This weekend could be critical in the destiny of where the Fidelity Security Moor Cup could be heading. Round 12 gets underway on Friday night and SA Home Loans Durban Collegians are gradually edging their way towards ending Jonsson College Rover's eight-year stranglehold on the trophy.

Collegians are top of the standings on 52 points, holding a six point gap over Rovers. They will face a stern examination of their title credentials when they travel away to take on the dangerous Amanzimtoti. With three rounds of Moor Cup action left, Collegians, who are unbeaten this season, are hoping to keep the winning momentum going. Last week Toti almost pulled of a fantastic victory over Rovers but fell short at the death as the defending champions scored two late tries to deny them victory.

Toti coach Jeff Harper was bitterly disappointed not to have claimed the victory last week and is hoping that the confidence his troops gained mixing it up with the big boys will be carried into this weekend's game.

"It was a massively physical game last week and fortunately there were no injuries," he said. "We gave it a good go and we felt disappointed to have lost the game right at the end there. We know we up against probably the best team in the league this season and we need to carry the same intensity from last week into this game.

"In terms of our overall performances this season, we have ticked all the boxes and we have achieved what we wanted for this season. Coming to Toti in front of our home crowd on a Friday night is quite daunting, so I am hopeful we are going to put up a good show."

Collegians coach Robin Swanepoel is treating this game as if it were a final. He is expecting Toti to come out firing against his unit.

"This is going to be incredibly tough going down there under lights," he explained. "We have had challenges this season and this will be no different. We have prepared well for this game and we have to be looking at getting all five points on offer. We will take each game as it comes and we expect a big battle over in Toti."

The second Friday night game sees Ricoh Motswako Pmb Collegians host Nashua Durban Crusaders in Woodburn. Maritzburg are an improved unit and they held their own against Collegians last week before running out of steam in the final quarter. Crusaders suffered a surprise defeat to Varsity College and will be hoping to bounce back. Crusaders are third on the log on 34 pooints while Maritzburg are sixth with 19 points.

On Saturday, Varsity College will host Zululand Rhinos at Growthpoint KINGS PARK in the curtain-raiser to the Cell C Sharks quarter-final Super Rugby match against the Highlanders. Both teams will be hoping to put up good performances having been granted an opportunity to grace the centre stage.

There is also a critical match which kicks off at 11am on Saturday in Maritburg as FNB UKZN Impi host Jonsson College Rovers. The defending champions are aware that victory with a bonus point is imperative for them to remain in the hunt for the championship.

Ismail Adam