Round Seven: Everything to play for

With the defending champion Maties having already sewn up a third successive home semifinal, there will be plenty to play for - elsewhere - in Round Seven of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

The back-to-back Varsity Cup winners will be gunning for a record seventh win in a row when they travel to Potchefstroom to take on last year's losing finalists, the FNB Pukke (at 4.30pm - live on SuperSport One), in the final round of league action in the 2010 Varsity Cup.

The home side, however, has a whole lot to play for against the Men in Maroon - who have not tasted defeat since Round Seven of last year's tournament.

If the Pukke beat the Maties then they would remain in second place on the log, with FNB UCT then next up (at 6.30pm) against FNB Tuks - who, despite being out of semifinal contention themselves - could deny the Ikeys a home semifinal should the Capetonians not win with a four-try bonus point.

If the Pukke lose to the Maties at the Fanie du Toit Stadium, then UCT would simply need to score four tries against Tuks - even in a narrow losing cause - or claim a losing bonus point to secure their third successive home semifinal.

All the permutations aside, however, for Maties coach Chean Roux Round Seven is just another match - and one they would like to win, as always.

"Who we play in the semifinals is of no consequence to me," Roux told varsitycup.co.za.

"I am sure that Pukke will be hungry to knock us off our perch, but - for us - it's all about keeping momentum," he added.

"We've done pretty well up till now and we'd like to maintain our momentum ahead of the semifinals - this isn't the time to start losing now and we certainly wouldn't want to drop our guard at such a crucial stage of the season."

But once the Maties-Pukke match is over, UCT will know exactly what they will need to do against Tuks at the Green Mile come 6.30pm.

They are currently just one point behind Pukke on the Varsity Cup log; Pukke on 21, UCT on 20 - but the Ikeys boast a better points' difference of 70 v 45.

"It will be interesting knowing the Maties result when we run out to face Tuks," admitted UCT head coach John Dobson to varsitycup.co.za.

"Funnily enough, we are entirely relaxed as to where we play our semifinal. We are sick of the wind this year and I think at a somewhat hostile, yet magnificent Coetzenburg on Monday, we started to show what we can do in good conditions.

"So whether we go to Coetzenburg or Potchefstroom for a semifinal is largely irrelevant - we are not sure the Green Mile is an advantage, as much as we are used to it," added the Ikeys mentor.

"This all means that we just play Tukkies as a nice, fun game and see what happens. We are not going to try anything other than enjoy playing and trying to beat a great, honourable and traditional rival in Tukkies, with whom UCT enjoys a good relationship."

With Pukke and UCT jostling for home ground advantage in the semifinals, the darkhorses at this stage of the Varsity Cup tournament are - without doubt - FNB Shimlas and FNB UJ, both of whom find themselves preparing for a 'quarterfinal' battle in Bloemfontein.

It's a simple story in Bloem (in this week's second televised match) - the winner there will progress into the semifinals, but, again, the results in Potch and Cape Town could influence who their opponents will be the following week.

Were the Pukke and UCT to both lose without bonus points - either losing ones or four-try ones - then one of Shimlas or UJ could overtake them on the standings and claim that second home semifinal. It does seem unlikely, however, that both Pukke and UCT will both lose at home - but, then again, one never knows in this competition!

UJ are the obvious form team - after 97-14 demolition of NMMU this past Monday - but Shimlas are a handful at home and both sides will be spurred on by the carrot of a first-ever Varsity Cup semifinal.

Last, and by no means the least in Week Seven, there will plenty to play for in Tshwane when the FNB TUT Vikings entertain the FNB NMMU Madibas - as the two winless teams in 2010 battle it out to avoid the Wooden Spoon.

The Madibas came last in 2008, with TUT ending up with that dubious honour last year, but both sides - despite what the log and scoreboards say - have shown plenty of promise this season.

Come Monday, however, all that has happened up until now will be forgotten as the two teams battle it out to avoid taking part in two promotion/relegation matches later this year.

The last word, this week, will be left to Maties head coach Chean Roux - his team, of course, the only safe side ahead of the semifinals on March 22.

"We couldn't have asked for a better ending to the league stages of the Varsity Cup," he said, "there is something (for everyone) to play for in every game.

"We're well aware of the huge task that we face against Pukke, but it doesn't get much easier for UCT against a Tuks team playing for pride. Shimlas and UJ are playing in a virtual quarterfinal and not one of TUT or NMMU want to end up with that Wooden Spoon.

"I guess the only bonus is that we'll get our game out of the way and can then wait for the other scores to come in, but it's going to be a classic last round - yet again - in the Varsity Cup."

The fixtures and team line-ups for Monday, March 15, 2010:

FNB Pukke v FNB Maties, Fanie du Toit Stadium
Kick-off: 4.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Ben Crouse

The teams:

Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 Ghafoer Luckan, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Neill Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Thabo Molete, 6 Siya Mdaka, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Francois Robbertse, 3 Stephanus Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenage (captain), 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Jaco Lötter, 20 Janis Terblanche, 21 Willem Barnard, 22 Dane Johnson, 23 Johan Coetzee.

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

FNB UCT v FNB Tukkies, Groote Schuur
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: Tiaan Jonker

The teams:

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

Tuks: 15 Shaun Davids (captain), 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Ernie Kruger, 12 Gertjie Smith, 11 Clayton Blommetjies, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Ettiene Greeff, 8 Dan Nichols, 7 Oswin Mentoor, 6 Marius Weber, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Tiaan Nel, 3 Hein Viljoen, 2 Chris Crous, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Sylvester Booysen, 17 Musa Tukela, 18 Joe Walters, 19 Ntokoza Mashele, 20 Louis van Biljon, 21 Terrence Jacobs, 22 Stanley Twiname, 23 Peet Vorster.

FNB Shimlas v FNB UJ, Shimla Park
Kick-off: 6.30pm (Live on SuperSport One)
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe

The teams:

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

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

FNB TUT v FNB NMMU, TUT Stadium
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: Bongani Maloni

The teams:

TUT: 15 Hansie Graaff, 14 Johan Swartz, 13 Simphiwe Mtkulu, 12 Lutho Nyeka, 11 Thabo Motau, 10 Jaco Oosthuizen, 9 Manny Raposo, 8 Wikus Botes, 7 Emile Verster (captain), 6 Vincent Gwavu, 5 Dewald van Deventer, 4 Johan Steenkamp, 3 Braam van der Merwe, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Juan Pike.
Replacements: 16 Alfred Khoza, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Werner Lourens, 19 Ryno Lopes, 20 Theunis Schoeman, 21 Adillio Coutriers, 22 Ruan van Loo, 23 Marco van Deventer.

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