Chasing pack hunt SA Cup frontrunners

As the 2026 SA Cup nears the halfway mark, this weekend’s league action presents another exciting line-up of games in George, Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein, and Kimberley on Saturday, while the remaining Sunday fixture will be staged in Nelspruit.

Frontrunners Suzuki Griquas and Sanlam Boland Kavaliers have both won all their games with bonus points after three rounds and the in-form duo will be determined to build on that momentum.

For the chasing pack – the defending champion Airlink Pumas, who are also unbeaten, SWD Eagles, Griffons, Toyota Cheetahs and Valke – their mission is to stay in touch with the log leaders as the race heats up for that coveted four semifinal berths, and qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.

Saturday’s Western Cape derby between SWD and Boland in George promises to be another lively affair in the rivalry between these two teams. The Eagles enter their fourth-round home fixture with confidence following their 26-22 success over Eastern Province in Gqeberha.

Heyneke Meyer’s men sit fourth on the log and have proven themselves to be gritty and organised, traits that will be required against the rampant Kavaliers in George.

Boland, coached by Hawies Fourie, are riding high after bagging three bonus point wins to date, including a 73–24 dismantling of Valke last weekend. With 163 points scored in three games, their attack will be a big test for the SWD defence. The Eagles, though, have shown noticeable improvement this year, as evident by their two recent wins.

Unbeaten and top of the log, Suzuki Griquas welcome the Griffons to Kimberley on Saturday. Griquas’ latest win was a 97–7 demolition of Border in the Diamand City. With 250 points on the bord in three matches, they have dominated each opponent so far.

The Kimberley outfit are one of the competition’s most consistent teams since its inception three years ago, winning the inaugural title in 2024 and finishing runners up in 2025, and are favoured to maintain their current winning streak.

But the Griffons are no pushovers and their third-round 29-23 win over the Leopards showcased their ability to grind out a result.

Also on Saturday, the Toyota Cheetahs face EP in Bloemfontein from 13h00. The Free Staters will hope for a better outcome than last weekend’s no-result when lightning halted their home game with Airlink Pumas before halftime. Under competition rules, the sides were awarded two points each.

Allister Coetzee’s EP were courageous in their close-fought 26-22 home loss to SWD last week, which left them with just two points from three starts. The sixth-placed Cheetahs will target this home clash for another win in their push for a semifinal spot.

In Potchefstroom, both the winless Leopards and Border will be desperately seeking a first win of the campaign. The men from North West were edged 29–23 by the Griffons last weekend, while Border continues to struggle, so the hosts from Potch will fancy their chances.

Sunday sees the Airlink Pumas returning home to the Mbombela Stadium for their 15h00 fixture with the Valke, after their lightning interrupted game in the previous round in Bloemfontein. Jimmy Stonehouse’s team looked menacing in their other two outings and JP Immelman and his visiting side from the East Rand will face a stern challenge in Nelspruit.

Match information:

Toyota Cheetahs v Eastern Province

Date: Saturday, 28 March

Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein

Kick-off: 1pm

Referee: Paul Mente

Suzuki Griquas v Griffons

Date: Saturday, 28 March

Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley

Kick-off: 2pm

Referee: AJ Jacobs

SWD Eagles v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers