The Mr Price Blue Bulls have one last throw of the dice to avoid the embarrassment of missing out on the Bankfin Currie Cup playoffs when they face the Leopards at Minolta Loftus on Friday night.
Battered by disciplinary hearings, injuries and the furore over black players, the Bulls now face a do-or-die battle with their tough neighbours to try and give themselves a chance to make it into the Top Eight. But even if they win, they face an agonising wait during their bye next weekend to see if they will qualify for the elite competition.
The Bulls lost out 23-26 in a heartbreaking match to the Vodacom Bulldogs last weekend in East London and, in the process, lost the services of two of their Springbok loose trio as well. Captain Ruben Kruger is out with concussion, while No 8 Schutte Bekker is sidelined with a torn knee cartillage.
The situation has brought an out-of-form Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen back to lead the side in one of their most crucial games of the season.
Van der Westhuizen is still struggling to regain his form after months on the bench for the Springboks and now has the added responsibility of steering a sinking ship to shore.
The Leopards, while having failed to win a game thus far in the competition, are by no means pushovers and considering the Bulls form of late, an easy victory cannot be predicted.
Teams for Minolta Loftus:
Mr Price Blue Bulls: Casper Steyn; McNeil Hendricks, Danie van Schalkwyk, Tiaan Joubert, Brendell Brandt; Franco Smith, Joost van der Westhuizen (capt); Danie Rossouw, Anton Leonard, Arno Barnard, Wium Basson, Derick Grobbelaar, Piet Boer, Naka Drotske, Os du Randt. Substitutes: Marius Goosen, Hannes Venter, Norman Jordaan, Draadkar de Lange, Christo Bezuidenhout, Pierre Ribbens, George van der Walt.
Leopards: Sollie Goosen; Len van Riet, Johan Calitz, Ian Noble, Keith Meyer; Roland de Marigny, Francois Janse van Rensburg; Johann Smith, Bloues Volschenk, Brian Christians, Werner Lessing, Willem Stoltz, Tenk Hendriks, Basil de Coning, Hannes Human. Substitutes: Hennie Pieterse, Sampie Hendriks, Bertus Pool, Casper Oosthuizen, Wimpie Jonker, Rudi Muller, Julian Ruiters.
Barring only one change to the side that drew to the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs last weekend, the Lions are at near full strength for their crucial Currie Cup clash against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
With only 11 log points after four games, the Lions know they have to win to keep their chances alive of reaching the Top Eight stage of the competition. The Sharks will give the Lions their toughest game yet this season.
Teams for Ellis Park:
Lions: Thinus Delport; Chester Williams, Grant Esterhuizen, Japie Mulder, Conrad Jantjies; Louis Koen, Werner Swanepoel; Rassie Erasmus (captain), Walter Minnaar, Piet Krause, Jannes Labuschagne, Johan Ackermann, Willie Meyer, Leon Boshoff, Marius Mostert. Substitutes: Delarey du Preez, Nic Moore, Russel Winter/Eric van der Merwe, Brett Johnstone, Hennie le Roux, Mac Masina, Dean Hall.
Natal Sharks: Sharks: Gaffie du Toit; Dewald Femboes, Deon Kayser, Trevor Halstead, Stefan Terblanche; Butch James, Craig Davidson; Shaun Sowerby, AJ Venter, Warren Brosnihan, Mark Andrews (c), Charl van Rensburg, Brent Moyle, Chris Rossouw, Ollie le Roux. Substitutes: John Smit, Conrad Magiera, Albert van den Berg, Brad Macleod-Henderson, Stephen Brink, Joe Gillingham, Dave von Hoesslin.
In Wellington, history will be against the Mighty Elephants in their attempt to beat the Boland Kavaliers at Boland Park on Saturday and secure a place in the Currie Cup Top Eight.
The Elephants last recorded a Currie Cup win at Boland Park in 1985 and will have to play above themselves to beat the Kavaliers, who whipped Currie Cup holders Lions in Wellington.
The Kavaliers, on the other hand, would want to clinch valuable points at home, because they face a tough game next week against the Falcons in Brakpan.
Teams for Boland Park:
Mighty Elephants: Ricardo Loubscher; Henry Pedro, Tobi de Jager, Ronnie Fourie, Wonga Joka; Andre Fourie, Chad Alcock (capt); Jonathan Staples, Johan de Kock, Barry Pinnock, Chrisjan van der Westhuysen, Baksteen Nell, Vorster Venter, JC Roux. Substitutes: Tom Drewett, Danie Saayman, Nelis Swart, Heinrich Stride, Albert Viljoen, Rhys Botha, Andries Fourie.
