There were some big statements made on the opening weekend of the Carling Currie Cup by some of the fancied contenders, but the biggest statement probably came on Sunday in front of a packed Wellington crowd by the competition’s newcomers Boland.
The injection of funds into the province with the most rugby clubs is not a surprise as it has always been a sleeping giant, but on Sunday Hawies Fourie’s side gave a glimpse of the promise the Kavaliers have in becoming a powerhouse team in South African rugby.
It isn’t a surprise their neighbours Western Province are a bit worried, especially with rumours of the geographically-based schools and clubs in the Boland region that are affiliated to Province looking to move back to Boland, and it may be too early to say if it will last, but on Sunday it provided a glimpse of the future to come.
DRAMATIC FINISH
Boland may have had to wait until the 88th minute of the game to score the winning try - a pearler through Springbok Sevens star Donavan Don to win 37-35, but their grit and determination on the historic day they re-entered the Premier division was something to behold.
Donovan Don gets it over in the corner 😤🔥
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 27, 2025
What a win for the Boland Cavaliers in front of their home crowd 🏉#CarlingCurrieCup | #SSRugby pic.twitter.com/QDnmcEbMov
They led Free State Cheetahs 23-6 at halftime and while it looked as if the forward pack and the impressive Cheetahs scrum had given the visitors enough to get them over the line for an away victory, the Cavaliers scored twice in the final part of the game to steal the points back and give them a perfect start.
It's a statement win for the Boland Cavaliers in their #CarlingCurrieCup opener 👏🔥#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/9c1bkRF5qu
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 27, 2025
Time will tell if they can live with the power and pace of some of the bigger teams in the competition, but the statement is clear that there won’t be easy games in Wellington for any team. The Cheetahs found that out on Sunday and the shortened single-round format of this year’s domestic competition makes Boland an easy banana peel to slip on.
The elation around the field following the dramatic win was clear to see - this is an area of the country that loves its rugby and has been long ignored. The day started with a church service at the ground and many of those who attended had their prayers answered by the time Don crossed the line.
Boland will have their grit tested this coming Sunday when they head to Kimberley to take on Suzuki Griquas in a tough fixture.
BIG GUNS FIRE EARLY
But while Boland captured the attention and brought the drama for the weekend, it was the three other victors who made their ambitions known in Round one of the Currie Cup.
The Vodacom Bulls put on a powerful first half and their forwards looked lean and mean as Phiwe Nomlomo’s team got the spoils for one of their biggest victories in Cape Town in a long time, winning 48-23 in the process.
The Bulls team, which is clearly one of the more experienced in the tournament, and calls on a number of fringe players and new signings, was brutal in the first half, forcing three yellow cards for DHL Western Province and scoring five tries in that time.
They had their bonus point before the half hour and while the second half saw a bit of a Province resurgence when they finally got their hands on the ball, it was never going to be enough to stop the Bulls from rampaging onwards.
That win was the only away win for the weekend, and was a massive statement on intent for the Loftus side - with their loose trio of captain Nama Xaba (who celebrated his birthday on Saturday), and new signings Jeandre Rudolph and Junior Pokomela being the key men for the demolition job.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Fidelity ADT Lions also put in a statement of intent against a very young Hollywoodbets Sharks XV team in their outing earlier on Saturday, again drawing on a number of URC players as they took revenge for last year’s final loss against the same opposition.
The Sharks clearly see the Currie Cup as a huge development opportunity and won’t want to be judged by this first one-sided outing, especially the 46-5 scoreline against them but it was clear there was a difference in experience as the Lions team was just more streetsmart and clinical when on attack and the young Sharks side struggled to handle it all.
They have a tough game this week as they head to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Bulls and coach JP Pietersen may bring in reinforcements. But the truth is their side is talented, and will settle, and it may benefit them in the long run in the bigger competitions in giving these youngsters a full season of experience.
The Lions, on the other hand, don’t have as big a URC squad as both the Sharks and Bulls, and we already saw how their decision to try and win the Currie Cup with part of their URC squad cost them later in the season as performances fell in the last few weeks of the URC. They will be hoping it doesn’t happen again.
The one good thing is that this year’s Currie Cup is already seeing an influx of World Champion SA under-20 stars, and teams like Boland and Western Province have both filled their ranks with Springbok Sevens players as well. Getting these talents in and settled will give the competition a stronger flair and flavour and will be beneficial for those players around them.
PUMAS GENUINE CONTENDERS
The weekend started off with a big win for the Airlink Pumas in Nelspruit against Griquas, giving coach Jimmy Stonehouse a strong start amid his side’s ambitions to win another trophy. The Pumas are never an easy side to play and will be genuine contenders on this display.
Their second half performance in particular showed their fitness as they won 49-28 after the teams matched each other in the first half.
Stonehouse is an experienced hand, and will be looking for a similar performance when the side heads to Bloemfontein to face the Cheetahs this weekend.
The other noteworthy game of the weekend saw the Novavit Griffons win the First Division when they beat the Valke 51-44 in a pulsating final in freezing conditions in Kempton Park on Saturday.
The match finished 37-all after 80 minutes and was 44-all after the first half of extra time, but a try by Griffons No 8 Ulrich Stander gave the Welkom side the crown.