The Griquas up against the Pumas headlines the penultimate pool round of Currie Cup action for the 2026 competition.
Sako Makata from the Griquas being tackled during the SA Cup final match against the Pumas at Griqua Park in Kimberley earlier this year. Picture: Danie Van Der Lith/Gallo Images
The race to the Currie Cup playoffs reaches a crescendo as the current top four teams in the competition go head-to-head, while the bottom four face each other, on the penultimate weekend of pool action.
It has been a good tournament for the non URC franchises so far, with the defending champions, Griquas, topping the log on 21 points, followed by the Cheetahs who are level with them, and then the Pumas (17) and Boland Cavaliers (16).
The top two teams can thus secure home semifinals if they win this weekend, with the Griquas traveling to Nelspruit to take on the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium on Friday afternoon, while the Cheetahs host the Cavaliers in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
Without a doubt the Griquas versus Pumas match is the most anticipated of the weekend, with both teams having built a tremendous rivalry over the years, in the Currie Cup and SA Cup.
In the Currie Cup the Pumas beat the Kimberley side in the final to lift the title for the first time in 2022, and then finished runners up in 2023 behind the Cheetahs, while the Griquas stunned the Lions to win in Johannesburg last year.
In the SA Cup over the last three years the Griquas and Pumas have battled it out in every final, with the Griquas winning in 2024, while the Pumas won in 2025 and this year.
Both teams will thus be fired up for the encounter, with the Griquas looking to hold onto top spot on the log, while the Pumas know a loss will open the door for the chasing pack behind them.
Cheetahs v Cavs
The Cheetahs and Cavaliers should also be an exciting game, with both teams having played some thrilling rugby this season, while the side from Wellington has had the wood over the Bloemfontein based team recently.
Last year the Cavaliers stunned the Cheetahs 37-35 in the Currie Cup in Wellington, and then beat them 34-24 in the SA Cup earlier this year, so the Cheetahs will be desperate to bounce back from those defeats with a win.
“The next two weeks are crucial and I hope everybody realises what is at stake. If we don’t get points on the weekend then we have to go and get points in Nelspruit (next weekend),” said Cheetahs coach Frans Steyn earlier this week.
“We have struggled against Boland the past few years, and we have also struggled against the Pumas, especially there, so we need to have all of our ducks in a row and put in a proper performance on Sunday.”
The other games on the weekend see the bottom half in action with the Lions in fifth on 13 points up against the seventh placed Sharks (10) in Pietermaritzburg, while the bottom of log Bulls (3) host the sixth placed Stormers (11) in Pretoria.
It is essentially the last chance saloon for the Lions, Stormers and Sharks, as a loss will likely leave them with too much to do on the final weekend, while the Bulls are already out of the running and just playing for pride.
Weekend fixtures
Friday 21 August
Pumas v Griquas at the Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit – Kick-off 3pm
Bulls v Stormers at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – Kick-off 5:05pm
Sharks v Lions at the Woodburn Stadium, Pietermaritzburg – Kick-off 7:15pm
Sunday 23 August
Cheetahs v Boland Cavaliers at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off 3pm