Boland Kavaliers: Lean van Dyk; John Daniels, Marius Joubert, Wayne Julies, Jan Ackermann; Riaan van Jaarsveld, Stanley Raubenheimer; Chris Potgieter, Allen Williams, Jannie Coetzee (c), Randile Julies, Heino Senekal, Dirk Hanekom, Martin van Schalkwyk, Carel van der Merwe. Substitutes: Dale Santon, Fabian Brandt, Vion Wium, Quinn Hough, JP du Plooy, Connie Malherbe, Antonius Verhoeven.
In Welkom, the Griffons will be looking for their first win of the season gainst the Falcons on Saturday.
Teams for North West Stadium:
Griffons: Rouan Nel; Zoy Edwards, Willie Nagel, Albertus van Buuren, Malcolm Malan; Ian Helmand, Charl Blom; Jaco Gouws, Ricardo Arnolds, Niel Goosen, Thys Louw, André Fouché (capt), Frans Botes, Lucas van Biljon, Kobie Appelgryn. Substitutes: Leonard van der Merwe, Kees Lensing, Kevin Rabie, Bani Holtzhausen, Louis van Straaten, Jacques Juries, Johnny Burger.
Falcons: Piet Matthys; Adrian Jacobs, Joe Esterhuizen, Eugene Meyer (capt), Tertius Douw; Pieter Jordaan, Deon de Kock; Kurt Steinbach, Bertus Heunis, Jaco Booysen, Nico Wegner, Bakkies Botha, Jaco Espag, Danie van der Walt, Gunder Williamson. Substitutes: Lawrence Sephaka, Piet Grobler, Stefan Brits, Jean Pieters, Freddy Roberts, Etienne Botha, Peet van Deventer.
In Kimberley, the Vodacom Bulldogs will be without the skilful David Maidza (when they take on Griquas at Hoffe Park on Saturday.
Coach Kobus van der Merwe lost quite a few players after Sunday's victorious encounter with the Blue Bulls. A win against Griquas will guarantee the Bulldogs a top four finish.
Teams for Hoffe Park
Bulldogs: Wayne Weyer; Dale Heidtmann, Fergus Kennedy, Hein van Vuuren, Ian Fihlani; Greg Miller, Vido Nako; Andre Coetzee, Derek Hendry, Bennie Jacobs, Phillip Schutte, Andre Fox, Tjaart Coetzee, Tjoepie van den Heever, Heinrich Kok. Substitutes: Josh Fowles, Tinus Cronje, Gavin Meistre, Pietie Loots, Paul Saffy, Graham Carlson, AN Other.
Nashua Griquas: Andre Vermeulen; Scholla Scholtz, Dries Scholtz, Edrich Lubbe, Jearus Nicholas; Boeta Wessels (capt), Christoff Lotter; Janneman Brand, Pierre Uys, Thando Manana, Victor Matfield, Slang Roux, Henno van Tonder, Tom Cameron, De Waal Venter. Substitutes: Hedley Wessels, Riaan Olckers, Hanu Nel, Bok Markram, Hakkies Husselman, George Binikos, Dirkie Strydom.
Key players who missed the Vodacom Eagles' game against Fedsure Western Province return for Sunday's clash against the Pumas at Outeniqua Park.
The match is of great importance for both the Pumas and Eagles, with the former having the better chance of reaching the Top Eight stage.
Teams for Outeniqua Park
Eagles: Manie du Toit; Paul Treu, Rickus Lubbe, Rudi Keil, Darryl Coeries; Theo van Rensburg (captain), Craig Turvey; Harold Karele, Johan Wasserman, Lodewyk Hattingh, Drickus Hancke, Klein-Jan Tromp, Renier van der Bergh, Tommie Webb, Connie Botha. Substitutes: Gustav Rademeyer, Kenneth Fourie, Trevor Hall, Johan Kapp, Wayne Munn, Jerome Muller, Rynhard van As.
Pumas: Jorrie Kruger; Giscard Pieters, Frikkie Welsh, Geoff Appleford, Gavin Passens; Jacques Benade, Bennie Nortjé (capt); Warren Britz, Piet Joubert, Clarke Roberts, Marius Bosman, Matt Frank, Johan Human, Paul Hoffman, Sias Wagner. Substitutes: AN Other, Hakkies Swart, Marco Wentzel, Francois Rossouw, Kat de Jager, Riaan Potgieter, Jacob Ndlovu.