The 2024 Sanlam Boland Top 12 Club Rugby Competition is set to kick off on 12 October 2024, bringing the best of Boland’s club rugby talent to the forefront. The competition, regarded as the pinnacle of the Boland club rugby season, promises to build on the excitement from last season with intense action, fierce rivalries and Boland’s best club rugby talent taking centre stage.
Defending champions Safcol will return to the field to defend their title after another strong qualification campaign in the Grootuitdaag division. This year will see seven new clubs enter the competition alongside Darling, Vanrhynsdorp Eagles, Safcol, Saldanha and 2023 finalist Robertson Town, who all maintained their Sanlam Boland Top 12 status for the 2024 edition.
Twelve teams from six regions, including Weskus, Witsentraal, Overberg, Breelangeberg, Swartland, and Noordweste, compete in Boland Rugby’s Grootuitdaag division during the regular season. The clubs that finish in positions one and two in these six regions qualify for the Sanlam Boland Top 12.
Reigning champions Safcol and Caledon qualified from the Overberg region, with Vredenburg and Saldanha qualifying from the Weskus region. Last year’s runners-up, Robertson Town and Worcester Villagers qualified from Breëlangeberg; newcomers Ceres and Newtons will represent Witsentraal, while Abbotsdale and Darling will fly the flag for the Swartland region. Vanrhynsdorp Eagles and Young Spurs are the two clubs that topped the Noordweste region.
In the opening round of the 2024 edition of the Sanlam Boland Top 12, current title holders, Safcol United host Ceres while 2019 losing finalist, Caledon are on the road to face Vredenburg. Debutants Newtons and Abbottsdale are both at home and welcome Worcester Villagers and Vanrhynsdorp Eagles, respectively. The two-time champions, Saldanha travel to Doringbaai to face newcomers Young Spurs, while 2023 runners-up, Robertson Town are at home against 2019 semi-finalist, Darling.
The competition will also again see Sanlam as the main sponsor, along with Vumatel, Tekkie Town, Umbro, and Santam all continuing their sponsorship of the tournament. There are also two new brands onboard, with Rainbow Chicken and Heineken also entering the Sanlam Top 12 sponsorship stable. “We are excited to present the 2024 Sanlam Boland Top 12 competition alongside our partners and key stakeholders,” said Mr Bennie van Rooi, President of the Boland Rugby Union. “Their commitment to fostering talent and sportsmanship aligns perfectly with the values of Boland Rugby.”
Fixtures for 12 October:
. Weskus
Vredenburg vs Caledon (home)
Saldanha vs Young Spurs (away)
. Swartland
Abbotsdale vs Vanrhynsdorp Eagles (home)
Darling vs Robertson Town (away)
