All club rugby roads lead to George today when two clubs with a combined two centuries of history and tradition clash in the much-anticipated opening match of the 2015 Cell C Community Cup.
Both Cape teams in action, Hamilton’s and Durbanville-Bellville, will travel away this weekend as the Cell C Community Cup moves into its third season.
In what looks set to be a thrilling Western Cape derby, SWD champions Evergreens, who finished eighth in the inaugural Community Cup in 2013, make their return to SARU’s national championship for non-university clubs when they host Boland champions One Logix United Bulk Villagers Worcester at the Pacaltsdorp Sports Grounds.
The match kicks off at 14h30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & HD, as well as on radio on Eden FM (87.8-103.6 FM in the Southern Cape and worldwide on www.edenfm.co.za).
The Pool C encounter is the first of 40 group matches to be hosted at clubs across the length and breadth of the country from 21 February to 21 March, as the 20 participating sides vie for a chance to head to North West for the top-eight Easter play-offs, which this year will be hosted by defending champions, Rustenburg Impala.
“Evergreens celebrate their 83rd anniversary this year while Villagers Worcester turn 132,” said SARU CEO, Jurie Roux.
“There is so much history and heritage to draw on and what better way to open the tournament than with two teams who rally entire communities around them?”
George apart, a number of other intriguing tussles are scheduled for the opening weekend in six of South Africa’s nine provinces.
SA’s oldest club, Hamilton’s, bronze medallists in last year’s Community Cup, will kick-off their landmark 140th anniversary season with a tough away trip to the Northern Cape mining town of Kathu to face Aveng Moolmans Sishen in the weekend’s other Pool C match.
The Cape Town side will host Vaseline Wanderers on February 28 in Green Point in Round Two in another match to be televised live (SuperSport 1/HD, 14h30).
In Pool A, champions Rustenburg Impala open their title defence at home to newcomers Don’s Pawn Shop Port Elizabeth Police, while the Clive Solomon Stadium in Heidedal will see Free State’s top open club, Berlesell Bloemfontein Crusaders, welcome their Golden Lions counterparts Raiders in Pool B.
And in Pool D, 2013 champions GAP Management Despatch face a tough away opener in the northern Free State against J&F Reclaiming Rovers Welkom, while Pumas champions Shumba Ferros and Boland qualifiers Wesbank resume their rivalry of 2014, this time in another quintessential rugby heartland – the Swartland town of Malmesbury.
The Easter play-offs, which will feature the two highest-placed teams from each Pool, will take place from April 2-6, with the prized Gold Cup once again up for grabs on Easter Monday. All 12 Easter matches will be televised live on SuperSport.
2015 OPENING FIXTURES:
(Home team first, all KO times 16h00 unless otherwise stated)
Round One – Saturday, February 21:
Pool A:
Kempston Old Selbornians v Durbanville-Bellville
Rustenburg Impala v Don’s Pawn Shop PE Police
Pool B:
Berlesell Bloemfontein Crusaders v Raiders
Pretoria Police v BB Truck & Tractor Noordelikes
Pool C:
Aveng Moolmans Sishen v Hamilton’s
Evergreens v One Logix United Bulk Villagers Worcester (14h30, live on SS1/HD)
Pool D:
J&F Reclaiming Rovers Welkom v GAP Management Despatch
Wesbank v Shumba Ferros
Byes: Springs (A), College Rovers (B), Wanderers (C), Durban Collegians (D)
