It is all to play for when the Mighty Elephants from Eastern Province take on the rampant Young Lions in the Vodacom Cup series at Telkom Park, Port Elizabeth on Friday.

The home side have to win the game and earn a bonus point to stay in the hunt for a place in the Top 8 section of the competition, whilst the undefeated Lions have already secured their place in the business end of the competition.

"Yes, we have dug ourselves in a big hole and it is up to us to get out of it again," Elephants flyer Wonga Joka said Thursday.

Joka has been in awesome form this season and is looking for his fourth consecutive try in as many matches, but the performances of some of his teammates has not equalled that.

"Yes, we did battle in the scrums a bit and conceded penalties, but we are still in with a sniff. If we get our points against the Lions and Boland lose out against Free State, we are back in the Top 8," the EP left wing said.

The EP side will be paying dearly if they don't get their discipline right. Lions flyhalf Nel Fourie has hardly missed a kick so far in the competition and returns to one of his famous stomping grounds.

Two years ago, Fourie slotted a match winning conversion in gale force conditions at the same venue when Mpumalanga defeated Boland in the final of the Coca Cola Craven Week.

Add that temperament to the talents of players like Bennie Nortje, Jannie van der Walt, Baksteen Nell and Leon Boshoff and it becomes clear that Joka and co might need more than a spade to get out of this one.

In another match on Friday night the Bulldogs tackle the Pumas at the Puma Stadium in Witbank. The Bulldogs are the only unbeaten side in their section and will be desperate to keep the Pumas out so as to finish top of their section before contesting the Top Eight.

In the third Friday match the Griffons want to keep the Natal Wildebeest in check at the North West Stadium in Welkom. The Wildebeest, however, know a win is imperative after their draw against the Boland Kavaliers last week.

On Saturday the SWD Eagles face an uphill battle against the rampant Blue Bulls, while Western Province will be looking to break their duck this season when they do battle with Werner Swanepoel's Leopards.

In the third game on Saturday Boland will be looking for a good win at Wellington against the Free State Cheetahs in order to take more points to the Top Eight phase of the competition.

Teams for Telkom Park:

Eastern Province Elephants: Justin Peach, Nardi Lombard, William Rorich, Clinton van Rensburg, Wonga Joka, Monwabisi Mdyesha, Chris Jonck, Jacques Greeff (capt), JJ Pienaar, Heinrich Stride, Chrisjan van der Westhuysen, Heino Senekal, Tjaart Coetzee, Ondela Kiva, Dekado Jantjies. Substitutes: Vorster Venter, JC Roux/Kees Lensing, Rory Duncan, Barry Pinnock, Stephan Aylward, Jerome Muller, Brett Hennessey.

Lions: Jaco Booysen, Jannie van der Walt, Jacque Fourie, Eugene Meyer, Oginga Siwundla, Nel Fourie, Bennie Nortje (capt), Riaan van der Merwe, Ettiene Barnard, Sean Plaatjies, Barend Pieterse, Neil Goosen, Baksteen Nell, James van der Walt, Pietman van Niekerk. Substitutes: Leon Boshoff, Johan Kemp, Casper Oosthuizen, Joe van Niekerk, Gideon Roux, Ruan Nel, Kaya Malotana.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan.

Kick-off: 19:00.

Teams for North West Stadium:

Griffons: Gielie de Swardt, Cameron Malan, Sasha Marrot, David van Vuuren, Malcolm Malan, Hein van Vuuren, JP Joubert, Slang Roux, Johan Gerber, Recardo Arnolds, Thys Louw, Kevin Rabie, Sarel Louw, Leonard van der Merwe, Frans Botes. Substitutes: Kobus Lingenvelder, Mike la Grange, JJ Fredericks, Riaan Henderson, Heinre Jacobs, Chris Steyn, Ehan Helmand.

Natal Wildebeest: Enrico Lass, John Camp, Grant Oliver, Ryan Walker, Sephen Brink, Dean Hayden, Dave von Hoesslin, Jonno Brayley (capt), John Lloyd, Marc de Marigny, Johan Muller, Rod Labuschagne, Aubrey Mbatha, Michael Pohl, Conrad Magiera. Substitutes: Darren Reed, Darren Morgan, Shane Oosthuizen, Kevin Foote, Neil Cole, Grant Henderson, Marius Kriel.

Referee: Louis Mzomba.

Kick-off: 19:00.

