18 January 2012
The 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby season is fast approaching, and the Vodacom Bulls are preparing for the kick-off on the weekend of 24-25 February by using a pre-season match to raise money for matriculants to pursue tertiary education.
On Monday, the Blue Bulls Company announced a three-year partnership with the Polokwane Municipality aimed at generating funds for first-year students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The charity drive will begin at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on 11 February, when the Bulls take on the Toyota Cheetahs in a pre-season fixture.
The venue hosted four matches in the 2010 Fifa World Cup. That same year, the 41 733-seater stadium played host to a highly successful warm-up clash between the Bulls and Lions. Now the organisers are hoping for another big turnout from rugby fans for the clash against the Cheetahs.
‘Inspire youngsters’
Blue Bulls Rugby Union Louis president Louis Nel said: “I think that the success of the Vodacom Bulls in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition, as well as the popularity of our players and franchise, will boost the Polokwane Municipality and inspire the youngsters to follow their dreams.
“We are proud to work in conjunction with Polokwane on an initiative that is dear to our hearts and we are confident that we will make a significant impact on the lives of our future leaders.”
Polokwane Mayor Freddy Greaver said the Bulls set a trend of high standards and expectation when they played the Lions in the city, which has resulted in a demand for more by the rugby public in his municipality.
“The Vodacom Bulls have started a culture here in Polokwane, which continues to grow,” reckoned Greaver.
‘Loved and admired’
“The players are loved and admired by our rugby-starved residents, and after having experienced such a memorable game last year, they want more.
“I have no doubt this warm-up game will be a success and I’m grateful to the Blue Bulls Company for paving the way to a bright future for our young learners, most of whom are unable to afford tertiary education. I’m confident that this initiative will change the lives of many of our matriculants and result in success stories in the years to come.”
Both the Bulls and Cheetahs are expected to field their strongest teams for the match on 11 February as both sets of players fine-tune their performances for the start of the Super Rugby season.
Not only will students benefit from the contest, the Blue Bulls Rugby Union amateur club in Limpopo will also be a beneficiary.
Golf Day
In addition, the Blue Bulls players have committed themselves to a Golf Day in conjunction with the Polokwane Municipality later in the year to raise additional bursary funds for learners.
Tickets for the game range from R80 behind the poles, to R100 for open stand tickets, to R120 for grandstand seats. They will be available at the stadium and through Computicket. Various hospitality opportunities will also be available in the impressive Skyboxes/suites.
Parking tickets will be on sale at Computicket for R20, while hospitality tickets will be sold from the stadium.
SAinfo reporter
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