Griquas and Cheetahs clash in round 3 of the Currie Cup

Rugby

─── MORGAN PIEK 09:38 Thu, 18 Jun 2026

Gideon van der Merwe and Gustav Erlank. Photo: Morgan Piek

The defending Currie Cup champions, the Suzuki Griquas, will begin their title defence in just less than a month's time when they travel to Cape Town to face the Stormers in the opening round.

Fresh from another strong campaign and determined to retain the coveted trophy, the Peacock Blues will first fine-tune their preparations with a warm-up match against Hawies Fourie’s Boland Cavaliers on either 6 or 7 July. The 2026 Currie Cup officially gets underway on 17 July when the back-to-back SA Cup champions, the Pumas, host the Sharks at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

The opening clash in the Lowveld is scheduled to kick off at 17:00 and promises to set the tone for another fiercely contested season.

Marko Janse van Rensburg for the Cheetahs against the Lions in 2025. Photo: Morgan Piek

That match will be followed by the encounter between the Stormers and Griquas at the Cape Town Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45. On Sunday, 19 July, the Toyota Cheetahs will launch their campaign in Bloemfontein when they face the 2025 runners-up, the Lions, at the Toyota Stadium.

The match kicks off at 13:00. Later that afternoon, at 15:05, Boland will welcome the Bulls to Wellington.

Round two will see both the Cheetahs and Griquas enjoy their first home fixtures of the season. On Friday evening at 17:00, the Cheetahs will host the Sharks in Bloemfontein in what should be a fascinating early-season test.

The Griquas and Cheetahs in the 2025 semi-final under lights in Kimberley. Photo: Morgan Piek

The following day, the Griquas welcome the Bulls to Kimberley. It will be the first of three matches played under the floodlights at the Suzuki Stadium during the league phase.

Round three will begin with one of the most anticipated fixtures on the calendar as Griquas host the Cheetahs in Kimberley. The clash is a repeat of the dramatic 2025 semi-final and is expected to reignite one of South African rugby’s fiercest provincial rivalries.

The following week, the Griquas will play their third of four consecutive home matches when they entertain the Lions in Kimberley. Meanwhile, the Cheetahs will head to Cape Town for a challenging encounter against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium.

Gurswin Wehr the Griquas against the Lions in the 2025 final at Ellis Park in Johannesburg - Morgan Piek

Griquas’ final home fixture before a potential semi-final will come on 14 August when they host the Sharks. The Durban outfit have often found Kimberley to be an unforgiving destination, and the Peacock Blues will be eager to make home-ground advantage count once again. The Cheetahs, meanwhile, will travel north to Pretoria to face the Bulls.

In the penultimate round of the competition, Griquas travel to Nelspruit to take on the Pumas in what could prove decisive in the race for playoff places. The Cheetahs will host Boland in Bloemfontein on the same weekend.

The final round before the playoffs promises plenty of drama. The Pumas will host the Cheetahs in Nelspruit, while Boland will have home advantage against the Griquas as teams make their final push for semi-final qualification.

Mnombo Zwelendaba with the Currie Cup at Ellis Park in 2025. Photo: Morgan Piek

With traditional rivalries, difficult away trips, and several heavyweight clashes on the schedule, the 2026 Currie Cup is shaping up to be another thrilling chapter in the history of the world’s oldest domestic rugby competition.

2026 Currie Cup Fixtures: Griquas & Cheetahs

Round 1