired in February 2017 on medical grounds.
The 2021 Varsity Sport, the 10 season of a South African university.
The 2019 Varsity Sport, the 10 season of a South African university.
Varsity Netball is a South African university netball competition. It is one of seven sports in the Varsity Sports series. The annual tournament involves the top netball playing universities in the country, which belong to the University Sports Company. The tournament is managed by Advent Sport Entertainment and Media (ASEM) on behalf of the University Sports Company (USC), and is endorsed by Netball South Africa and University Sport South Africa.