GQEBERHA— The third edition of the SA Cup kicks off this weekend, with teams across the country battling not only for the title but also for coveted qualification spots in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.
The competition begins on Friday evening with three matches, followed by two fixtures on Saturday. Two of the opening-round clashes will be broadcast live on SuperSport from Bloemfontein and Kimberley.
Eastern Province will launch their 2026 campaign at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Friday when they host the Valke at 17:00.
Coached by former Springbok head coach Allister Coetzee, EP will be looking to build on last season’s campaign, where they secured four victories from nine matches and pushed several stronger opponents close.
The Valke, coached by JP Immelman, narrowly missed out on Currie Cup Premier Division qualification last year after finishing fifth on the SA Cup log, just two points behind the fourth-placed Boland Kavaliers.
The defending champions, the Airlink Pumas, begin their title defence against the SWD Eagles in George at 18:00 on Friday. The Pumas dethroned Suzuki Griquas in last year’s final in Nelspruit to secure their first SA Cup crown.
Despite losing several regular players to other unions, the Pumas remain a formidable side under coach Jimmy Stonehouse. Their clash with SWD will also mark a notable coaching duel, with former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer now guiding the Eagles in his second stint with the George-based union.
Last year’s meeting between the sides ended in a dominant 75–7 victory for the Pumas, but Meyer’s arrival and the addition of new talent are expected to make the contest far more competitive this season.
In addition in Bloemfontein, the Toyota Cheetahs host the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers at Toyota Stadium in another intriguing Friday fixture. The teams finished second and third respectively in the 2025 SA Cup standings.
Boland shocked the Cheetahs 45–29 in their opening meeting last year in Wellington, and both sides will again be aiming to secure early momentum in their pursuit of semi-final places. The Cheetahs are now coached by former Springbok utility back Frans Steyn, while Boland continue under the leadership of Hawies Fourie.
Furthmore,Saturday’s matches will see Suzuki Griquas host the Leopards in Kimberley, while the Griffons welcome the Border Bulldogs to Welkom.Griquas, the 2024 SA Cup champions and current Currie Cup champions, will be eager to start strongly after dominating the corresponding fixture last year with a 66–7 win in Potchefstroom.
Meanwhile, the Border Bulldogs travel to the Northern Free State hoping to improve on a difficult 2025 campaign in which they failed to win a match. Under coach Dumisani Mhani, the East London-based side will be looking to turn the tide after losing their opening match last year 55–32 against the Griffons.As in previous seasons, the top four teams at the end of the SA Cup league phase will qualify for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division, while the remaining six teams will compete in the First Division.
SA Cup fixtures — Round 1Friday, 6 MarchEastern Province vs Valke — Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha (17:00)
SWD Eagles vs Airlink Pumas — Outeniqua Park, George (18:00)
Toyota Cheetahs vs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers — Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein (18:00)
