Confirmed: It's Maties v Hammies

Defending champions, Hamilton's, and 12-time winners, FNB Maties, will clash in a crunch semifinal at the National Club Championships - after both sides powered through their Last Eight matches at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Monday.

In the other semifinal, 2009 finalists Pukke will face College Rovers of KZN in a repeat of the 2006 and 2008 finals - which could, perhaps, lead to an all-Varsity Cup Final between the Maties and the Pukke (in what would be a repeat of the 2009 VC Final at the same venue in Coetzenburg).

The Potch students - like the Maties, a star side from the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International - beat Boland's Roses United 90-14, while Rovers hung on to beat the University of Johannesburg 26-20 in the main match of the day to progress to their fourth semifinal in five years.

It's a dream Last Four line-up - as South Africa's two leading university (and Varsity Cup) teams now come up against the country's two best open clubs to decide the overall club champions.

Title-holders Hammies romped to a 76-14 win over Eastern Province's Progress, whilst Maties were equally as impressive in seeing off a determined Springs side 49-27.

The mouth-watering heavyweight clash between Western Province archrivals Maties and Hammies has been on the cards since the draw was announced. Hammies, who beat Pukke in the 2009 final to end seven years of student dominance at the tournament, lost their WP Super League title to Maties this year but both sides managed one win apiece in the league.

The Stellenbosch students, who have won the national title 12 times to go along with their hat-trick of Varsity Cup crowns, will be determined to round off a dream season by adding a third trophy to their 2010 haul - something they have not achieved since the advent of the Varsity Cup in 2008.

Maties were made to work all the way against Springs but in the end had too much pace and class for the East Rand team.

Fullback Jonathan Francke was rewarded for his dangerous counter-attacking with two tries, while centre Dabeon Draghoender and evergreen eighthman Bennie Booysen had hugely influential games. Flyhalf André Kemp (pictured) - a star in the Varsity Cup earlier this year - marshalled his backs well, whilst also kicking 19 points on the day.

Hammies encountered stiff initial resistance from Progress, but the Eastern Cape team just could not replicate their giant-killing act of 2006, when they beat the Maties. The champions were just too powerful up front and the surfeit of possession that came their way translated into 11 tries for the Cape Town side.

Pukke, champions in 2004, 2006 and 2008, flexed their muscles in racing to a 68-0 half-time lead against Roses United, only to take their feet off the gas in the second half as they fixed one eye on their semifinal meeting against Rovers.

The Durbanites will be looking to qualify for their third final in five years and were impressive in their win against FNB UJ, who had looked so impressive in their first-round win over fellow VC side, FNB Tuks.

Flyhalf Wesley Dunlop scored a try and kicked 11 points to keep the Jo'burg students at arm's length in a tightly-contested game that finished in dramatic fashion when what looked like a certain UJ try was adjudged to have been held up over the line.

* Meanwhile, in the Plate event, Varsity Cup sides Shimlas and Tuks will meet in one semifinal, with East London Police and Mossel Bay Barbarians clashing in the other.

Fixtures for Wednesday, September 22:

Plate semifinals:
B field: SAPS East London vs Mossel Bay Barbarians - 11.45am
B field: Shimlas vs Tuks - 1.30pm

Cup semifinals:
Danie Craven Stadium: Puk vs College Rovers - 3.15pm
Danie Craven Stadium: Hamilton vs Maties - 5pm

Quarterfinal results for Monday, September 20:

Plate:
Noordelike 27 SAPS East London 31
Mossel Bay Barbarians 32 Kimberley Police 31
Middelburg 10 Shimlas 41
Bethlehem Oud-Skoliere 19 Tuks 52

Cup:
(Half-time scores in brackets)
Maties 49 (20) Springs 27 (13)
Hamilton's 76 (28) Progress 14 (14)
Pukke 90 (68) Roses United 14 (0)
College Rovers 26 (15) UJ 20 (8)