Club rugby action is in full swing, with both midweek and Saturday games.
Last night there were two games as UniMil hosted UWC in Milnerton and struggling Parow NTK making the difficult trip to defending champions Maties.
With the varsity teams back, action is coming thick and fast.
But the normal club men staan nie terug vir die studente nie.
As much was evident in a highly entertaining match between Ikeys and Brackenfell at the University of Cape Town’s Green Mile last Saturday.
The visitors went all out to cause what would have been an upset against the much-fancied UCT outfit.
DETERMINED: Sergio Kasper. Photo: Jack Lestrade.
And they gave them a proper run for their money, eventually losing the seesaw battle 27-25.
Brakkies would have learned some tough lessons in that defeat, with coach Tinus van Rensburg hoping to rectify those mistakes when they host Maties on Saturday.
With matches piling up for the men from Stellenbosch they have the benefit of not having to field a Victorians team this year, meaning they have enough players to stay fresh when these fixtures come so quickly after one another.
Spare a thought for Primrose, who face the defending champions next Wednesday after crossing swords with Villager on Saturday.
Still without a win this year, they will now have their depth seriously tested in the coming week, having suffered a morale-blowing 85-22 to UWC last weekend.
As for the students from Bellville, they have a tough week as well.
Having played UniMil last night, coach Chester Williams’s men host Durbell on Saturday in what will be a week that will test their title credentials.
UP AND UNDER: UCT's Kyle Bowman looking to attack. Photo: Jack Lestrade.
One team that is not expected to be in the top six this year is Hamiltons.
Currently in ninth place on the log, the once-strong club lost 68-14 to Maties last week.
And on Saturday, they will be involved in the derbies of derbies when they host neighbours SK Walmers.
Walmers narrowly lost to Tygerberg 25-19 last weekend, but have enough firepower to give their hosts a proper run for their money on Saturday.
So while the team’s depth is being tested and while this is a challenging phase of the competition for the clubs, fans can’t complain.
There is action all around us.
Saturday’s fixtures:
Hamiltons v SK Walmers;
UWC v Durbell;
Primrose v Villager;
Paarl v Tygerberg;
False Bay v UCT;
Brackenfell v Maties.
Last weekend’s results:
Villager 38, Paarl 29;
UWC 85, Primrose 22;
UniMil 16, False Bay 29;
UCT 27, Brackenfell 25;
Maties 68, Hamiltons 14;
SK Walmers, 19 Tygerberg 25.