Wits will be looking to top the Varsity Cup log when they host Maties on Monday, while Ikeys host Tuks, Pukke travel to NMU and Shimlas take on UJ.

Maties, meanwhile, will be looking to put some distance between themselves and the chasing pack by keeping their winning record intact.

Maties captain Chippy Oelofse was full of praise for his charges after they came back from 12-0 down to thrash CUT 75-12 in round four.

‘We did not have the best starts against CUT, but I am proud how the boys bounced back,’ he said.

Oelofse is wary of the threat Wits will pose.

‘Wits are coming off a good win. They have a deadly backline with a powerful pack,’ he added.

Wits are themselves full of confidence, having already collected the scalps of Tuks, UCT and NMU.

Later in the day, UJ will want to resurrect their season in a do-or-die clash against Shimlas in Bloemfontein.

UJ have won one game so far, a 48-21 victory over CUT, and will want to close out the game better than what they did in their 18-15 loss to Pukke in round four.

UJ captain Jannes Snyman lamented the errors his side made against Pukke.

‘In the last game, we felt good, we just had lots of errors. Some calls [from the referee] didn’t go our way.

‘Travelling is always a bonus, it has its positives, but home is also nice, as everyone prefers home advantage. It is a must-win for us away from home.’

Meanwhile, Shimlas will want to continue the good form they showed in their last two wins against Wits and UCT.

‘Beating UCT at the green mile is always a victory in itself,’ said Shimlas captain Gert Kotze. ‘There is definitely a lot to work on after that game but I think the boys learned a valuable lesson that you have to know how to win ugly games, as it is not always sunshine and roses.

‘UJ are definitely one of the major competitors to reach the top four and will be well equipped when they come here [Bloemfontein]. They play a bit more expansive rugby than the game we had against Ikeys and we will definitely have to be at our best if we will want to pull off a victory on Monday.’

Elsewhere, Pukke will want to break into the top four with a victory against winless NMU, while Tuks will be looking for their first win of the season when they face a tough encounter against UCT in Cape Town.

Wits vs Maties

Wits Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 16:45 (SuperSport 1)

Maties – 15 Reinardt Fortuin, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Elden Schoeman, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Chris Massyn, 5 Johan Momsen, 4 Brandon Valentyn, 3 Johan Fouche, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Chippie Oelofse (c).
Subs: 16 Hendrik Luus, 17 Ricky Nwagbara, 18 Piet Strauss, 19 Mitchell Carstens, 20 Stephan Streicher, 21 Logan Boonzaaier, 22 Herman van Dyk, 23 Munier Hartzenberg.

Wits – 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Yanga Hlalu, 12 Adriaan van Blerk, 11 Daniel Kapepula, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Ruan Cloete, 8 Ayabulela Mdudi, 7 Jethro de Lange, 6 Constant Beckerling (c), 5 Pascal Snyman, 4 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt 3 CJ Greeff, 2 CJ Conradie, 1 Ameer Williams.
Replacements: 16 Justin Brandon, 17 Craig Hume, 18 Sipho Siboza, 19 Christopher Worthington, 20 Jared Fuller, 21 Lwazi Monakali, 22 David Cary, 23 Luyolo Qinela.

IKEYS vs TUKS

UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)

Ikeys – 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Karl Martin, 13 Liam Furniss, 12 Robert Charles Ball, 11 Joel Smith, 10 Darian Hock, 9 Pieter Schoonraad, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Josh Moon (c), 6 Kuyenzeka Xaba, 5 Duncan Saffy, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Cuan Hablutzel, 1 Ntokozo Khomo.
Subs: 16 Josh Van Vuuren, 17 Ashwyn Adams, 18 Wayrin Losper, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Kwezi Puza, 21 Stefano de Gouveia, 22 Lohan Lubbe, 23 Suwilanji Chibale.

Tuks – 15 Christo Hamman, 14 Dewald Naude, 13 Adrian Seerane, 12 Erich Cronje, 11 Xolisa Guma, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Eduan Lubbe, 6 Jacobus Smit, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Ruan Nortje, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Cornelius Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Subs: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Marius Verwey, 18 Wesley Adonis, 19 Brian Leitch, 20 Joshua Allderman, 21 Mihle Nelani, 22 Willem Strydom, 23 Mashao Mukhari.

NMU vs PUKKE

NMU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)

NMU – 15 Michael Botha, 14 Athenkosi Mayinje, 13 Riaan Esterhuizen (c), 12 Jordan Koekemoer, 11 Lindelwe Zungu, 10 Simon Bolze, 9 Sibusiso Ngcokovane, 8 Justin Hollis, 7 Robert Izaks, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Wynand Grassman, 4 Luyolo Dapula, 3 Dylan Barendse, 2 Jedwyn Harty, 1 Nicolas Roebeck.
Subs: 16 JP Jamieson, 17 Tembelihle Yase, 18 Similile Qinela, 19 Ruben le Roux, 20 Jayson Reinecke, 21 Dundre Maritz, 22 Henrique Olivier, 23 Siphumelele Msutwana.

Pukke – 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Dean Gordon, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Akhona Nela, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Paul de Lange, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Tiaan Bezuidenhout (c), 7 Estehan Visagie, 6 Wandile Mazibuko, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Johan Retief, 3 Theodore Ferreira, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Brendan Strydom.
Subs: 16 Marius Stander, 17 Morne Strydom, 18 Matimu Manqanyi, 19 Jaco Swanepoel, 20 Senzo Mkhize, 21 Nkosana Mathaba, 22 Henko Marais, 23 Jimmy Mpailane.

Shimlas vs UJ

Shimla Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19:00 (SuperSport 1)

Shimlas – 15 Sechaba Matsoele, 14 Athi Halom, 13 Ayabonga Oliphant, 12 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 11 Gideon Agenbag, 10 Nicholas Naude, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Benjamin Jansen van Vuuren, 7 Menzi Nhlabathi, 6 Jan Cloete, 5 Henk Pretorius, 4 Sibabalo Qoma, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Hanno Snyman, 1 Louis Cloete.
Subs: 16 JC Jansen van Vuuren, 17 Wentzel Vorster, 18 Gert Kotze (c), 19 Raymond Woest, 20 Rholane Ncubuka, 21 Zinedene Booysen, 22 Olehile Losaba, 23 Tiaan Schutte.

UJ – 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Tatendaishe Mujawo, 13 Jan-Louis la Grange, 12 Mayibongwe Maduna, 11 Odwa Nkunjana, 10 Kobus Engelbrecht, 9 Bradley Thain, 8 Wian Conradie, 7 Adriaan Bester, 6 James Venter, 5 Estian Enslin, 4 Kevin du Randt, 3 Nico du Plessis, 2 Jannes Snyman (c), 1 Sibusiso Lali.
Replacements: 16 Le Roux Baard, 17 Dillon Bakos, 18 Siyabonga Luwaca, 19 Malembe Mpofu, 20 Johan Esterhuizen, 21 JeanLuc Cilliers, 22 Austic-Marc Davids, 23 Cohen Kiewit.

Photo: Michael Sheehan/Varsity Cup