NMU will open their season against Ikeys in round two of the Varsity Cup, while Wits host Tuks, Shimlas travel to Stellenbosch and UJ meet CUT.
Many of the sides are looking for their first wins of the campaign, with Maties and Shimlas hoping to claim back-to-back victories.
NMU, who had a bye last week, will face UCT in Port Elizabeth. Ikeys lost 30-26 to Wits in Cape Town in round one.
NMU captain Riaan Esterhuizen said his side will look to keep ball-in-hand and play an expansive game this season.
‘From a technical point of view, I think we have the ability to play an expansive game. We’ll hope to use that strength against our opponents, who are traditionally bigger than us. It will also allow us to play an attractive brand of rugby,’ Esterhuizen said.
Tuks will travel to Johannesburg to play Wits and aim to perform better than they did in their 19-17 loss to Shimlas in Pretoria.
Tuks coach David Manuel said the team was disappointed with their result against Shimlas, but he is confident that the systems he has put in place will see them through against Wits.
‘It’s not the start that we envisioned as a team but that is our reality at this moment. We said from the start we want to be a team that is process-driven, so hopefully we can do that.
‘Wits is a very well-balanced team, so we are going into the game with a lot of respect for them for what they achieved against UCT,’ Manuel added.
Wits coach Hugo van As is expecting a tough game against the defending champions.
‘Tuks will be tough in all departments. At this stage of the competition our focus is more on our abilities and our goals.
‘With the game against UCT, we are grateful for the five points but we were under par in a lot of our processes. If we want to be competitive, we need to improve and perform on a higher standard,’ Van As said.
Maties, who beat UJ 31-3 in Joburg in round one, will host Shimlas, while CUT – who were smashed 70-7 by Pukke in Potchefstroom – travel to UJ.
NMU vs UCT
NMU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 16:45 (SuperSport 1)
NMU – 15 Michael Botha, 14 Lindelwe Zungu, 13 Siphumelele Msutwana, 12 Riaan Esterhuizen (c), 11 Athi Mayinje, 10 Simon Bolze, 9 Sibusiso Ngcokovane, 8 Justin Hollis, 7 Wynand Grassman, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Reyno Du Toit, 3 Dylan Barendse, 2 Jean-Pierre Jamieson, 1 Nicolas Roebeck.
Subs: 16 Jedwyn Harty, 17 Tembelihle Yase, 18 Luyolo Dapula, 19 Robert Izaks, 20 Lovu Claassen, 21 Henrique Olivier, 22 Jordan Koekemoer, 23 Keegan Branford.
UCT – 15 Karl Martin, 14 Rayno Mapoe, 13 Khanyo Ngcukana, 12 Joel Smith, 11 Sebastian Roodt, 10 Darian Hock, 9 Stefano de Gouveia, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Josh Moon (c), 6 Liam Greenhalgh, 5 Duncan Saffy, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Cuan Hablutzel, 1 Wayrin Losper.
Subs: 16 Josh Van Vuuren, 17 Ashwyn Adams, 18 Ntokozo Khomo, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Kwezi Puza, 21 Pieter Schoonraad, 22 Lohan Lubbe, 23 Suwilanji Chibale.
MATIES vs SHIMLAS
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)
Maties – 15 Reinardt Fortuin, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Mitchell Carstens, 5 Johan Momsen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Johan Fouche, 2 Arnoldi Wilmar, 1 Chippie Oelofse (c).
Subs: 16 Hendrik Luus, 17 Ricky Nwagbara, 18 Piet Strauss, 19 Brandon Valentyn, 20 Stephan Streicher, 21 Logan Boonzaaier, 22 Elden Schoeman, 23 Munier Hartzenberg.
Shimlas – 15 Nicholas Naude, 14 Athi Halom, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Sango Xamlashe, 11 Gideon Agenbag, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 Dian Badenhorst, 8 Albertus de Bod, 7 Menzi Nhlabathi, 6 Jan Cloete, 5 Henk Pretorius, 4 Raymond Woest, 3 Mogau Mabokela, 2 Hanno Snyman, 1 Gert Kotze (captain)
Subs: 16 JC Jansen van Vuuren, 17 Wentzel Vorster, 18 Janu Botha, 19 Rholane Ncubuka, 20 Christoffel Roelofse, 21 Zinedene Booysen, 22 Francois Pretorius, 23 Sechaba Matsoele
UJ vs CUT
UJ Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)
UJ – 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Tyreeq February, 13 Jan-Louis la Grange, 12 Jaco Fourie, 11 Tatendaishe Mujawo, 10 Jeanluc Cilliers, 9 Brandley Thain, 8 Wian Conradie, 7 Adriaan Bester, 6 James Venter, 5 Kevin de Randt, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Nico du Plessis, 2 Jannes Snyman (c), 1 Sibusiso Lali.
Subs: 16 Hendrik van Schoor, 17 Dillon Bakos, 18 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 19 Dian Schoonees, 20 Johan Esterhuizen, 21 Austic-Marc Davids, 22 Louis van der Schyff, 23 Cohen Kiewit.
CUT – 15 Dimitrio Tieties, 14 Masego Toolo, 13 Rasmus Breedt, 12 Heinrich Bitzi, 11 Dean Jacobs, 10 Denver Kleu, 9 Ruben De Haas, 8 Gerhardus Nel, 7 Rayno Nel (c), 6 Dean Rossouw, 5 Brendon Fortuin, 4 Sylvester Makakole, 3 Stefan van Schalkwyk, 2 Tiaan Erasmus, 1 Quintin Vorster.
Subs: 16 Johannes Terblanche, 17 Raynard Esterhuizen, 18 LW Viljoen, 19 Isiah Bila, 20 Arne van Rensburg, 21 Tiisetso Madonsela, 22 Mazithulele Nkosi, 23 Ruben Heymans.
WITS vs TUKS
Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 19:00 (SuperSport 1)
Wits – 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Kwanele Ngema, 13 Sicelo Champion, 12 Adriaan van Blerk, 11 Bin Daniel Kapepula, 10 Christian Humphries, 9 Ruan Cloete, 8 Ayabulela Mdudi, 7 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt, 6 Constant Beckerling (c), 5 Pascal Snyman, 4 Dawid Bodenstein, 3 CJ Greeff, 2 CJ Conradie, 1 Ameer Williams.
Subs: 16 Justin Brandon, 17 Craig Hume, 18 Sipho Siboza, 19 Jethro de Lange, 20 Kyle Wesemann, 21 Manqoba Mbatha, 22 Lwazi Monakali, 23 Luyolo Qinela.
Tuks – 15 Willem Strydom, 14 Dewald Naude, 13 Adrian Seerane, 12 Christo Hamman, 11 Xolisa Guma, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Theo Maree, 8 Eduan Lubbe, 7 Jaco Bezuidenhout, 6 Jacobus Smit, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Marius Verwey, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Franco van den Berg.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Ruan Nortje, 19 Orateng Koikanyang, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Tony Botha, 22 Mihle Nelani, 23 Mornay Smith.
Photo: Luke Thorrold/Varsity Cup
