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Written by Howie Kahn
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Thursday, 04 September 2008 15:55 |
So you've heard about the success of the inaugural Cape Town Tens 2009, but still don’t know much about the tournament? Or you want to know what's new for 2010? This simple ten-point list will answer all your questions!
1. Who is behind the Cape Town Tens?
Former Springbok stars Bob Skinstad and Robbie Fleck, in conjunction with Tournament Director Ron Rutland, and Don Everitt of Kreate Event Management, pooled their collective knowledge to bring this unique, ground-breaking event to the Mother City in February 2009.
Once again the team will be joining forces and working hard with their valued sponsors and partners to raise the bar and ensure that the Cape Town Tens 2010 will be bigger and better in all ways.
The team have once again enlisted the help of Howard Kahn of Sports Network to head up the all important media and communications department, and he will again work closely with Bodo Sieber of Plastic Soldiers whose creative spark will ensure that www.capetowntens.com continues to be the favoured portal of the world Tens community.
"Bob played for our Jam Boys team in 2006 and 2008, but it clashed with the Super 14 in 2007, so we released him," joked Rutland, "luckily for him he was able to maintain his form and he even worked his way back into the Bok squad!
"I remember our pre-tournament strategy session back in 2006... we never left the bar! It’s old school rugby at its best and that’s why we’re expecting people to travel from across the globe."
Click HERE for more on Team Cape Town Tens!
2. The Cape Town Tens mission statement:
By combining all that is quintessentially Cape Town with a unique ten-man rugby tournament that celebrates the spirit of rugby, we aim to revel – along with our punters from across the globe - in the best that rugby, socialising and the Mother City has to offer.
The organising committee wants to deliver the highest quality participatory sporting event by ensuring a fair balance between corporate return on investment, the teams’ participation, and the punters’ enjoyment. We aim to do this by bringing Cape Town, South Africa, and the international social, business and rugby communities together in a festive environment that ensures everybody has a memorable time.
3. What is Tens rugby all about?
Tens rugby is a game for all shapes and sizes with five forwards and five backs in a team. It combines the best aspects of Sevens and 15-man rugby, creating a game with more open space than 15's, but with less kicking and less contact. However scrums, line-outs, big hits and even rucking are still important in this version of the game; and of course with all the extra space, speed, skill, and the high scoring that epitomises 7's rugby are all characteristics of the 10's game.
A full squad consists of 15 players; 10 starting players and five substitutes - the replacements are normally made up of two back reserves, two forwards and a 'floater', who can cover a position up front and in the backline. The replacements are 'rolling', so they can join or leave the action at any time. Games are normally 10 minutes a half. The finals, however, are generally 14 minutes a side.
"The nice thing about Tens is that we can even add our own twist, like making tries under the uprights worth six points as opposed to five points," said Rutland, the Tournament Director. "We have the blessings of SARU and the WPRFU to host this tournament, but the beauty is that we can add our own nuances regardless."
4. How does Tens differ from the 15-a-side game?
It's pretty simple, according to Rutland: "It's like Sevens for over 30s! Fifteens is a tough, physical game, whilst Sevens is a pretty fast-paced version, which can be 'spoilt' by one quick guy on the pitch. Tens, however, gives us 'fatties' a chance, as it allows one to use physicality and speed to get the result you want.
"With no loose forwards on the pitch it opens things up a bit more and lets the backs have a go, but, at the same, you can't neglect your scrums and line-outs and there’s even a time and a place for a bit of rucking. There are also more opportunities for the 'big hit' that you see in 15's, and that you don't see in 7's very often, so that keeps the players on their toes and gives the crowds something else to look forward to!"
Said Skinstad: "I remember playing a similar type of Tens rugby back in my primary school days. It was a fantastic way of exploiting space without loose forwards on the pitch, but at the same you couldn't afford to neglect your line-outs, scrums, etc."
Fleck added: "I honestly believe Tens has the potential to become a feeder for 15-man rugby like Sevens rugby currently is in South Africa. (Former Springbok assistant coach) Eddies Jones, for one, believes in the virtues of using Tens rugby on the training ground and I love the way it helps develops ones skills and abilities to take advantage of the space given to you."
Former England and Lions centre Will Greenwood - a top rugby pundit in his homeland - had the following to say about Tens: "I've played Tens a bit and it’s a fantastic format of the game, something a little bit different which will be new to a lot of people.
"It's not quite as open as Sevens when the props and slower guys run for the trees, but not as slow as Fifteens when wingers can sometimes see very little of the ball. It’s a great mixture for all to get involved with and is sure to be a tremendous success at all the rugby clubs up this autumn."
Argentina star Felipe Contepomi - speaking to capetowntens.com - also added: "You have more space than in the 15-man game, which allows you to display your skills and express yourself more. Tens is a game that I think could be used to help introduce non-rugby people to the full version."
5. Why Cape Town as the venue?
"Cape Town has always been seen as the most cosmopolitan city in the country, with many celebrity travelers stopping over in Cape Town," said Skinstad.
"I have been fortunate to play a lot of Tens rugby across the world in places like Thailand, Macau, Hong Kong, Bangkok and most of the guys that I played with or against have been to South Africa and loved it.
"Unfortunately, none of them have come to play Tens here, despite some of these teams traveling the world just to play Tens and see some sights. Now they've got a reason to come out here and play some rugger, have a great time in Cape Town and then go and do their safaris and sight-seeing elsewhere."
Fleck continued: "When I played for the Stormers and the Springboks I remember how our opponents used to make sure they spent a few extra days in Cape Town to enjoy the city once the rugby was over.
