The action begins in Kimberley, where defending champions Suzuki Griquas will welcome the to Suzuki Stadium for a 13:00 kick-off. The focus then shifts to Bloemfontein, where the Toyota Cheetahs will host the Pumas at Toyota Stadium at 15:30.

With a place in the final at stake, there is little room for error.

In March the SA Cup game between the Cheetahs and Pumas was suspended before half-time due to lighting - Morgan Piek

Griquas have been one of the standout sides throughout the campaign and enter their semi-final on home soil as the team to beat.

Pieter Bergh’s charges topped the league standings after collecting six victories from seven matches. They were also the competition’s leading points scorers, crossing the 270-point mark while finishing with an impressive points difference of +128.

Their momentum was evident in their final two league fixtures. Griquas first accounted for the Airlink Pumas 38-14 before producing another dominant display against the Boland Cavaliers, winning 48-17.

Lourens Oosthuizen - Morgan Piek

Their work without the ball has been equally impressive. Only 143 points were conceded during the league phase, highlighting the balance between their attacking ambition and defensive discipline.

The Lions had to dig deep to secure their semi-final berth, sealing fourth position with a vital 36-12 victory over the Stormers XXIII in Johannesburg.

That result underlined the resilience of Mziwakhe Nkosi’s team, who have become familiar faces in the latter stages of the competition.

The Lions have appeared in the Currie Cup final in each of the last two seasons and will be desperate to extend that run to three successive appearances.

Their attacking threat cannot be underestimated either. They scored 32 tries during the league campaign, the third-highest tally among the four semi-finalists.

Griquas have already shown they can contain the Lions, having beaten them 31-19 in Kimberley earlier in the season. However, Sunday’s encounter will carry a very different weight, with one mistake potentially ending either team’s title ambitions. 

The Cheetahs-bound Carl Els - Morgan Piek

The second semi-final in Bloemfontein has its own compelling storyline. The Cheetahs secured second place after winning five of their seven league matches, earning the right to host the Pumas in the knockout phase.

However, Frans Steyn’s team will have little interest in looking back at the league table after what happened in Nelspruit last weekend.

The Pumas delivered one of the most emphatic performances of the campaign, beating the Cheetahs 52-26 after scoring eight tries. The victory lifted Jimmy Stonehouse’s side into third place and gave them a huge psychological boost heading into the semi-final.

Marco Jansen van Vuren will provide cover at scrumhalf and centre againt the Pumas - Morgan Piek

The challenge for the Cheetahs is now to respond. They will need to put last weekend’s defeat behind them quickly and produce a far more complete performance in front of their home supporters. The Pumas, meanwhile, will travel to Bloemfontein knowing they have already demonstrated that they can cause serious damage to the Cheetahs’ defence.

There is no shortage of playoff experience in the Bloemfontein clash.

The Cheetahs have regularly featured in the latter stages of the Currie Cup in recent seasons and know how to navigate the pressure that comes with knockout rugby.

Referee Christopher Allison instructing the captain Sampie Swiegers and Chucky van der Westhuizen to leaver the field in the match match between the Cheetahs and Pumas in Bloemfontein - Morgan Piek

They also have fond memories of facing the Pumas in Bloemfontein. In 2023, the Cheetahs lifted the trophy after beating the Pumas 25-17 at home.

The Pumas have their own impressive knockout record. They reached successive finals in 2022 and 2023 and won the competition in 2022 after defeating Griquas in Kimberley.

While recent history had generally favoured the Cheetahs – they had won four of their previous five meetings with the Pumas before last weekend – the latest result has dramatically changed the complexion of Sunday’s contest.

Weather may play a factor in both semi-finals at this will add another layer of intrigue – especially after earlier in the year during the SA Cup, the match between the Cheetahs and Pumas in Bloemfontein was suspended and then called off shortly before half-time due to lighting.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport