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Preview: Varsity Cup, Round Three

The Stellenbosch students have obtained maximum points in their two matches thus far, with bonus-point victories against CUT-Ixias and NMMU-Madibaz, to set the early pace. UP-Tuks have had a torrid start to their campaign, going down at home to NWU-Pukke and UFS-Shimlas.

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Victory for Maties will solidify their place on top of the standing while Tuks will be looking to kick-start their campaign and make their way up the table.

In the opening match of the round, third-placed UJ welcome fifth-placed CUT to the UJ Stadium. UJ are coming off the back of consecutive victories over NMMU-Madibaz and NWU-Pukke while the Ixias will head into the contest with plenty of confidence having picked up their first-ever Varsity Cup victory when they beat UCT-Ikeys in Round Two.

The defending champions, Shimlas, currently occupy second place on the log following away victories at UCT and Tuks and trail Maties by a solitary point. They will enjoy home advantage for the first time this campaign when they welcome NMMU-Madibaz to Shimla Park.

The Port Elizabeth students would count themselves unlucky to have lost both their matches in the final minute and will know they are inches away from securing their first victory.

Last year's finalists, Pukke, will travel to Cape Town for their Round Three encounter and will be eyeing victory against a side who are yet to taste a win. Pukke currently occupy fourth place on the log, having claimed a victory and a loss to make up their seven points.

UCT, on the other hand, go into the round on the back of a humiliating and shock defeat to CUT in Bloemfontein and will be going all out to revive their title hopes in front of their home fans.

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We look at all the Varsity Cup action!

UJ v CUT-Ixias

(UJ Stadium, Kick-off: 16.45)

Teams:

UJ: 15 Ronald Brown, 14 Peter-Jon Walters, 13 Bradley Moolman, 12 Robert de Bruyn, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Divan Nel, 9 Johan Esterhuizen, 8 Jakobus Porter, 7 Johan Oosthuizen, 6 Wian Conradie, 5 David Antonites, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Nico du Plessis, 2 Emmanuel Morowane, 1 Siya Nzuzo.

Replacements: 16 Johannes Snyman, 17 Kyle Kruger, 18 Kyle van Dalen, 19 Phenyo Seriteng, 20 Hilton Mudariki, 21 Kobus Engelbrecht, 22 Godfrey Ramaboea, 23 Waldo Weideman.

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CUT-Ixias: 15 Willem van Tonder, 14 Ruan Wassermann, 13 Charles Hitchcock, 12 Louis Nel, 11 Henry Immelman, 10 Darron Baron, 9 Marius Grobler, 8 Mosoeu Maruping, 7 Abraham Burger, 6 Dean Rossouw, 5 Rayno Nel, 4 Lodewyk Davis, 3 Gunther Janse van Vuuren, 2 Len Noort, 1 Jean Volkwyn.

Replacements: 16 Theunis Truter, 17 Gerard Baard, 18 Sylvester Makakole, 19 Jasper Wiese, 20 Dean Jacobs, 21 Aliqhayiya Mgijima, 22 Lethole Mokoena, 23 George Marich.

Referee: Ben Crouse

UFS-Shimlas v NMMU-Madibaz

(Shimla Park, Kick-off: 18.30)

Teams:

UFS-Shimlas: 15 Frederick Mason, 14 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 13 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Arthur Williams, 11 Mosolwa Mafuma, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Wilhelm Kotzenberg, 7 Neil Claassen, 6 Musa Mahlasela, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Ntokozo Vidima, 3 Chase Morison, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Thabiso Khanye.

Replacements: 16 Marco Klopper, 17 Teunis Nieuwoudt, 18 Jacob Immelman, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 21 Apiwe Dinga, 22 Renaldo Meyer, 23 Jacobus van Vuuren.

NMMU-Madibaz: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Ivan du Preez, 13 Riaan Esterhuizen, 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Yamkela Ngam, 10 Michael Kean, 9 Ivan Ludick (captain), 8 Kevin Kaba, 7 Andisa Ntsila, 6 Brandon Brown, 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 2 Warrick Venter, 1 Marzuq Maarman.

Replacements: 16 Tango Balekile, 17 Nemo Roelofse, 18 Elandre van der Merwe, 19 Hayden Tharratt, 20 Sibusiso Ngcokovane, 21 Simon Bolze, 22 Lindelwe Zungu, 23 James Beyl.

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

UCT-Ikeys v NWU-Pukke

(The Green Mile, Kick-off: 18.30)

Teams:

UCT-Ikeys: 15 Gerard Pieterse, 14 Nathan Nel, 13 Hendrik Lategan, 12 Kofi Appiah, 11 Suwilanji Chibale, 10 Hilio de Abreu, 9 Dylan-Lee Tidbury, 8 Nyasha Tarusenga, 7 Luke Stringer, 6 Jason Klaasen, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Jade Kriel, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Keagan Timm, 1 Joel Carew.

Replacements: 16 Brenton Greaves, 17 Msizi Zondi, 18 Olwethu Hugo, 19 Mark Prior, 20 Stephen Wallace, 21 Robert Anderson, 22 Joel Smith, 23 David Maasch.

NWU-Pukke: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Lucian Cupido, 13 Sylvian Mahuza, 12 Hendrik Marais, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Schalk Hugo, 9 Malherbe Swart, 8 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Jeandre Rudolph (captain), 6 Jaco Jordaan, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Neil Morrison, 3 Bart le Roux, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Johan Smith.

Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Mashudu Mafela, 18 Daniel Jordaan, 19 Gideon van der Merwe, 20 Kurshwill Williams, 21 Barend Janse van Rensburg, 22 Eshwyn Heyns, 23 Mogau Mabokela.

Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

Maties v UP-Tuks

(Danie Craven Stadium, Kick-off: 19.00)

Maties: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Paul Streicher, 12 Jan Venter, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Theo Stapelberg, 9 Remu Malan, 8 Jacobus van Dyk, 7 Janco Venter, 6 Beyers de Villiers (captain), 5 Wilhelm Sluys, 4 John Groenewald, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Niel Oelofse.

Replacements: 16 Craig Corbett, 17 Wesley Adonis, 18 Justin Moberly, 19 Conal Brown, 20 Geor Malan, 21 Brendon Nell, 22 Christopher Smith, 23 Jacobus van der Merwe.

UP-Tuks: 15 Nicolaas Britz, 14 Keanan van Wyk, 13 Stedman-Ghee Gans, 12 Adrian Maebane, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Frederic Eksteen, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Johan Fouche, 2 Cornelius Els, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.

Replacements: 16 Jan Enslin, 17 Stephanus Genis, 18 Pieter Janse van Vuuren, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Carlo Engelbrecht, 21 Quaid Langeveldt, 22 Oskar Calitz, 23 Justin Forwood.

Referee: Rodney Boneparte

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