Varsity Cup introduces evening kick-off times for 2020

Cape Town - Varsity Cup organisers have announced that all but one of this year's fixtures will kick off at 19:00 in a new innovation they hope will improve attendance figures.

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This adjustment will see one game broadcast on Monday nights, with the second-tier Varsity Shield moving to Friday evenings.

Varsity Cup founder Francois Pienaar believes the innovation will make Varsity Cup fixtures more accessible across the board.

"With Varsity Cup games all being played at 19:00, everyone knows what time the fixtures are no matter what campus you are on. It also allows the students to finish their lectures, get dinner and get to the stadium for some #RugbyThatRocks," Pienaar said.

The 2020 tournament kick offs with a classic northern derby with UP-Tuks taking on NWU-Pukke - a repeat of last season's semi-final. This match is the only match of the tournament that kicks off at 17:15.

Both teams have announced new head coaches going into the season, with former Springbok flyhalf and 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Andre Pretorius taking over the reins at NWU, while Nico Luus will step up as head coach of UP-Tuks.

In the same round, defending champions Maties will host Shimlas, the surprise package of 2019, who the 'Maroon Machine' beat in the semi-finals.

Maties will also head into the season with a new man in charge, Drikus Hancke, who steps in for Hawies Fourie who has taken over the head coaching role at the Cheetahs.

The 2020 season of the Varsity Cup is also a promotion/relegation year, which will mean that the team that finishes on top of the Varsity Shield log, over the combined log of 2019 and 2020, will automatically be promoted to the 2021 season of FNB Varsity Cup.

Meanwhile, the ninth-placed team of the Varsity Cup log, over the combined log of 2019 and 2020, will automatically be relegated to Varsity Shield in 2021.

The team that finishes eighth on the Varsity Cup and the team ending in second position of Varsity Shield over the combined log of 2019 and 2020, will play in the promotion/relegation match on 21 April 21.

The winner of this match will play in the Varsity Cup in 2021.

- Varsity Cup Media