Teams for Puma Stadium:

Pumas: Hannes Venter, Jacques Juries, Brendell Brandt, Jacques du Toit, Kobus Kruger, Kallie Benade, Jannie Moolman, Torros Pretorius, Ryan Jacobs, Francois Rossouw, Draadkar de Lange, Derick Grobbelaar, Danie Saayman, Henry Kemp, Hakkies Swart. Substitutes: Paul Hoffman, Manfred Bohmer, Hendry Rheeders, Barries Barnard, Elmar Bouwer, Hannes Venter, Herman Pretorius.

Bulldogs: Siyabonga Mangweni, Chumani Booi, Johan Calitz, Vusumzi Mbulali, Keegan Fredericks, Gareth Wright, Richard Bennet, Vuyani Foslara, Ryno van der Merwe, Clinton van der Merwe, Rob Linde, Nicky Smit, Vaughn Graham, Hugo Horn, Jane du Toit. Substitutes: Tom Drewett, Danie Thiart, Bruce Cumming, Derek Hendry, Werner Coetzer, Werner Bester, Vido Nako.

Referee: Nolan Arends.

Kick-off: 19:10.

Teams for Outeniqua Park:

SWD Eagles: Manie du Toit, Keith Meyer, Darryl Coeries, Chelton April, Virgil Frans, Rynardt van As, Greyling Weideman, Nico Breedt (capt), Bennie van Vuuren, Jaco Gouws, Francois du Toit, Trevor Hall, Niel du Toit, Rich Verster, Flippie Spies. Substitutes: Johan van Rensburg. Jaco Binneman, Tiaan Augustyn, Barry Jacobsz, John Cooper, Dirkie Strydom, Willie Nagel.

Blue Bulls: Johan Roets, McNeil Hendricks, Lafras Uys, Tiaan Joubert, Gavin September, Jacques Schutte, Coenraad Groenewald, Ruan Vermeulen, Piet Joubert, Denzil Frans (capt), Francois van Schouwenberg, Piet Myburg, Sias Wagner, Germaine Brinkhuys, Rudi Durandt. Substitutes: Lamla Maneli, Richard Bands, Geo Cronje, Bian Vermaak, Robbie Jansen van Rensburg, Denver Schippers, Jonathan Evans.

Referee: Andy Turner.

Kick-off: 15:00.

Teams for Newlands:

Western Province: Eric Olivier, Colin Lloyd, Herman Schroder, Dave Cumming, Jeffrey Stevens, Chris Rossouw, Ashieq Wise, Ernst Joubert, Bennie Adams, Fiela van Zyl, Drikus Hancke, Immanuel McKenzie, Patrick Barnard, Schalk Brits, Rudolph Bosch (capt). Substitutes: Regan Petersen, Eddie Andrews, Anton van Zyl, David de Villiers, Christoff Lotter, Alan Hoffman, Patrick Petersen.

Leopards: Riaan van der Bergh, Rayno Hendricks, Ano Swart, Barry Geel, Shaun Hartley, Willem de Waal, Werner Swanepoel (capt), Johann Smith, Danzel Manuel, Erik van der Merwe, Werner Lessing, Jaco Barnard, Pierre du Toit, Michael Laubscher, Sampie Hendriks. Reserves: Hannes Human, Willie Smith, Bernard Rabe, Isaac Treurnicht, Donovan Commerma, Danie de Beer, Isak Saayman.

Referee: Shaun Veldsman.

Kick-off: 15:30.

Teams for Boland Stadium:

Boland Kavaliers: Lean van Dyk, Dewald Femboes, WP Strauss, Piet van Zyl, Jan Ackerman, Pieter O'Neill, Cassie Carstens, Henley du Plessis, Hannes de Kock, Chris Thiart, Randile Julies, Vion Wium (capt), Andries Human, Dale Santon, Fabian Brandt. Substitutes: Gustav Rademeyer, Carel van der Merwe, David Hendricks/Chris Potgieter, Neil Papier, Daniel Philander, Ambrose Barends.

Free State Cheetahs: Jaco van Schalkwyk, Ashwell Rafferty, Christophe du Toit, Rudolf Froneman, Friedrich Lombard, Conrad Barnard, JB Heckroodt, Tokkie Kasselman, Gromingo Mzunga, Hendro Scholtz, Lodie Britz, Joe Beukes, CJ van der Linde, Hanyani Shimange, Dirkie Groenewald. Substitutes: Boeteman van der Linden, Attie Winter, Wayne Boardman, Kobus Grobbelaar, Jimmy Powell, Kennedy Tsimba, Clarke Manuel.

Referee: Tappe Henning.

Kick-off: 15:00.