The three unbeaten teams in the Varsity Cup will all be on home turf on Monday.
Pukke lead the way after claiming bonus-point victories in both their matches, and they will host a desperate Maties, who have just a single bonus point. The three-time champions are coming off a demoralising defeat to Cape rivals UCT in front of their home crowd in Stellenbosch and now face a tough follow-up assignment against the well-drilled Pukke outfit in Potchefstroom.
That victory over their old foes has given Ikeys plenty of heart, but they will also have a difficult task when they travel to Port Elizabeth to face NMMU. The Madibaz's dramatic victory over UJ last week has them sitting just one point adrift of log-leaders Pukke.
Defending champions Tuks are the only other team yet to lose a game this season, following up their draw against UJ with a ruthless demolition of Wits, but they face a trickier hurdle in the form of Shimlas this week. Tuks coach Pote Human has named an unchanged side, but they should face a fiercer test from a Shimlas team that managed to score four tries despite going down to Pukke last week. Shimlas captain Elandre Huggett has been ruled out for the rest of the competition due to injury, and new skipper Joubert Engelbrecht faces a demanding first outing.
UJ and Wits are both looking for their first victory of the season in the Johannesburg derby. Having drawn one match before losing the other in the final movement of the game, UJ will be looking for an emphatic performance. Wits are still looking for their first win in the competition.
UJ vs WITS
UJ Stadium, Johannesburg, 16:45 (Supersport 1)
UJ – 15 Marais Schmidt, 14 PJ Walters, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Michael Haznar, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Jacques Pretorius (c), 8 Rhynaard van Wyk, 7 Dylan Peterson, 6 Tiaan MacDonald, 5 David Antonites, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Van Zyl Botha, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Wiseman Kamanga.
Subs: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Devon Martinus, 18 Shane Kirkwood, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Lukas van Zyl, 21 Juan Kotze, 22 Peter Morton, 23 Hendrik Bredenkamp.
Wits – 15 Ruhan Nel, 14 Jacques Erasmus, 13 Nkuli Gamede, 12 Mandla Dube, 11 Joshua Jarvis, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Mathew Torrance, 8 Senna Esterhuizen, 7 JP Jonck, 6 Peter van Biljon, 5 Rendani Ramovha, 4 Devin Montgomery (c), 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Ashley Kohler, 1 Hannes Ludick.
Subs: 16 James Marx, 17 Kyle Wood, 18 Conor Brockschmidt, 19 Thato Mavundla, 20 Divan Ferguson, 21 Ish Nkolo, 22 Jason Fraser, 23 Kelly Ferdinand.
TUKS vs SHIMLAS
Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria, 19:00 (SuperSport 1)
Tuks – 15 Warrick Gelant; 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Ryan Nell, 11 Kefentse Mahlo; 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht; 8 Rudolph Smith, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Reniel Hugo (c), 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Basil Short, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Corniel Els; 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Jannes Kirsten, 19 Leneve Damens, 20 Emile Temperman; 22 Francois Tredoux, 22 Jacques Rossouw, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Shimlas – 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Mapuhta Dolo, 13 Robbie van Schalkwyk, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht (c), 11 Sethu Tom, 10 Gouws Prinsloo, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Neill Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Neil Claassen, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Rudolf Botha.
Subs: 16 Gideon Bruwer, 17 Franco van der Merwe, 18 Fanie van der Walt, 19 Johan van der Hoogt, 20 Kay-Kay Hlongwane, 21 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 22 Divandré Strydom, 23 Justin Pappin.
PUKKE vs MATIES
Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom, 19:00
Pukke – 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Edmar Marais, 13 Sylvain Mahuza, 12 Adriaan Engelbrecht, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Tiaan Dorfling (c), 8 Rhyk Welgemoed, 7 Henro-Pierre Swart, 6 Robey Labuschagne, 5 Francois Robbertse, 4 Peet van der Walt, 3 Elardus Venter, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Johan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Jacques Vermaak, 17 Mashudu Malefa, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Juan Language, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Johan Deysel, 22 Lucian Cupido, 23 Lhlanhla Ngoama.
Maties – 15 Craig Barry, 14 Clearance Khumalo, 13 Mark Hodgskiss, 12 Johnny Kôtze, 11 Caleb Smith, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Tertius Daniller (c), 7 Helmut Lehmann, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Nicol Heyns, 2 Freddie Kirsten, 1 Niel Oelofse.
Subs: 16 Charl de Villiers, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Renier Ehlers, 19 Lungelo Chonco, 20 Louis Nel, 21 Chris Smith, 22 Louis Jordaan, 23 Liam Hendricks.
NMMU vs UCT
Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth, 19:00
NMMU – 15 Donovan Marais, 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Michael Bernardt, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Gavin Hauptfleisch, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Timothy Agaba, 7 Wade Elliot, 6 Christopher Cloete, 5 Louis Fourie, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Simon Kerrod, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Roy Godfrey (c).
Subs: 16 Jody Reyneke, 17 Abongile Mnyaka, 18 Matthew Tweedle, 19 Andre Barnard, 20 Ivan Ludick, 21 Stefanus Booysen, 22 Ayabula Dlepu, 23 Marzuq Maarman.
UCT – 15 Martin Sauls, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Nic Holton, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Dean Grant, 9 Liam Slatem (c), 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Shaun McDonald, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Jan Uys, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Soloman, 1 Joel Carew.
Subs: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Michael Kennedy, 18 GVince Jobo, 19 Zakeyo Tinetenda, 20 James Alexander, 21 Ross Jones-Davies, 22 Suwilanji Chibale, 23 David Maasch.
Varsity Shield fixtures:
UWC vs UKZN (UWC Stadium, Bellville, 19:00)
TUT vs CUT (TUT Rugby Stadium, Pretoria, 19:00)
Photo: Mario van de Wall/SASPA
