Griquas go from being hunters to the hunted as they aim to defend their title in the Currie Cup, which gets underway on Friday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
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No longer the be-all and end-all of South African rugby, the world’s oldest provincial rugby competition has become a breeding ground where young stars develop and is always high on entertainment value.
Getting this year’s title race underway is a clash between the Pumas and Sharks XV in Nelspruit on Friday afternoon, while the evening encounter will see the Stormers XXIII make their competition debut against the defending champions in Cape Town.
The other two opening round games will be played on Sunday. The Cheetahs and the Lions collide in a catfight in Bloemfontein before the Boland Kavaliers battle the Bulls in Wellington.
Pumas vs Sharks XV
Friday, 17 July – 17:00
Full of flair and grit, the Pumas are a team that would love to compete on the international stage and wouldn’t look out of place in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Jimmy Stonehouse’s men clinched their maiden Currie Cup crown in 2022 and nearly retained it the following year, losing 25-17 to the Cheetahs in the final.
And, after winning the SA Cup for the second straight season with an incredible comeback earlier this year, they have their sights firmly set on the cherished Currie Cup.
After finishing seventh last season with three wins and four losses, the Sharks XV are out for redemption. They have two experienced playmakers in Ross Braude and Tim Swiel, but they’ll struggle to match the synergy of the hosts.
Prediction: Pumas by 10.
Stormers XXIII vs Griquas
Friday, 17 July – 19:05
It’s a new dawn as the Stormers XXIII make their competition debut under their new name. Formerly Western Province, the Cape-based side boast a record 34 Currie Cup titles but have failed to reach the playoffs the last four years. Wooden spoonists last season after managing just a single win, they vow to make it up to their fans this year.
Griquas, meanwhile, enter as champions after their famous 27-25 triumph over a much-vaunted Lions side in last year’s final at Ellis Park. Pieter Bergh’s charges were written off going into the decider, with the Lions – loaded with United Rugby Championship stars – starting as 20-point favourites.
However, the men from Kimberley coped better with the pressure and pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Currie Cup history to lift the trophy for the first time in 55 years.
The Stormers XXIII might stack the deck with a few United Rugby Championship stars, but Griquas have such cohesion that I see them eking out a win to make it nine in a row against the Capetonians.
Prediction: Griquas by 2.
Cheetahs vs Lions
Sunday, 19 July – 13:00
Two teams with a point to prove battle it out in Bloemfontein.
After almost failing to qualify for this year’s Currie Cup because of an indifferent SA Cup campaign, which could potentially have meant the end of the union, the Cheetahs secured their spot by finishing third.
With Springbok star Faf de Klerk headlining a batch of new signings, the Free Staters hope to challenge for the title, and that begins with a successful start at home.
The Lions, meanwhile, are fuelled by determination and desperation to finally get their hands on the silverware again. The Pride had the title ‘stolen’ from them by the Sharks XV and Griquas in the last two finals and will do everything in their power to complete the mission in 2026.
Based on their body of work in the Currie Cup in recent seasons and the talent at their disposal, the Lions should leave Bloemfontein with a win.
Prediction: Lions by 5.
Boland Kavaliers vs Bulls
Back in the big league for the first time since 2016, the Kavaliers were the talk of the tournament last year and qualified for the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by the Lions.
Coached by former Cheetahs mentor Hawies Fourie, their flair and never-say-die attitude earned them a number of epic comeback wins and the respect of rugby lovers across the country.
Like the Sharks XV, the Bulls’ 3-4 record saw them miss out on the semi-finals last season. One of those losses were against Boland in Wellington, where the underdog hosts triumphed 28-20.
Knowing what they’re up against this time around, the Bulls should avoid a similar upset.
Prediction: Bulls by 4.
Quintin van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 20 years of experience.