"Most of the guys I played against have since retired and are in 'real' 9-5 jobs, but I can't see many of them passing up an opportunity to come out here and spend some quality time at Caprice or La Med! I even managed to track down Joe Roff in the north of England - he doesn't even have a laptop, so he doesn’t check his emails that often - but he can’t make it as his wife is having a baby in February. Believe me, it was a close call!
"Cape Town, the city, is a brand and it’s a brand that we intend to sell to the world. Our rationale behind hosting this event here is to get past players, current players and just about anybody that wants to, to come out to Cape Town for the Tens instead of going to other countries for basically exactly the same reason.
"Cape Town has everything here, from beautiful beaches, to beautiful women, to amazing scenery, wine farms and some pretty unique shopping. If people are prepared to travel somewhere to play rugby, they should come to Cape Town for the full package."
Some must-see/must-do attractions in Cape Town:
- Table Mountain
- Robben Island
- Kirstenbosch
- V&A Waterfront
- Cape Town’s historical buildings
- Cape Point
- Cape Town beaches
- Cape Town shopping
- Table Mountain National Park
- Western Cape 4x4 trails
- Western Cape hiking trails
- Chapman’s Peak Drive
- Constantia, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine routes
- Shark diving with former Bok Robbie Kempson’s White Shark Diving Company
Click HERE to see Bob and Rob visiting their favourite spots in Cape Town - in conjunction with Cape Town Tourism!
6. Where in Cape Town and when will the tournament be played?
The 2010 Cape Town Tens will take place on February 6 and 7 (Saturday and Sunday), with the welcoming party taking place on Friday, February. The two-day event will once again be hosted at Hamilton Rugby Club - the oldest rugby club in South Africa and a key official partner of the Cape Town Tens.
Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, and with its fields a stone's throw from Cape Town’s magnificent Atlantic Seaboard, Hamilton - with three playing fields and more than enough space to have a beer with your mates in the various marquees - will provide the perfect venue for the second and improved Cape Town Tens Rugby Tournament.
Must-read: 2010 registration is open!
7. What will the format of the Cape Town Tens be?
There will be four divisions in 2010; the beer division (for those that want to have a bit of fun off the park), the veteran division (for those a bit long in the tooth - and want some fun off the field), the premier division (for top-level players who also want some fun off the field), and finally the new SERVICES division (for everyone that protects the rest of us in some way - police, army, navy, firefighters etc - who want some fun too).
All divisions will be divided up into pools, for the round robin part of the tournament on the Saturday. The top teams will go through to the cup phase of the knockout stages, whereas the bottom teams and the losing quarterfinal sides will all drop down to the plate and bowl sections - as they do in Sevens.
That also means that all teams will play matches on the Saturday and the Sunday - regardless of their results on the first day.
8. Rugby aside, what can one expect from the Cape Town Tens?
Where to start here... ?
Hosts Robbie Fleck and Bob Skinstad led from the front at the opening party in 2009, unveiling their SASI Legends side at a pre-pre-tournament function and then joining in the fun and games at the officially opening on the Friday night.
Highlights from the inaugural CT Tens included Kees Meeuws's beer-drinking exploits, Hugh Bladen's stunning off-field interviews, Tracy McGregor driving a Mini Cooper on the main field, the brilliant Tag Rugby coaching clinic and, of course, the high-quality rugby on offer...
But it's not all about rugby and the memories (for some!) of the Friday and Saturday night parties will live long, thanks mainly to the superb music from The Lightyears - who came all the way from London to play at the CT Tens. Sunday night was also a memorable evening as everyone 'wrapped' up the weekend with one last push after the prize-giving which was headlined by the gorgeous Miss SA, Tatum Keshwar.
The 2010 tournament will be bigger and better from a social point of view. There will be bigger beer tents with better viewing points - to watch the rugby, of course! - whilst the music will start earlier on the Saturday and Sunday and two bands will be on 'duty', to help fans get in the party zone a little bit earlier.
9. Which kind of players can one expect to see in action?
The 2009 tournament attracted the likes of Kees Meeuws, Leon Lloyd, Zak Feaunati, Matt Phillips, Cecil Afrika, Eddie Evans, Jake Boer - whilst Dan Carter was due to headline the event, only to pick up a serious Achilles injury just a week before.
The Western Province Vodacom Cup team took part in the premier league, as did the Maties first team, UCT's first team and, of course, the star-studded SASI Legends team, who boasted the afore-mentioned players in their talented squad.
Of course the Elan SA Legends also provided their fair-share of names, with former Bok skippers Corné Krige and André Vos joining their ex-Bok mates Fleck and Skinstad along with Trevor Halstead, Rob Kempson and Pieter Muller. Looking after the SA Legends were none other than Ian Mac and Rob Louw - the latter probably being so well known thanks to his gorgeous daughter Roxy, who was also present - with the duo having plenty to say to their charges.
The 2010 tournament promises even more big-name players - aside from tournament hosts Skinstad and Fleck - but that news will be revealed in due course.
"We've got some exciting big-name players lined up to join in the fun," said Ron Rutland. "But all of that - along with some news about discounted flights, accommodation and kit - will be revealed on our website."
10. How can you join in the fun?
For more tournament-related information or simply just to register and book your spot before it’s too late;
• visit www.capetowntens.com (for all your Cape Town Tens needs)
• or for further information, contact Cape Town Tens Tournament Director Ron Rutland on +27 72 636 3300 and email
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• and for media enquiries or interviews, contact Cape Town Tens Media Director Howard Kahn on +27 82 375 3369 or email
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