Key SA Cup battles in George and Welkom

The SA Cup is moving closer to its defining moment in the competition, with log positions beginning to clarify and every result carrying increased significance in the race for semi-final places, and crucially for some, Carling Currie Cup Premier Division qualification.

The sixth round kicks off with a Friday night opener in Nelspruit setting the tone before a full slate of Saturday fixtures spread across Wellington, Welkom, George, and Gqeberha.

The Airlink Pumas welcome the Leopards to Mbombela Stadium on Friday (19h00 kick-off), with the defending champions firmly positioned near the top of the standings. The Pumas come off a commanding 94–5 away victory over Border in the previous round, a result that lifted them to second on the log with the second‑best defensive record in the competition.

Recent SA Cup meetings heavily favour the Pumas, who trumped the Leopards 71–10 in 2024 and again came out on top last season. The visitors from Potchefstroom will arrive in Nelspruit after a heartbreaking 43–31 home loss to Eastern Province and still searching for consistency as the season approaches the final third.

Arguably the standout fixture of the round unfolds in George, where the Dotsure SWD Eagles host the Toyota Cheetahs from 15h00 on Saturday. The Eagles have won four and the Cheetahs three, and the sides are placed third and fourth on the log, both firmly in the thick of the semi‑final chase.

SWD edged a thrilling 43–40 win over the Valke last weekend, while the Cheetahs responded emphatically with a 57–10 victory, also away, over the Griffons. Recent SA Cup history suggests a tight contest – the Free Staters won comfortably in 2024 before SWD turned the tables last year in George, where the Eagles will hope home ground advantage give them the edge in this meeting.

In Wellington, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers are favoured to return to winning ways after losing to the Eagles and Griquas in their previous two outings. Boland remain well placed on the log on fifth, having scored over 200 points so far this season.

Meanwhile, the Griffons and Valke square off in Welkom in a match that could define their respective campaigns. Both teams experienced disappointing round five results, with Griffons falling to the Cheetahs and the Valke narrowly lost to SWD. Their last two SA Cup meetings were decided by single‑digit margins, including a 45–40 Valke win in 2025, highlighting how little separates the teams.

Placed sixth and seventh on the log, the two teams in action in Welkom will be mindful that defeat could mean an end of their playoff hopes.

Round six concludes in Gqeberha at 17h00 on Saturday, with Suzuki Griquas looking to extend their unbeaten run against Eastern Province.

The men from the Northern Cape remain the competition’s pace‑setters after edging Boland last weekend and boast both the best attack and best defence in the SA Cup thus far, and will be regarded as favourites in this clash.

EP, however, gained confidence following their first win of the season, a 43–31 success over the Leopards. However, SA Cup history favours the men from Kimberley who have a perfect record so far this season, with 25 log points to their name compared to EP’s seven.

Match information

Airlink Pumas vs Leopards
Date: Friday, 17 April
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 19h00
Referee: Dylen November

Dotsure SWD Eagles vs Toyota Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 18 April
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Broadcast: SuperSport 950

Sanlam Boland Kavaliers vs Border
Date: Saturday, 18 April
Venue: Boland Rugby Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Hernus Coetzee

Griffons vs Valke
Date: Saturday, 18 April
Venue: Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

Eastern Province vs Suzuki Griquas
Date: Saturday, 18 April
Venue: Madibaz Stadium, Gqeberha
Kick-off: 17h00
Referee: Lulutho Matomela
Broadcast: SuperSport 950

SA Cup Suzuki Griquas Airlink Pumas Toyota Cheetahs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers Valke Eastern Province Leopards Border Bulldogs SWD Eagles Griffons

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