The 2014 Varsity Shield was contested from 27 January to 31 March 2014. The tournament (also known as the ''FNB Varsity Shield presented by Steinhoff International'' for sponsorship reasons) was the fourth season of the

Varsity Shield 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 unive ...

, an annual second-tier inter-university

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

competition featuring five South African universities. The tournament was won by for the second consecutive time and third time overall; they beat 35–26 in the final played on 31 March 2015. were automatically promoted to the top-tier

Varsity Cup 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 unive ...

competition for

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

, but lost their promotion play-off match against to remain in the Varsity Shield for

. Bottom side won their relegation play-off match against challengers to also remain in the Varsity Shield for 2015.

Rules

The Varsity Shield used a different scoring system to the regular system. Tries were worth five points as usual, but conversions were worth three points, while penalties and drop goals were only worth two points.

Competition

There were five participating universities in the 2014 Varsity Shield. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away. Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded). The top two teams qualified for the title play-offs. These teams played each other in the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team. The Varsity Shield winner was promoted to the

2015 Varsity Cup The 2015 Varsity Cup was contested from 9 February to 13 April 2015. The tournament (also known as the ''FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International'' for sponsorship reasons) was the eighth season of the Varsity Cup, an annual inter-u ...

competition, while the bottom team in the Varsity Cup was relegated to the 2015 Varsity Shield. There was also a promotion/relegation match between the 7th-placed team in the Varsity Cup and the Varsity Shield runner-up at the end of the 2014 season.

Teams

Standings

The final league standings for the 2014 Varsity Shield were:

Round-by-round

Fixtures

The 2014 Varsity Shield fixtures were as follows: * ''All times are South African (GMT+2)''.

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round five

Round six

Round seven

Round eight

Round nine

Round ten

Final

Players

Player statistics

The following table contains points which have been scored in the 2014 Varsity Shield.

Squad lists

The teams released the following squad lists: Forwards * Gerard Baard * Moekoa Bolofo * Fanie Coetzer * Daniel de Jager * Deon Gouws * Johann Grundlingh * Juan Hugo * Dean Kauprihanoff *

Hanro Liebenberg Hanro Liebenberg (born 10 October 1995) is a South African rugby union player for in England's Premiership Rugby. He previously played for the in Super Rugby, the in the Currie Cup and the in the Rugby Challenge. His regular playing positi ...

* Vincent Maruping * Len Noort * Lyvette Shikwambana * Frans Sisita * Theuns Truter * Danie van der Merwe * Ian van Wyk *

Jasper Wiese Jasper van der Westhuizen Wiese (born 21 October 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player who plays for Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan's Rugby League One and internationally. He can play as a number 8 or a flanker. Rugby career 20 ...

