Maties will host last year's finalists Pukke in round two of the Varsity Cup on Monday with champions UCT travelling to Tuks.
The first game to be televised live on SuperSport 1 will see the only two teams to lose last week square off when the NMMU Madibaz take aim at newcomers CUT in Port Elizabeth, while the late match is shaping up to be a classic as three-time champions Maties welcome Pukke to the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Both NMMU and Maties had an away victory snatched from their grasp last week, so they will be looking to make amends on home turf and notch their first wins of the season.
The odds certainly seemed stacked against the travelling teams as the Ixias will be playing just their second Varsity Cup game while Pukke have lost eight consecutive Varsity Cup games against Maties.
The other two games on Monday will be up on the highveld as UJ look to extend their lead at the top of the standings against Shimlas in Johannesburg and defending champions UCT go in search of their first win against Tuks since 2011 in Pretoria.
Ikeys coach Kevin Musikanth knows his side face a massive challenge against the only team they did not beat on their way to the title last year, and with both teams having drawn their games last week, the stakes are even higher.
'With the draws now it's going to be another heavyweight clash. We are going to Pretoria to prepare and to try and win,' he told varsitycup.co.za. 'I think last year was good because it showed UCT can travel which is something that cements a good side, so hopefully we'll maintain that.'
Meanwhile, the Varsity Shield heads into round three on Monday as front-runners UKZN Impi host Wits in Pietermaritzburg and UWC travel to Pretoria to face the TUT Vikings.
UKZN and Wits are both yet to lose a game, while it will be a completely different scenario in the capital with both the TUT Vikings and UWC coming off a defeat.
NMMU vs CUT
Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 16:45 (SuperSport 1)
NMMU – 15 Tythan Adams, 14 Brian Skosana, 13 Creswin Josephs, 12 Devon lailvaux, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Ruan Allerston, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Wynand Grassmann, 6 Cyril-John Velleman (c), 5 Robert Louw, 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Steven Robbeson, 2 Dane van der Westhuyzen, 1 Arno Ebersohn.
Subs: 16 Warrick Venter, 17 Brenden Olivier, 18 Stephan Zaayman, 19 Ivan Du Preez, 20 Ivan Ludick, 21 Steven Hansel, 22 Eben Barnard, 23 Marzuk Maarman.
CUT – 15 Luke Cyster, 14 Christiaan Erasmus, 13 Charles Hitchcock (c), 12 Duaan Pretorius, 11 Mosego Toolo, 10 Naude Van Biljon, 9 Arrie Vosloo, 8 Dean Kouprihanoff, 7 Jean-Claude Fourie, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Daneel Botes, 3 Gerard Baard, 2 Theuns Truter, 1 Len Noort.
Subs: 16 Jozua de Jager, 17 Ian Smith, 18 JJ Nell, 19 Victor Maruping, 20 Ali Mgijima, 21 Jean Pretorius, 22 Jesse du Toit, 23 Boetie Makethlo.
UJ vs SHIMLAS
UJ Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)
UJ – 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Bradley Moolman, 13 Robert De Bruyn, 12 Adriaan Vermeulen, 11 Aphiwe Dyanti, 10 James Campbell, 9 Hilton Mudariki, 8 Dylan Peterson, 7 Kyle Van Dalen, 6 Kobus Porter (c), 5 David Antonites, 4 Werner Lourens, 3 Nico Du Plessis, 2 Siphatho Qinisile, 1 Gareth Milasinovich.
Subs: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Brandon Landsberg, 18 Ettienne Oosthuizen, 19 Wiaan Conradie, 20 Chuma Faas, 21 Jaco Fourie, 22 Dominic Kroezen, 23 Raeez Salie.
Shimlas – 15 AJ Coertzen (c), 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Maphutha Dolo, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Niel Claassen, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Hennie-Schalk Theron.
Subs: 16 Marco Klopper, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Tienie Burger, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Nhlanhla Hlongwane, 21 Stefan Janse van Rensburg, 22 JP Coetzee, 23 Conraad van Vuuren.
TUKS vs UCT
Tuks Rugby Stadium
Kick-off: 18:30 (not televised)
Tuks – 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Ryan Nell, 12 Daniel Kriel, 11 Jermaine Kleinsmith, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 André Warner, 8 Jannes Kirsten, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg (c), 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Irné Herbst, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Nqobisiswe Mxoli, 18 Dennis Visser, 19 Clyde davids, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Dewald Human, 22 John Jackson, 23 Neethling Fouche.
UCT – 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Dylan Sage, 13 Brendan Rodgers, 12 Guy Schiwikkard, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Warren Seals, 9 James Alexander, 8 Guy Alexander (c), 7 Tinotenda Zakeyo, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Mark Prior, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Joel Carew.
Subs: 16 Michael Kennedy, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Jade Kriel, 19 Luke Stringer, 20 Ryan Dugmore, 21 Nicholas Holton, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 Kyle Whyte.
MATIES vs PUKKE
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Kick-off: 19:00 (SuperSport 1)
Maties – 15 Mike Muller, 14 Craig Barry, 13 Christoff van Tonder, 12 Koos Loubser, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Justin Benn, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (c), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 AJ de Klerk, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Wesley Adonis.
Subs: 16 Neethling Gericke, 17 Niel Oelofse, 18 Janco Venter, 19 Lungelo Chonco, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Kyle Leibrandt, 23 John Hubert Meyer.
Pukke – 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Dalen Goliath, 13 Rowayne Beukman, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Johnny Welthagen, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (c), 7 Marno Redelinguys, 6 Rhyk Welgemoed, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Jacques Vermaak, 1 Johan Smith.
Subs: 16 Wian Fourie, 17 Mogau Mabokela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Molotsi Bouwer, 20 Kurshwill Williams, 21 Marnus Tack, 22 Heinrich Smith, 23 Cayle Denner.
By Michael de Vries
Photo: South African Sports Picture Agency
