Maties v UCT: Round Six's Big One

All eyes will understandably be on Monday's top-of-the-table clash between the FNB Maties and the FNB Ikey Tigers in Stellenbosch, but there are plenty of sub-plots elsewhere in Round Six of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The unbeaten Western Cape teams will go up against each at 8.30pm, but beforehand the likes of UJ, Tuks, Shimlas and Pukke will all have plenty to play for as the teams begin to jostle hard for semifinal places.

With the Maties and UCT occupying first and second place, respectively, on the log, the FNB Pukke will be cheering for a Stellenbosch victory, but - of course - they will first need to see off the fast-improving FNB TUT Vikings who last week gave the Shimlas a tough time of it in Bloemfontein.

Pukke, themselves, were made to fight last week by NMMU, but they came away with five valuable log points. Another five points against TUT - or even just four if UCT lose by more than eight points to Stellenbosch - could see them rocket up to second place on the log.

Of the mid-table teams in action this week, the FNB Shimlas - who were so impressive in the opening stages of the competition before a Round Three and Four 'mini-wobble' - face the toughest task of all as they have to travel to Pretoria to take on a FNB Tuks team hurting from their Round Five humiliation in Stellenbosch.

Injuries have not helped Tuks either, but the Men from Bloemfontein cannot afford to underestimate their hosts, who - despite their woeful performance against the Maties - are still in with a semifinal chance; if they win with five points and other results go their way.

The other Round Six match - the first of the day's televised matches - will see FNB UJ play host to FNB NMMU, who, like TUT, are still winless but hungry to change that and, thereby, ensure that they do not come away with a second Varsity Cup Wooden Spoon.

UJ are just behind Shimlas on points' difference on the Varsity Cup log and enjoying a good season, but, quite amazingly, they have not won a home game in 2010.

They won away in Potchefstroom in Week Four, but then went down last week to UCT at the UJ Stadium, having also suffered a heavy home loss to - yes, you've probably guessed it - the rampant Maties.

Speaking of the Maties, the back-to-back Varsity Cup champions will put their outstanding 2010 record - having claimed four-try bonus points in five successive matches up till now - on the line when they host the Ikeys in Stellenbosch on Monday night.

These two teams have enjoyed some superb battles in the Varsity Cup, since 2008, and Monday is shaping up as yet another thrilling contest in their short history in this competition (well, short when compared to their Intervarsity clashes!).

"They're always big games - when the Maties and Ikeys play each other," Maties head coach Chean Roux told varsitycup.co.za.

"It's obviously a huge game, in many ways - for the fans, the sponsors, the players - but we, technically, still need four points to make sure of a home semifinal, so our number one priority is going for that win.

"The Ikeys will be up for it," continued the Maties mentor, "but so will my team - in fact, I don't think either myself or Dobbo [UCT head coach John Dobson] will have to say much before such a big game!"

A brave man would bet against the Maties from making it six wins in a row this season - which would leave them one game away from the first-ever unbeaten league season in the Varsity Cup - but, at the same time, only a fool would write off the Ikeys ahead of such a big game.

"I think we have competed pretty well - as the statistics have shown this week - and I think every time we [UCT and Stellenbosch] play each other, any given team can win," UCT head coach John Dobson told varsitycup.co.za, "there really is nothing in it, if you look at our Varsity Cup history.

"We will live with the pain of messing up, by not putting the ball out after the siren had gone in the 2008 final, but the Maties are true champions - as they have shown all season long," he added.

"It seems nobody is giving us a chance this Monday - but, believe me, we do. We may not be the most talented team to have walked the earth... but we are just that - a team."

