The second stage of the Premier Division Currie Cup kicks off this weekend, with four interesting matches scheduled. Additionally, on Friday evening in George, the champions of the 2026 First Division will be determined, where the home team SWD Eagles will meet Valke.
The Premier Division action begins on Friday afternoon with a clash between the table leaders—Cheetahs and Sharks XV in Bloemfontein. The match is set for 17:00 at Toyota Stadium. Two games are planned for Saturday: Lions versus Pumas in Ellis Park (15:00), and a home game for Griquas in Kimberley against Bulls XV (17:05).
The second round concludes on Sunday in Wellington. Boland Kavaliers will host for the second consecutive time, welcoming neighbors Stormers XXIII at Boland Stadium. The Western Cape derby starts at 15:00 and, like three other Premier Division fixtures, will be broadcast on SuperSport.
Friday's battle in Bloemfontein pits Cheetahs against Sharks XV. Despite being early in the tournament, both teams hold high positions in the rankings. Earlier, KwaZulu-Natalians defeated Pumas 26-24, and Free Staters won against Lions 29-27.
The Durban-based team has a 3-2 advantage in the last five encounters between the sides. Furthermore, Cheetahs won a tight match 7-5 in Durban last August. Cheetahs lead the early tournament standings as they have accumulated more points than Sharks, and with the presence of Springbok national scrum-half Faf de Klerk at number 9, they hope to maintain their initial momentum.
In Saturday's first match, Lions aim to immediately recover the two-point deficit suffered last week in Bloemfontein, hosting Pumas in Johannesburg. Lions have a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over this team, with their only defeat to the Mpumalanga side occurring three years ago in Nelspruit. Last year's match between these two teams, also held at Mbombela Stadium, ended with a victory for Gautengers 36-35.
The second game on Saturday will take place in Kimberley. Griquas and Bulls XV hope to start their 2026 season after both teams suffered away defeats last week. The match will begin at 17:05. Based on last week's form and a large 42-21 victory in Pretoria last year, the North Cape hosts—the reigning Currie Cup champions—are considered favorites. However, the Bulls team, which has several young and promising players, should not be underestimated.
The final match of the weekend will take place on Sunday afternoon in Wellington. Boland Kavaliers and Stormers XXIII are aiming for a second consecutive win of the season after starting it with victories last week. They currently occupy third and fourth places in the table. The Cape Town team won last year by a margin of 22 points in Cape Town, but Stefan Ungerera's team may face a hot reception and serious pressure on the field in Wellington, where a packed stadium supporting the Boland team is expected.
The first round of the Currie Cup demonstrated intense competition, marking the start of an exciting season. During this tournament, which is South Africa's oldest domestic competition, several impressive victories took place, despite attention being diverted to the Springbok rugby team's final match in Durban.
On Friday in Cape Town, the Stormers XXIII team defeated Griquas with a score of 25-19. This victory was secured by a last-minute try, allowing the Cape Town team to start their campaign perfectly. Their next match will be a tough away game against neighbors from Boland in Wellington.
On Sunday in Wellington, Boland Kavaliers managed to defeat the Bulls visitors with a score of 24-10. Although the home team held the advantage in possession and territory, they failed to fully surpass the Bulls. Rainy conditions and careless play from both sides contributed to the match being tense, and referee Griffin Colby was very busy.
Despite both teams behaving indisciplinedly, Boland's forwards ultimately brought them the victory. The win was sealed by a penalty try scored through a powerful maul at the end of the game.
Boland's head coach, Hawies Fourie, noted the contribution of the forwards, stating: 'I must praise our forwards for taking responsibility, and they did well in securing the ball and executing pick-and-go attacks, as well as scoring two maul tries against a good Bulls team.' He also emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline and pride in the team's efforts despite difficult conditions.
In Bloemfontein, Cheetahs XV had to battle the Lions. After the initiative changed between the sides, the home team eventually won with a score of 29-27 in a very exciting, albeit error-filled, confrontation. Cheetahs XV star, two-time Faf de Klerk World Cup winner, distinguished himself with quick play in ball distribution and signature runs.
Faf de Klerk's visionary play attracted the attention of Springbok coaches. However, Lions visitor coach, Mziwakhe Nkosi, was not pleased with his team's opening performance. He admitted that the result did not meet expectations but noted an improvement in defense during the second half. Nevertheless, Nkosi pointed to a lack of discipline as the reason for the defeat and missed opportunities to finish attacks in the 22-meter area.
Furthermore, Sharks XV in Mbombela also showed impressive play, defeating Pumas with a score of 26-24, starting their campaign with a win.
