Maties began their quest to defend their Super League A crown at Stellenbosch against their second stringers Victorians Wednesday night.
But it’s Friday night when they will have their first real test of the season when they host the neutral’s favourite UniMil in Stellenbosch.
The two teams met in last season’s league semifinal - a match had Maties won.
UniMil, however, have already shown that they have what it takes to challenge the top team in the province, winning their first two matches with relative ease.
The men from Milnerton, though, will know that this will be their toughest assignment to date against a team that has wiped aside everything on their road to glory in this year’s Varsity Cup.
Maties are expected to win the match against UniMil, despite playing two matches in three days.
The benefit of having played Vics on Wednesday evening is that Maties coach Hawies Fourie could mix and match his squad and then leave the big guns fresh for Friday.
A fixtures list like this would have been a problem for most SLA squads, but not in powerhouse Maties' case.
Vics, too, have two fixtures this week.
The Maties second-stringers travel to another title contender, False Bay, in one of Saturday's highlights.
Vics have not yet tasted success this season, losing to Brackenfell and Tygerberg in their first two matches and should find it tough at the Bay, who currently top the log after bagging two bonus-point wins in their matches against SK Walmers and Primrose.
Staying at the top of the pile, UCT - currently in second place - will be out to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with once again when they visit Durbell.
Fresh off defeat in the final of the Club Champs, Durbell have not yet featured in the SLA this year and coach Johann Kotze’s men would like nothing more than to hit the road running against an in-form Ikeys team - even though it’s still early days.
Yes, the league phase is still in its infancy, but the contenders and pretenders have already been separated.
One team that looks like they will be somewhere in the middle come the end of the season is newly-promoted Paarl.
They have lost both their opening matches against Brackenfell and UniMil respectively, but there was enough evidence that they can shock a few teams this year.
Paarl will be out for their first shock of the season when they host UWC on Saturday.
It will be an emotional encounter for former uDubs favourites Godlen Masimla and Fred Muller in the colours of Paarl.
In the only other top-flight encounter this weekend, Brackenfell host the struggling Primrose.