Fedsure Western Province will start their Top Eight campaign in the Bankfin Currie Cup series on Saturday against the Lions at Newlands without Springbok prop Robbie Kempson.

There are also injury doubts about another two Springboks, wing Breyton Paulse and scrumhalf Neil de Kock. Kempson sustained concussion in an accidental clash of heads in WP's nail-biting 22-19 victory over the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday and face a mandatory three-week absence from the game.

He will also miss the September 29 game against the Falcons at Kempton Park. Springbok Toks van der Linde is the favourite to take over from Kempson.

De Kock and Paulse are battling to overcome ankle injuries sustained at Loftus, but word from the WP camp is that both should be ready to take on the Lions. Fortunately for Province Springbok wing Pieter Rossouw should be ready after missing the Loftus clash with a shoulder injury.

The South African Rugby Football Union on Saturday made the draw for the Top Eight phase of the competition in Pretoria. The teams going through from the two preliminary sections are Western Province (with 12 log points), the Pumas (11), Falcons (9), Lions (9), Blue Bulls (6), Free State Cheetahs (6), Natal Sharks (5), Griqualand West (1).

In an exciting start to the Top Eight four heavyweights clash. At Newlands WP and the Lions do battle, while the Sharks would want to reverse their bad form when they take on the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.

The fixtures are:

Friday, September 21:
Griquas vs Free State at ABSA Park in Kimberley at 16:00;

Saturday, September 22:
Blue Bulls vs Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria at 15:00,
Western Province vs Lions at Newlands at 17:05;

Sunday, September 23:
Pumas vs Falcons at Puma Stadium in Witbank: 15:00;

Friday, September 28:
Sharks vs Griquas at ABSA Stadium in Durban: 19:10;

Saturday, September 29:
Falcons vs Western Province at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park: 15:00,
Free State vs Blue Bulls at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein: 17:05;

Sunday, September 30:
Lions vs Pumas at Ellis Park in Johannesburg: 15:00;

Friday, October 5:
Blue Bulls vs Falcons at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria: 20:00;

Saturday, October 6:
Griquas vs Lions at ABSA Park in Kimberley at 15:00,
Pumas vs Sharks at Puma Stadium in Witbank: 17:05,
Western Province vs Free State at Newlands: 19:10;

Friday, October 12:
Falcons vs Griquas at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park: 16:30,
Free State vs Pumas at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein: 19:10;

Saturday, October 13:
Lions vs Blue Bulls at Ellis Park in Johannesburg at 15:00,
Sharks vs Western Province At ABSA Stadium in Durban 17:05;

All matches will be televised.