Joy as Madibaz rugby returns to Varsity Cup

Port Elizabeth - Director of sport Yoliswa Lumka and rugby manager Ntsikelelo Ngcakana have paid tribute to the FNB Madibaz team for their efforts in earning promotion to the Varsity Cup competition.

After two years of playing in the Varsity Shield, the Nelson Mandela University outfit have returned to the top flight for the 2021 season.

This comes after the Varsity Cup board met to finalise the 2020 competitions, which were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the decisions made were that Madibaz would earn promotion to the Varsity Cup as they had an unassailable lead on the log over the past two Shield seasons.

The competition rules state that the side with the most log points from the 2019 and 2020 seasons will qualify for promotion.

Lumka said she was “extremely excited” at receiving the news that the Madibaz were officially back in the Varsity Cup.

“It is unfortunate that we could not finish the season and get that outright winning feeling, but we are happy that this has now been finalised,” she said.

“None of this would have happened without the supportive team – which includes our coaches, managers and student assistants – that we have internally at Madibaz Sport.

“We must also recognise the teams who look after the facilities, while we are very appreciative of the support we have received from our dean of students, Luthando Jack, and our vice-chancellor, Professor Sibongile Muthwa.

“We are also thankful to our sponsors and partners for their continued backing.”

Lumka acknowledged that a lot of work lay ahead for the varsity and the rugby club.

“The club and the university as a whole are ecstatic that we have made it to this point again after almost three years of planning. But we know there is still a lot more to be done to ensure we remain in the top tier of the competition.”

Ngcakana underlined the input of the players and the coaching staff in achieving their goals.

“It is an opportune moment to thank all those involved who have made this such a successful campaign,” he said.

“To coach Jarryd Buys and his management staff and to all the players – well done. We will celebrate in true Madibaz style after this dark cloud is over.”

He also referred to the need to plan for next year.

“Starting now, Madibaz will be working on a rugby committee structure for the 2020/21 season to assist the club manager to take the sport to a new dawn.”

A number of other relevant decisions emerged from the Varsity Cup board meeting.

Madibaz will be part of a 10-team Varsity Cup next year as no Cup team will be relegated from 2020. The competitions will also be moving to a format of eight Cup and eight Shield teams respectively in 2022.

This means that at the end of the 2021 season the bottom two teams in the Varsity Cup competition will be automatically relegated to the Shield.

The team that finishes bottom of the log in the Shield competition in 2021 will be automatically relegated out of the competition and will not be replaced.

There will be no automatic promotion of any team in the Shield to the Cup at the end of 2021.

Image: FNB Madibaz rugby captain Luvo Claassen kicks ahead during a Varsity Shield match earlier this year. Madibaz have been promoted to the Varsity Cup competition for 2021. Photo: Michael Sheehan

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