Heyneke Meyer v Frans Steyn: The battle for Currie Cup spots heats up
PREVIEW: 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 semifinal places, and crucially for some, Currie Cup qualification.
The sixth round kicks off with a Friday night opener in Nelspruit, setting the tone ahead of a full slate of Saturday fixtures spread across Wellington, Welkom, George, and Gqeberha.
The Pumas welcome the Leopards to Mbombela Stadium on Friday (19.00 local 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 31-43 home loss to Eastern Province and are still searching for consistency as the season approaches the final third.
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Arguably the standout fixture of the round unfolds in George, where the SWD Eagles host the Cheetahs from 15.00 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 semifinal chase.
SWD, coached by Heyneke Meyer, edged a thrilling 43-40 win over the Falcons last weekend, while Frans Steyn’s 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 gives them the edge in this meeting.
In Wellington, the Boland Cavaliers 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 Falcons 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 Falcons narrowly losing to SWD. Their last two SA Cup meetings were decided by single‑digit margins, including a 45-40 Falcons 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 to their playoff hopes.
Round six concludes in Gqeberha at 17.00 on Saturday, with 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.
Fixtures:
Friday, April 17
Pumas v Leopards
(Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit – Kick-off: 19.00; 17.00 GMT)
Referee: Dylen November
Saturday, April 18
SWD Eagles v Cheetahs
(Outeniqua Park, George – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Boland v Border
(Boland Rugby Stadium, Wellington – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
Referee: Hernus Coetzee
Griffons v Falcons
(Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Eastern Province v Griquas
(Madibaz Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 17.00; 15.00 GMT)
Referee: Lulutho Matomela
*Additional reporting: SA Rugby
