The Varsity Cup returns to university campuses for Monday's semi-finals, with Maties hosting Tuks and Pukke travelling to UJ.
UJ will be hoping to make history by reaching the Varsity Cup final for the first time. They are in great form, having beaten UCT 63-0 and the table-topping Maties 42-16 in the last two rounds of the league stage.
Pukke, who lost the 2015 final to Shimlas, last week faced the defending champions in what was effectively a quarter-final. They won 37-21, but will have to improve their discipline if they are to beat a strong UJ side that won 36-31 in Potchefstroom earlier this season.
The second semi-final sees Maties take on their old Pretoria rivals.
Tuks made a disastrous start to the season, losing to Pukke, Shimlas and Maties. But they fought their way back up the log and had to beat UCT in the final round of the league stage to book their spot in the semi-finals. They did, thrashing Ikeys 100-25.
Maties have been dominant all season but suffered their first defeat to UJ last week after fielding a second-string team.
Having last won the trophy in 2010, the men from Stellenbosch, who beat Tuks 29-16 at home earlier in the season, will be desperate to win in front of a 20,000-strong crowd.
UJ vs PUKKE
UJ Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 16:45 (SuperSport 1)
UJ – 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Peter-John Walters, 13 Bradley Moolman, 12 Robert de Bruyn, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Divan Nel, 9 Devon Mare, 8 Jakobus Porter (c), 7 Johan Oosthuizen, 6 Wian Conradie, 5 David Antonites, 4 FP Pelser, 3 Nico du Plessis, 2 Johannes Snyman, 1 Siyakubonga Nzuzo.
Subs: 16 Emmanuel Morowane, 17 Kyle Kruger, 18 Jeremy Jordan, 19 Kyle van Dalen, 20 Hilton Mudariki, 21 Caswell Khoza, 22 Dominic Kroezen, 23 Waldo Weideman.
Pukke – 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Lucian Cupido, 13 Sylvian Mahuza, 12 Hendrik Marais, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, 9 Malherbe Swart, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (c), 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Jaco Jordaan, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Loftus Morrison, 3 Bartholomeus le Roux, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Mashudu Mafela.
Subs: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Ruan Venter, 19 Christiaan Liebenberg, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Akhona Nela, 22 Elden Schoeman, 23 Mogau Mabokela.
MATIES vs TUKS
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Kick-off: 19:00 (SuperSport 1)
Maties – 15 Craig Barry, 14 Brandon Asher-Wood, 13 Paul Streicher, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Kobus van Wyk, 7 Janco Venter, 6 Beyers de Villiers (c), 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 JE van der Merwe, 2 Freddie Kirsten, 1 Niel Oelofse.
Subs: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Sidney Labuschagne, 19 Saud Abrahams, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Christopher Smith, 22 Carlisle Nel, 23 Johannes Kleinhans.
Tuks – 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Riaan Britz, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Toko Maebane, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Frederic Eksteen, 6 Ruan Steenkamp (c), 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Subs: 16 Frederick Binneman, 17 Stephanus Genis, 18 Pieter Jansen van Vuuren, 19 Luke van der Smit, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Tinus de Beer, 22 Keanan van Wyk, 23 Justin Forwood.
Photo: Petri Oeschger
