The sixth edition of the tournament promises to be the biggest and most exciting yet, with the Toyota Cheetahs, Suzuki Griquas, and the Airlink Pumas going head-to-head with three international teams over three action-packed days of triple-header rugby at Toyota Stadium. Portugal’s Lusitanos, Georgia’s Black Lion, and Romania A will all test their mettle against the South African sides. 

For the visitors, the tournament offers invaluable preparation ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, with all three nations set to feature on rugby’s biggest stage.

Neels Volschenk and Gideon van der Merwe against Black Lions in 2025. Photo: Morgan Piek

The Cheetahs’ marquee signing, Faf de Klerk, will not feature during the Toyota Challenge. There is also a strong possibility that the two-time Rugby World Cup-winning scrumhalf could miss much of the Currie Cup campaign due to potential Springbok commitments, with the national season getting underway against England next month.

Although the Cheetahs sneaked into the Currie Cup by the narrowest of margins, they have earned another opportunity to compete. While a pre-season has not been possible, the Toyota Challenge will serve as crucial preparation for the world’s oldest domestic rugby competition.

Head coach Frans Steyn told OFM Sport that the squad is in a positive space and determined to build on the momentum generated during the latter stages of the recently concluded SA Cup.

“I would have loved to have had a proper pre-season before the Currie Cup, but this is what we need to do,” said the two-time Rugby World Cup winner.

“We need to play on Friday, we need to do well, and we need to win. The guys who had a couple of days off were happy to be back in camp, and the spirit is really good.

“I thought we played well towards the end of the SA Cup. We started slowly, but there was some really good rugby in those final stages.”

Zander du Plessis. Photo: Morgan Piek

Steyn added that while the SA Cup was a difficult campaign at times, there were valuable lessons to be learned, and he believes adversity has strengthened the group.

“There are definitely lessons to take from the SA Cup. If we play in the competition again next year, there are still a lot of things that need to be fixed,” said Steyn.

“From our side, we tried to save money with our travel arrangements, and it almost caught up with us at the end, so there are things I would do differently. Having said that, you only grow as a person during tough times.

Chucky van der Westhuizen. Photo: Morgan Piek

“If everything is going well and everyone is smiling all the time, you never get to see people’s true character. After the SA Cup, I believe we have a tight group, and we know who our friends are.”

Cheetahs captain Neels Volschenk told OFM Sport that from a player’s perspective, the squad is excited to return to action and embrace the unique challenge that lies ahead.

“We’re really looking forward to this year’s Toyota Challenge. We’ll be facing three international teams, and it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to play three overseas sides in the space of about 12 days,” said the young skipper.

Michael Annies. Photo: Morgan Piek

“It’s a great challenge for us as a group. We want to build on and improve the progress we showed during the final two or three matches of the SA Cup and use this competition to keep moving forward. The excitement in the squad is definitely there, and we’re all looking forward to getting started.”

Friday’s action at the Toyota Stadium gets underway at 13:30 when the Pumas take on Black Lion. At 15:30, the Griquas face Romania A, before the Toyota Cheetahs entertain Lusitanos at 18:00 in the headline fixture of the day.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh