Log-leaders Pukke are the only team assured of a place in the Varsity Cup semi-finals, with five other teams involved in a mad scramble for the other three spots.
At the other end of the log things will be just as tense, as although Johannesburg outfits UJ and Wits cannot make the semi-finals there is still the threat of relegation looming this season.
The two games televised live will have the biggest influence on which teams make the semifinals as sixth-placed Shimlas host third-placed NMMU and fifth-placed Maties square off with fourth placed Tuks in Stellenbosch.
Just four log points separate Shimlas and the Madibaz, which means that the Bloemfontein side could leapfrog their opponents into third place if things go their way in front of their home crowd.
Defeat for the Madibaz could see them end the season as low as sixth position which is the same situation that faces both of last year’s finalists Maties and Tuks.
The big North-South clash between two sides that share five of the six titles between them will effectively be a quarterfinal with the teams deadlocked on 16 log points, which should make for a gripping tussle at the Danie Craven Stadium.
The mission for Pukke when they face UJ in Potch will be to secure top spot on the log, so as to ensure home advantage in the knock-out phase of the competition, whilst UJ will be desperate to avoid a promotion/relegation play-off match.
The Johannesburg side have had a tough season, with just one win to their name so far, so they will throw everything at Pukke to avoid having to fight for their place in the competition.
Wits cannot avoid finishing last this season, so they already know that they will be playing Varsity Shield next season, but will no doubt be keen to sneak that first Varsity Cup win in their last match before they are automatically relegated.
They face an on-form Ikey Tigers side that is yet to lose away from home this season. The Cape side can finish top of the log, or miss the semi-finals down in fifth place depending on how things work out.
There will be just one Young Guns match on Monday, in which Pukke host Shimlas in Potchefstroom in a showdown which will determine which team goes through to the semi-finals.
In the Varsity Shield UKZN travel up to Pretoria to face the bottom-placed TUT whilst UWC host Fort Hare Bellville. Defending champions CUT have a bye this week, but they have already secured top spot and it is now just a matter of who they will face in the final, with just three points separating UKZN, UWC and Fort Hare on the log with just two rounds left.
Monday’s teams and match details:
Shimlas v NMMU (Shimla Park, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 16.45 live on TV)
Shimlas: 15 Ludwig Erasmus, 14 Maphuta Dolo, 13 Tertius Kruger, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht (captain), 11 Sethu Tom, 10 Gouws Prinsloo, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Gerhard Olivier, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Neil Claassen, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Justin Pappin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Franco van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Markus Odendaal, 17 Luan de Bruin, 18 Johan van der Hoogt, 19 Neill Jordaan, 20 Kay-Kay Hlongwane, 21 Francois du Toit, 22 Divandre Strydom, 23 Gideon Bruwer.
NMMU: 15 Jarryd Buys, 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Michael Bernardt, 12 Andile Jho, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Gavin Hauptfleisch, 9 Daniel Acker, 8 Timothy Agaba, 7 Marcel Groenewald, 6 Christopher Cloete, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Dexter Fahey, 2 Jody Reyneke, 1 Roy Godfrey (captain).
Replacements: 16 Martin Ferreira, 17 Abongile Mnyaka, 18 Louis Fourie, 19 Wade Elliot, 20 Kayle van Zyl, 21 Devon Lailvaux , 22 Sinakho Mafu, 23 Simon Kerrod.
Referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: JJ Wagner
Maties v Tuks (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 19.00 live on TV)
Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 John Durr, 13 Mark Hodgskiss, 12 Jacobus Jordaan, 11 Caleb Smith, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Tertius Daniller (captain), 7 Helmut Lehmann, 6 Justin Benn, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Nicol Heyns, 2 Charl de Villiers, 1 Wesley Adonis.
Replacements: 16 Neethling Gericke, 17 Niel Oelofse, 18 Ian Groenewald, 19 Lungelo Chonco, 20 Bjorn Bernardo, 21 Chris Smith, 22 Jacobus Loubser, 23 Liam Hendricks.
Tuks: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Duncan Matthews, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Carlo Engelbrecht, 8 Reniel Hugo (captain), 7 Rudolph Smith, 6 Chris Massyn, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Basil Short, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Arno van Wyk, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Jannes Kirsten, 19 Leneve Damens, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 22 Kefentse Mahlo, 23 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Referees: Jaco Kotze, Rodney Bonaparte
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Pukke v UJ (Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom – Kick-off: 19.00)
Pukke: TBC
UJ: 15 Juan Kotze, 14 PJ Walters, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Michael Haznar, 10 Marais Schmidt, 9 Viaan van der Watt, 8 Dylan Petersson, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Kobus Porter (captain), 5 David Antonites, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Van Zyl Botha, 2 Jannes Snyman, 1 Devon Martinus.
Replacements: 16 Qinisile Siphatho, 17 Wiseman Kamanga, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 JP Swanepoel, 20 Jacque Pretorius, 21 Jaco van der Walt, 22 Pieter Morton, 23 Hendrik Bredenkamp.
Referees: Gerrie de Bruin, Eduan Nel
Assistant referees: Local
Wits v UCT (Wits, Johannesburg – Kick-off: 19.00)
Wits: 15 Ruhan Nel, 14 Mandla Dube, 13 Divan Ferguson, 12 Brent Crossley, 11 Riaan Arends, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Mathew Torrance, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 Senna Esterhuizen, 6 JP Jonck, 5 Rendani Ramovha, 4 Devin Montgomery (captain), 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Ashley Kohler, 1 Hannes Ludik.
Replacements: 16 Thato Mavundla, 17 Kyle Wood, 18 Peter van Biljon, 19 Conor Brockschmidt, 20 Jason Jarvis, 21 Wilton Pietersen, 22 Nkuli Gamede, 23 Kelly Ferdinand.
UCT: 15 Martin Sauls, 14 Richard Stewart, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Guy Schwikkard, 11 Lihleli Xoli, 10 Dean Grant, 9 James Alexander (captain), 8 Guy Alexander, 7 Vince Jobo, 6 Michael Botha, 5 James Kilroe, 4 Shaun McDonald, 3 Digby Webb, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Joel Carew.
Replacements: 16 Msizi Zondi, 17 Robin Murray, 18 Jason Klaasen, 19 Kyle Kriel, 20 Liam Slatem, 21 Ross Jones-Davies, 22 Nathan Nel, 23 David Maasch.
Referees: Oregopotse Rametsi, Archie Sehlako
Assistant referees: Local
The log:
Varsity Young Guns fixture:
Pukke v Shimlas (Fanie du Toit Stadium – Kick-off: 16.45)
Varsity Shield fixtures:
TUT v UKZN (TUT Rugby Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 19.00)
UWC v Fort Hare (UWC Rugby Stadium, Bellville – Kick-off: 19.00)
