Last semifinal place in Varsity Cup to be decided on Monday

The team that will join the top three teams Maties, Tuks and Pukke in the Varsity Cup semifinals will be decided after Monday’s final round of roundrobin matches.

Defending champions Maties (first) and Tuks (second) cannot be overtaken and have sealed home semis. Pukke will finish the pool phase in third place, meaning an away last-four bout for them with fellow past champs Tuks.

Fourth-placed Shimlas (17 points) can hold on to their place and snuff out the bids by Wits (fifth, 16) and UCT (sixth, 15) for the remaining spot, provided they beat UJ.

It would mean Wits and UCT have to win against Pukke and CUT, respectively anything less and they are out.

Maties, who have yet to have their colours lowered, look set to win again at home to bottomplaced UWC and make it eight wins in a row at Danie Craven Stadium.

UWC have found the going tough in their debut season and are likely to end their campaign with just the one-point win registered from seven outings at home to UJ. If they find themselves in a similar position next season, they will exit the nineteam elite league and return to the Varsity Shield.

Maties have lifted the trophy four times to the three of Tuks since the inception of the competition in 2008, and seem to be the side to beat again. They are on a 17-game winning streak after beating Pukke 40-7 in the 2018 final.

Tuks have a bye on Monday and will welcome it after eight games in as many weeks.

UCT will only have themselves to blame if they miss out on a play-off spot. The Ikey Tigers had Tuks on the ropes last Monday but failed to deliver the knockout blow.

Tuks scored 26 unanswered second-half points to claim a draw with the former two-time winners.

Ikeys are expected to beat third-bottom visitors CUT at the Green Mile.