Boland coach Hawies Fourie.
Image: Boland Rugby Media
Currie Cup champions Griquas, the Griffons, Boland Kavaliers, Valke, and Pumas all hit the ground running in the first round of the SA Cup last week, and with four coveted Currie Cup Premier Division spots on the line in the tournament, they will be amped to carry that winning momentum into the weekend’s second round.
The teams finishing in the top four positions at the end of the SA Cup league phase will not only contest the two semi-finals, but also gain automatic qualification to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
The second round kick off on Friday evening in Potchefstroom, where the Leopards host the Cheetahs at Olen Park. Also on Friday, the Pumas entertain Easter Province in Nelspruit.
Two fixtures will be staged this afternoon — the Valke host Griquas in Kempton Park, while the Border Bulldogs versus SWD Eagles match is in East London.
The final match of the weekend is tomorrow afternoon in Wellington, where the Boland Kavaliers host the Griffons.
The Cheetahs have been dominant in their fixture with the Leopards over the last two years. In the inaugural 2024 season, they scored a huge 76–5 win in Potchefstroom, and last year they secured a 69–0 shut-out in Bloemfontein.
After their opening-round loss to Boland last week, the Free Staters will be looking for a repeat of their previous high-scoring performances to get their campaign back on track in Potch. For the Leopards, it’s about defensive pride after conceding over 100 points to Griquas last weekend.
In Friday evening’s other fixture, to be staged in the Mbombela Stadium, the Pumas have had the upper hand in this match the past two years, beating EP 61–0 in Nelspruit two years ago and 61-22 last season in Gqeberha.
EP showed plenty of promise in their narrow loss to the Valke last week, but facing the defending SA Cup champions in Nelspruit is a daunting task.
On Saturday, the Valke entertain Griquas at the Barnard Stadium in a clash between two former champions. Valke won the Mzansi Challenge in 2023, while Griquas were the inaugural SA Cup winners in 2024. The men from Kimberley come into this meeting as the form team after their 101–7 demolition of the Leopards; however, the Valke are a difficult side to master in Kempton Park.
Border have moved their clash with the Eagles from Mdantsane to Hudson Park High School in East London.
This has historically been a closely contested coastal battle. Two seasons ago, the Eagles took the spoils 40–25 in Mdantsane, and last year they were again victorious by a margin of 26 points. Both teams have struggled for consistency in the competition, finishing in the bottom half of the log.
Under the mentorship of former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, SWD have shown they can compete with the best after nearly upsetting the Pumas last week, while Border will be desperate for a win.
The last clash of the round is on Sunday in Wellington. The meetings between the Boland Kavaliers and the Griffons have developed into a great rivalry, with plenty of close games in the Currie Cup First Division.
Two years ago, the Griffons won a thriller 34–31 in Wellington, while last year they won by a margin of just three points, 38-35 in Welkom. Although they trail 0-2 in this fixture, the Kavaliers are a resurgent force under Hawies Fourie, as evident by their impressive away win last week over the Cheetahs.
Weekend Fixtures
Friday, 13 March
Leopards vs Toyota Cheetahs in Potchefstroom at 6.30pm.
Pumas vs Eastern Province in Nelspruit at 7pm. (Live on SuperSport).
Saturday, 14 March
Valke vs Griquas in Kempton Park at 3pm (Live on SuperSport).
Border Bulldogs vs SWD Eagles in East London at 3.30pm.
Sunday, 15 March
Boland Kavaliers vs Griffons in Wellington at 4pm.