Raiders and African Bombers could move one step closer to finishing in the top two in their pools in this week’s third round of the Community Cup.
The reward for a top two finish is a spot in the televised Easter Play-offs taking place at Outeniqua Park in George from 28 March to 1 April.
Raiders have picked up a maximum 10 points from their opening two matches to lead Pool C, but they face their stiffest test so far when they travel to Rand Leases Sports Ground to play arch-rivals Roodepoort.
Victory for Raiders will almost certainly book them their ticket to George, while defeat for Roodepoort may eliminate them from the competition after their first-round loss to one of the favourites, Rustenburg Impala.
And in Zwide Stadium in Port Elizabeth, African Bombers face arguably the country’s second strongest non-university club, Pretoria Police.
Bombers have surprised friend and foe so far, beating Welkom Rovers at home in Round 1 and picking up a bonus point in their 45-26 away defeat to Durbanvillle-Bellville last week.
Bombers are a notoriously difficult team to beat in Zwide, but Police, who lost in the final of the last-ever Club Champs last year, must start as favourites and will take a firm grip on Pool B should they come away with the win.
Elsewhere, in Pool A Despatch host Villagers Worcester and SK Walmers from Cape Town travel into the Kalahari to face Sishen.
The other match in Pool B is at Bobbies Park in the Free State capital between Bloemfontein Police and Durbanville-Bellville, while Rustenburg Impala will run out as favourites in their home Pool C game against Bloemfontein Crusaders.
Brakpan, log leaders in Pool D and one of the dark horses in the competition, travel to South Western Districts to take on Evergreens, while Roses United will host Old Selbornian in Wellington.
Round 3 fixtures – Saturday, 2 March:
Pool A:
16:00: Despatch vs Villagers Worcester (Central Rugby Fields, Despatch)
16:00: Sishen vs SK Walmers (Sivos Stadium, Kathu)
Bye: College Rovers
Pool B:
16:00: Bloemfontein Police vs Durbanville-Bellville (Bobbies Park, Bloemfontein)
16:00: African Bombers vs Pretoria Police (Zwide Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
Bye: Welkom Rovers
Pool C:
16:00: Rustenburg Impala vs Bloemfontein Crusaders (Rustenburg Rugby Fields)
16:00: Roodepoort vs Raiders (Rand Leases Sports Grounds, Roodepoort)
Bye: Noordelikes
Pool D:
16:00: Evergreens vs Brakpan (Pacaltsdorp Sports Grounds)
16:30: Roses United vs Old Selbornian
Bye: White River
