The community-centred provincial tournament, launched last year and won by DHL Western Province, will again feature a number of televised triple-header match-ups in the form of Sunday Rugby Festivals that are played in community venues and will be free to the public.

WP will start the defence of their crown at the first of these festivals – on 22 April at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele outside Port Elizabeth – against home side Eastern Province.

The format of the tournament will again see five teams battle it out in each of the North, South and Central pools, with all 14 unions and Namibia taking part in what promises another exciting opportunity for new prospects to emerge and more fans to get the opportunity to see their heroes in action on their doorsteps.

As happened in 2017, Sunday Festivals will kick off with a televised Gold Cup qualifying match featuring a big derby between two local premiership clubs.

The SuperSport Rugby Challenge Pools are:

• North: Vodacom Blue Bulls, Xerox Golden Lions, Hino Valke, Steval Pumas, Namibia Welwitschias
• Central: Toyota Free State, Down Touch Griffons, Tafel Lager Griquas, Leopards, Cell C Sharks
• South: Boland Cavaliers, Border Bulldogs, EP Elephants, SWD Eagles, DHL Western Province

The top two teams from each pool, together with the two third-placed teams with the most log points, will qualify for the quarterfinals, scheduled for the weekend of 30 June/1 July. The semi-finals will once again take the form of a televised double-header on Sunday 8 July, with the final a week later, on Sunday 15 July.

- SA Rugby