False Bay RFC welcomes students in the big league

Saturday sees Motorvaps False Bay RFC host their first SLA2025 at Constantia, when they welcome the University of the Western Cape, back in the top flight after a brief visit to the Super League B, and what a festival of rugby it promises to be.

- JON HARRIS

For the first time in a league match, the under-20 A and Bs will feature on the schedule, as the B-league migrates from Friday night fixtures to Saturdays. Adding to the magic of the event, the False Bay women's team open their league campaign against their Udubz rivals, making it a full schedule of six league matches at Constantia.

This will be UWC's first league match after their Varsity Shield campaign, where they finished third on the table after Varsity College and Madibaz. It is a cruel oddity that teams returning to the respective club rugby leagues appear to suffer what is colloquially known as Varsity Cup Blues, a slow start to their campaigns back in the leagues.

Whether it is the change in the pace or the physicality of the club game, or just simply the different environment, this bogey seems to strike, especially in the early stages of club rounds.

Udubz, having had some experience of this slump, and an unknown quantity considering that they regained SLA status at the end of 2024, look determined to burst onto the Constantia pitch and announce their candidacy as serious competitors across the leagues for all their teams.

Kicking off the programme will be the under-20 A clash.