EW Viljoen will continue his comeback from injury when Western Province face the Free State Cheetahs XV in the Rugby Challenge on Sunday.
The 24-year-old, a regular in the Stormers backline in 2017, has struggled with injury over the last year, but has come back into the mix in recent weeks and will look to make another start for WP count.
The South Section will be highlighted by Sunday’s Rugby Festival in Port Elizabeth. The Wolfson Stadium in KwaZakhele township will host four of the top five teams on the log.
The match between the Cheetahs XV and WP should be of the highest quality, but a defeat could be detrimental to the men from Bloemfontein’s chances to make the semi-finals.
The Free Staters are currently ahead of Boland on the log because of their superior points’ difference, but the men from the Winelands are expected to have the better of Zimbabwe Academy when they clash in Wellington on Saturday, and should keep up the pressure on the two top sides.
In the final match on Sunday, the Sharks XV will have a tough outing against the EP Elephants at Wolfson Stadium, where the Durbanites will be looking to keep their semi-final chances alive.
In the North Section, all four matches are scheduled for Saturday, with the most significant match in Brakpan between Valke and Vodacom Blue Bulls, where neither side can afford defeat to keep their outside chances of reaching the semi-finals alive.
The Golden Lions XV will have an opportunity to close the gap on Griquas, currently in second position on the log, when they host the Griffons in Johannesburg, while the men from Kimberley face a tough away challenge in Leeudoringstad against the Leopards.
The defending champions, the Pumas, should have too much fire-power for the winless Welwitschias when they clash at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Friday night’s clash in George is between SWD and Border, but neither can still qualify for the playoffs and only pride will be at stake at Outeniqua Park.
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