* Did not play: * Junior Burger * Henko de Jager * Carl Gersbach * Boetie Maketla * JJ Nel * Kevin Pretorius * Jean-Luke van Zyl Backs * Heinrich Bitzi * Stephan Griesel * Marius Grobler * Charlie Hitchcock * Noël Marx * Alec Mhlanga * Johan Nel * Duan Pretorius * Kholo Ramashala * Mosego Toolo * Johan van Schalkwyk * Did not play: * Hanro Pretorius * Stephan Schutte * Clinton Toua Coach * Skillie Bester Forwards * Ricardo Burger * Isak Deetlefs * Hamish Herd * Claude Johannes * Adriaan Joubert * Ewald Maré * Juan Maritz * Armand Marshall * Pieter Matthews * Mandla Mdaka * Barend Nordeje * David Pieterse * Werner Serfontein * Ryan Sim * Gerrit van Gerwe * Did not play: * Jan Arnoldus Els * Wayne Short Backs * Leroy Afrika * Curtly Brinkhuis * Deon Fitchet * Brian Guillen * Morné Hugo * Deon Michael Joubert * Ralphton Minnaar * Edwin Oliver * Shane Pretorius * Gaybrin Smith * Andries Truter * Did not play: * Darrio Bezuidenhout * Shawn Jaards * Thabo Mangena * Thabang Mathebula * Paul Walters tbc * Did not play: * Quintis Anton Janse van Vuuren * Janco Muller * Lindokuhle Sambo * Diedrichdt Smit Coach * André Eloff Forwards * Masixole David * Onke Dubase * Billy Dutton * Madoda Mbulelo Ludidi * Lwando Mabenge * Athenkosi Manentsa * Xola Mapapu * Ntyara Mkhafu * Thembelihle Mpapha * Olwethu Mputla * Angelo Timothy Nhlapo * Luzuko Nyabaza * Siyabulela Sijula * Sibusiso Sityebi * Sibabalwe Tshoni * Mzwandile Yalezo * Did not play: * Litha Labase * Lubabalo Elton Lento * Zuko Lerula * Lunga Innocent Nohlwati Backs * Bangi Kobese * Lukhanyiso Komani * Andile Makinana * Lithabile Mgwadleka * Sibabalwe Mtsulwana * Saneliso Ngoma * Lundi Ralarala * Mkhululi Sonqishe * Garth van Rayner * Oliver Zono * Did not play: * Lungelo Kepe * Curtis Kleinhans * Lwando Makhongolo * Anda Nanto * Lutho Zatu tbc * Did not play: * Busiwe Fani * Six Maselwa Coach * Elliot Fana Forwards * Henri Boshoff * Deon Carney * Marco Hillebrand * Michael Hutton * Gideon Koegelenberg * Sizwe Kubheka * Bart le Roux * Sanele Malwane * Dean Muir * Leon Mulder * Lwazi Ngcungama * Sabelo Tshabalala * Kabous van Schalkwyk * Johan Wagenaar * Mikyle Webster * Ado Wessels * Zwela Zondi * Did not play: * Marné Coetzee * André Greyvenstein * Matthew Mandioma * Richard Mhlongo * Siya Mhlongo * Luciando Santos Backs * Brandon Bailing * Alrich Brown * Duncan Campbell * Brendan Cope * Spa Dube * Henkie Groenewald * Rico Lategan * Nelson Makhanye * Shayne Makombe * Kurt Mavrodaris * Yandisa Mdolomba * Garath Meikle * Philip Molnar * Gavin Nyawata * Cameron Wright * Did not play: * Ncgebo Masikane * Mondli Ntshingila * Ruhan Smit * Sandile Zulu tbc * Did not play: * Lindo Radebe Coach * John Mitchell Forwards * Mogamat Adams * Tahriq Allan * Siphiwo Bakeni * Brandon Beukman * Samuel Borsah * Kelvin de Bruyn * Matthew Faught * Philbrey Joseph * José Julies * Timothy Louw * Darren Luiters * Pallo Manuel * Sebenza Maphumulo * Heinrich Marcus * Michael Mkhize * Njabulo Ndlovu * Adeeb October * Pat O'Brien * William Scott * Did not play: * Curtis Beukes * Oswin Mentoor Backs * Dumisani Dyonase * Dean Herbert * Keanu Langeveldt * Quaid Langeveldt * Minenhle Mthethwa * Freddie Muller * Matthew Nortjé * Warrick Rhoda * Yondela Stampu * Dale van Schalkwyk *

James Verity-Amm James Nicholas Verity-Amm (born 8 June 1994) is a South African rugby union player. Currently released, he previously played for the in the United Rugby Championship and for the in the Currie Cup. He did play as a winger or full-back. Rugby ...

* Melik Wana * Kenwinn Wiener * Rufus Witbooi * Did not play: * Charlton Afrika * Daniel Bock * Lubabalo Faleni * Justin McKay * Cleo Voster Coach *

Peter de Villiers Peter de Villiers (born 3 June 1957) is a South African professional rugby union coach and former Good Party politician. He was coach of the South Africa national rugby union team from 2008 to 2011, after successes with the South African U19 ...

Honours

Referees

The following referees officiated matches in the 2014 Varsity Shield: * Rodney Boneparte *

Ben Crouse Ben Crouse (born ) is a South African rugby union referee on the National A Panel of the South African Rugby Union The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to World Rugby. ...

* Gerrie de Bruin * Stephan Geldenhuys * Quinton Immelman *

Cwengile Jadezweni Cwengile Dumisani Thando 'JD' Jadezweni (born 2 October 1986 in Stellenbosch, South Africa) is a rugby referee on the National A Panel of the South African Rugby Union. He also works as a rugby analyst at Sound Sure, along with fellow referee M ...

* Lusanda Jam * Jaco Kotze * Eduan Nel * Francois Pretorius * Jaco Pretorius * Oregopotse Rametsi * Archie Sehlako * Lourens van der Merwe

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Varsity Shield 2014

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

2014 in South African rugby union 2014 rugby union tournaments for clubs