THE new Komani Rugby Championship competition will kick off a new era in 2022, following a new joint venture partnership between local rugby clubs.
The tournament is set to kick-off this weekend, March 19, at the Tobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre in Komani.
This new four-team rugby championship tournament is a way of making sure that teams from around Komani keep themselves fit before the start of the season, as they play in different leagues around the Eastern Cape.
The four teams taking part in the tournament are Old Collegians, Progress, Breakers, and Shining Stars.
Old Collegians and Breakers had previously competed in the Twizza Rugby Championship, which was last won by the Breakers.
Breakers’ head coach, Phumelele Hlati, confirmed the tournament and praised involved teams in the formation of this tournament.
“We are delighted to confirm the competition model for this weekend and beyond and I just want to thank local teams for their patience, and the effort that has been put into this unity,” said Hlati
Speaking for his club, Hlati said the tournament would help his team going into the Provincial League that is starting next month.
“This tournament will help us prepare properly for the upcoming Provincial League. It becomes exceedingly difficult when you are in Komani to get friendly games because we have to travel to other towns, but this tournament has made it much more convenient for us to prepare as we will play four good games and two weeks before the start of the season,” concluded Hlati.
The tournament will be played in a points system, with each team playing each other once.
Each team is allowed to use 23 players on match day and those players must be based locally.