The fixtures and team line-ups for Monday, March 8, 2010:

FNB UJ v FNB NMMU, UJ Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Matt Kemp

The teams:

UJ: 15 Earl Lewis, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Clinton de Klerk (captain), 12 Luhan Steenkamp, 11 Lola Waka, 10 Ryno Luus, 9 Jaco 'Haas' Snyman, 8 Hennie Killian, 7 Wiehan Roos, 6 JP Janse van Rensburg, 5 Marnus van Huyssteen, 4 Martin Lombard, 3 Clint van Niekerk, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Charl du Plessis.
Replacements: 16 Brett Claassens, 17 JP Olivier, 18 Corné Cordier, 19 Quintin Minnaar, 20 Danny Botha, 21 André Smith, 22 Aubrey McDonald, 23 Jaco Claassen.

NMMU: 15 Carl van Niekerk, 14 Oscar Mazaka, 13 Hugo van Heerden, 12 Braam Gerber, 11 Williams Heydenrych, 10 Willem Laubscher, 9 Luso Booi (captain), 8 Samuel Borsaah, 7 JP Kellerman, 6 Thomasau Forbes, 5 Mathew Lutge, 4 Jannie Fourie, 3 Pierre Hammand, 2 Werner Kapp, 1 Tyron Williams.
Replacements: 16 Chariel van Jaarsveld, 17 Thabiso Mgomezulu, 18 De Wet De Lange, 19 Kemsley Wesso, 20 Wade Roos, 21 Christopher Juries, 22 Stefan de Klerk, 23 Hanre Basson.

FNB Tuks v FNB Shimlas, Tuks Rugby Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe

The teams:

Tuks: 15 Shaun Davids (captain), 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Ernie Kruger, 12 Gertjie Smith, 11 Tom Seabela, 10 Stanley Twiname, 9 Ettiene Greeff, 8, Marius Weber, 7 Tendaiyi Chikukwa, 6 Coenie Pieters, 5 Francois van Wyk, 4 Tiaan Nel, 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Chris Crous, 17 Musa Tukela, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Oswin Mentoor, 20 Wesleigh Marais, 21 Terrence Jacobs, 22 Justin van Staden, 23 Hein Viljoen.

Shimlas: 15 Reinhardt Erwee, 14 Divandré Strydom, 13 Earl Snyman, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Beast Ndwandwa, 10 Jaco Colyn, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Chris Dry, 6 Hanno Pieterse, 5 Wilken Heyns, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Ian Potgieter, 2 Hans Grobler, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Lebo Zietsman, 19 Sybrand Mostert, 20 Marlin Ruiters, 21 Johan van Schalkwyk, 22 Jamba Ulengo, 23 Johnny Harris.

FNB Pukke v FNB TUT, Fanie du Toit Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: François Veldsman

The teams:

Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 Muhammed Shuaib Samaai, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Neill Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Savvas Nel, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Francois Robbertse, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Stoffel Duvenage (captain), 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Thabo Molete, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Janis Terblanche, 21 Kempie Rautenbach, 22 G Luckan, 23 Martin Dreyer.

TUT: TBC.

FNB Maties v FNB UCT, Danie Craven Stadium
Kick-off: 8.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Dilbert November

The teams:

Maties: 15 Adnaan Oesman, 14 Wilhelm Loock, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Charl Weideman, 11 Tythan Adams, 10 André Kemp, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Tertius Daniller, 7 Jonathan Adendorf, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Andrew Prior, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Mike De Neuilly-Rice.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Crausaz, 17 Johan Roets, 18 Marinus Pretorius, 19 Cameron Peverett, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hayden Groepes, 22 Jonathan Francke, 23 Buhle Mxunuywa.

UCT: 15 Therlow Pietersen, 14 Pete Haw, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Sean van Tonder, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Matt Rosslee, 9 Stu Commins (captain), 8 JJ Gagiano (vice-captain), 7 Mike Morris, 6 Sam Peter, 5 Donovan Armand, 4 Mike Ledwidge, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Dayne Jans, 1 Ash Wells.
Replacements: 16 Mark Goosen, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Levi Odendaal, 19 Greg Mallett, 20 JP Robert, 21 Douglas Mallett, 22 Mark Esterhuizen, 23 Wesley Chetty.