Cheetahs’ Currie Cup hopes on the line in SA Cup match against Griquas

The Cheetahs are going to have to break their almost three-year duck against the Griquas at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Friday evening if they are to make sure that they qualify for the 2026 Currie Cup competition by making the SA Cup playoffs.

This weekend sees the final pool round of the SA Cup battled out, and the Cheetahs are currently third on the log on 30 points, but have the Boland Cavaliers and South Western District Eagles both on 27 points just behind them.

The Cavaliers take on Eastern Province and the Eagles are up against the Leopards, both at home in their final pool games, and both will be confident of walking away with a full house of points.

If they manage that, the Cheetahs will likely need at least two losing bonus points from their match against the Griquas, as their strong points difference would see them sneak through, or they have to finally get a win over the side from Kimberley.

The Cheetahs’ last win over the Griquas came all the way back March 2023, when they thumped them 42-19 in the Currie Cup in Kimberley, and a few months later the two teams drew 29-all in Bloemfontein.

But since 2024 it has been complete misery for the Cheetahs as the Griquas have won their last six straight matches against them.

Griquas wins

The Griquas won 39-17 in the SA Cup and 44-31 in the Currie Cup in 2024, before edging both contests in the SA Cup in 2025, 33-29 in the pool stage and 41-38 in the semifinal, followed by two thumping wins in the 2025 Currie Cup, 40-10 in the pool stage and 25-5 in the semifinal.

The Griquas have been in impeccable form in the SA Cup this year, winning all eight of their games so far with bonus points and are thus assured of top spot regardless of the result against the Cheetahs, and despite playing in Bloemfontein they will be favourites.

“There is a lot to play for. At the moment we are just focusing on what we can do on the pitch and the controllables that we can control. There is a good vibe (in the team) and hopefully on the weekend we can play to our potential,” said Cheetahs coach Frans Steyn.

“The ball is in our hands. We must win and that’s it. They are a very good team and things are going very well with them at the moment. They have had quite a while to build this group.

“We can’t make mistakes at all, because they have a bunch of lethal players (who feed off) mistakes. That’s where they’ve really hurt us the last few years. So we have to be at our best.”

Only the top four teams on the log at the end of the SA Cup pool stage qualify for the Currie Cup where they will join the SA United Rugby Championship sides, with the Griquas and Pumas already assured their spots, while the Cheetahs, Cavaliers and Eagles are battling it out for the last two.