Monday night live varsity rugby league kicks off

Kick off: Varsity Cup's Francois Pienaar (left) and Duitser Bosman (right) with UCT player Herbert Mayosi at the launch of the FNB/Steinhoff Varsity Cup, a new rugby league.

Set Monday nights aside for rugby.

That was the message at yesterday's launch of the FNB/Steinhoff Varsity Cup, brainchild of Rugby World Cup '95 icon Francois Pienaar.

The new league, for university players under-25, will bridge the gap between amateur and professional arenas. Games will be played on Monday nights and televised.

Endorsed by SARU and SASSU, eight university clubs will participate, including UCT and Stellenbosch. The concept was modelled on the successful college Monday Night Football league in the US.

"This competition should keep the next echelon of rugby players who are not entirely ready for the big scene yet, in the country, and help them develop their skills locally," said Pienaar, chair of the Varsity Cup board.

A FNB/Steinhoff Varsity Cup Festival will be held in George over the Easter weekend.

The league kicks off on Monday 18 February at 17h30 when UCT face NWU-Pukke. The game was scheduled for a later slot but due to the load-shedding schedule in Cape Town, kick off has been moved forward. The UCT game against Tuks on 25 February will also start at 17h30.

Start unfurling those Ikey banners.