Monday's matches will have a major bearing on which teams make the Varsity Cup play-offs.
Seven of the eight sides are still in the running for the semi-finals. The only team without a chance is winless Wits, who face another major challenge as they travel to Potchefstroom to take on Pukke. The log leaders are coming off consecutive away wins against NMMU and defending champions Tuks and will be aiming for a big victory in front of their home crowd.
Down in Cape Town, third-placed UCT will be looking for their first home win of the season when they look to tame both the fourth-placed Shimlas and the notorious wind on the Green Mile. Ikeys are unbeaten on the road this season but have not had as much success at home, and they will be tested once again by a Shimlas team that held Maties to a draw in a windy Stellenbosch last week.
Maties have been very erratic this year and find themselves down in sixth position, but well within striking distance of the top four, and they are up against a desperate UJ side who have just one win to show for their efforts this season. Despite their troubles this year, UJ's hopes of making the semi-finals are not over so expect them to have a full go in front of their home crowd with their campaign effectively on the line.
Tuks will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season to Pukke last week when they host NMMU in Pretoria. The Madibaz find themselves in fifth place after their tough win over Wits last week, and they face another difficult assignment against a Tuks team determined to bounce back from a defeat at home.
PUKKE vs WITS
Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom, 16:45 (SuperSport 1)
Pukke – 15 Sylvain Mahuza, 14 Edmar Marais, 13 Hoffman Maritz, 12 Adriaan Engelbrecht, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Tiaan Dorfling (c), 8 Rhyk Welgemoed, 7 Robey Labuschagne, 6 Philip de Wet, 5 Francois Robbertse, 4 Peet van der Walt, 3 Lhlanhla Ngcamu, 2 Jacques Vermaak, 1 Mashudu Mafela.
Subs: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Jaco Buys, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Rhyno Smith, 22 Lucian Cupido, 23 Elardus Venter.
Wits – 15 Ruhan Nel, 14 Mandla Dube, 13 Divan Ferguson, 12 Brent Crossley, 11 Riaan Arends, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Mathew Torrance, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 Senna Esterhuizen, 6 J.P. Jonck, 5 Rendani Ramovha, 4 Devin Montgomery (captain), 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Ashley Kohler, 1 Hannes Ludick.
Subs: 16 James Marx, 17 Kyle Wood, 18 Conor Brockschmidt, 19 Peter van Biljon, 20 Joshua Jarvis, 21 Ish Nkolo, 22 Joshua Jarvis, 23 Ferdinand Kelly.
UCT vs SHIMLAS
UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town, 17:00
UCT – 15 Ross Jones Davies, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Guy Shwikard, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Dean Grant, 9 Liam Slatem (captain), 8 Michael Botha, 7 Vince Jobo, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Shaun McDonald, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Joel Carew.
Subs: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Guy Alexander, 19 Kyle Kriel, 20 James Alexander, 21 Martin Sauls, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 David Maasch.
Shimlas – 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Maphuta Dolo, 13 Tertius Kruger, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht (c), 11 Divandre Strydom, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Gerhard Olivier, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Neil Claassen, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Justin Pappin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Franco van der Merwe.
Subs: 16 Markus Odendaal, 17 Luan de Bruin, 18 Johan van der Hoogt, 19 Neill Jordaan, 20 Kay-Kay Hlongwane, 21 Francois du Toit,
22 Sethu Tom, 23 Gideon Bruwer.
UJ vs MATIES
UJ Stadium, Johannesburg, 19:00 (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 Dylan Peterson, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Kobus Porter, 5 David Antonites, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Van Zyl Botha, 2 Jannes Snyman, 1 Devon Marthinus.
Subs: 16 Qinisile Siphato, 17 Wiseman Kamanga, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 JP Swanepoel, 20 Lukas van Zyl, 21 Juan Kotze, 22 Pieter Morton, 23 Hendrik Bredenkamp.
Maties – 15 Craig Barry, 14 Clearance Khumalo, 13 Mark Hodgskiss, 12 Jacobus Loubser, 11 Caleb Smith, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Tertius Daniller (captain), 7 Justin Benn, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Nicol Heyns, 2 Charl de Villiers, 1 Niel Oelofse.
Subs: 16 Neethling Gericke, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Ian Groenewald, 19 Helmut Lehmann, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Chris Smith, 22 John Durr, 23 Liam Hendricks.
TUKS vs NMMU
Tuks Rugby Stadium, Pretoria, 19:00
Tuks – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Ryan Nell, 11 Kefentse Mahlo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht, 8 Reniel Hugo (c), 7 Rudolph Smith, 6 Chris Massyn, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Basil Short, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Jannes Kirsten, 19 Leneve Damens, 20 Emile Temperman, 22 Francois Tredoux, 22 Duncan Matthews, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
NMMU – 15 Jarryd Buys, 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Michael Bernardt, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Gavin Hauptfleisch, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Marcel Groenewald, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Christopher Cloete, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Louis Fourie, 3 Dexter Fahey, 2 Jody Reyneke, 1 Roy Godfrey (c).
Subs: 16 Martin Ferreira, 17 Abongile Mnyaka, 18 Tim Agaba, 19 Wade Elliot, 20 Kayle van Zyl, 21 Devon Lailvaux, 22 Sinakho Mafu, 23 Simon Kerrod.
VARSITY SHIELD FIXTURES
TUT vs UWC
TUT Rugby Stadium, Pretoria, 19:00
FORT HARE vs CUT
Davidson Rugby Stadium, Alice, 19:00
Photo: Liam Hamer-Nel/Gallo Images
