2026 SA Cup
| 2026 SA Cup | |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 March – 23 May 2026 |
The 2026 SA Cup is the third edition of the annual domestic rugby union cup competition, the SA Cup. It is played between provincial teams in South Africa and the competition serves as qualification to the Currie Cup Premier Division and Currie Cup First Division respectively.[1]
The Pumas are the current defending champions.[2]
Competition
The same 10 teams are competing in the 2026 SA Cup. The top four teams qualify to join the four United Rugby Championship teams in the 2026 Currie Cup Premier Division and the remaining six teams will battle it out for the 2026 Currie Cup First Division title.[3]
Teams
Location of teams in 2026 SA Cup
| Team | Sponsored name |
|---|---|
| Border Bulldogs | N/a |
| Boland Cavaliers | Sanlam Boland Kavaliers |
| Cheetahs | Toyota Cheetahs |
| Eastern Province Elephants | N/a |
| Griquas | Suzuki Griquas |
| Griffons | N/a |
| Leopards | N/a |
| SWD Eagles | N/a |
| Pumas | Airlink Pumas |
| Valke | N/a |
Standings
| 2026 SA Cup | |||||||||||
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griquas | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 250 | 29 | 221 | 38 | 3 | 15 | |
| Boland Cavaliers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 163 | 71 | 92 | 23 | 9 | 15 | |
| Pumas | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 43 | 42 | 12 | 6 | 14 | |
| Griffons | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 88 | 96 | -8 | 13 | 14 | 10 | |
| Cheetahs | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 95 | 51 | 44 | 15 | 6 | 7 | |
| SWD Eagles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 50 | 33 | 13 | 7 | 7 | |
| Valke | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 68 | 148 | -80 | 9 | 21 | 5 | |
| Eastern Province | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 76 | -43 | 3 | 11 | 1 | |
| Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 194 | -157 | 5 | 30 | 1 | |
| Border Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 46 | 190 | -144 | 7 | 30 | 0 | |
- Green background (rows 1 to 2) indicates qualification places for the SA Cup grand final and 2026 Currie Cup Premier Division.
- Blue background (rows 3 to 4) indicates other teams qualified for the 2026 Currie Cup Premier Division.
- Plain background (row 5–10) indicates other teams qualified for the 2026 Currie Cup First Division.
Source = springboks.rugby
Fixtures and results
Regular season
Round one
| 6 March 2026 | Eastern Province | 23–29 | Valke | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha | |
| 17:00 | Try: Sachin Toring, Laken Gray. Conversions: Garth April (2) Con: April (2) Pen: April (2), Maxwell Klaasen |
Report | Try: Ezrick Alexander, Pierre Rabie, Musa Tshabalala, Adrian Joubert Con: Sergio Stalmeester (2), Mbembe Payi Pen: Payi |
Referee: Dylen November |
| 6 March 2026 | SWD Eagles | 26–28 | Pumas | Outeniqua Park, George | |
| 18:00 | Try: Keanu Vers, Ulrich Stander, Carel du Preez, Penalty Try Con: Fred Zeilinga, Abner van Reenen |
Report | Try: Sango Xamlashe, Valentino Wellman, Dalvon Blood, Ntsika Fisanti Con: Danrich Visagie (4) |
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen |
| 6 March 2026 | Free State Cheetahs | 24–34 | Boland Cavaliers | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | |
| 18:00 | Try: Prince Nkabinde, Alex-Zander du Plessis, Louis van der Westhuizen, Christiaan van der Westhuizen Con: Cohen Jasper, Ethan Wentzel |
Report | Try: Juan Mostert, Lunathi Nxele, Xavier Mitchell, Thurlow Marsh Con: Juan Mostert (4) Pen: Mostert (2) |
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen |
| 7 March 2026 | Griquas | 101–7 | Leopards | Griqua Park, Kimberley | |
| 15:00 | Try: Lourens Oosthuizen (3), Sako Makata (3), Cameron Hufke (2), Connor Mahoney (2), Albert Liebenberg, Tiaan Lange, Damian Markus, Phumzile Maqondwana, Gustav Erlank Con: Louis Koen (9), George Whitehead (4) |
Report | Try: Naiden Jaarts Con: Shaun Baxter |
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron |
| 7 March 2026 | Griffons | 36–17 | Border Bulldogs | North West Stadium, Welkom | |
| 15:00 | Try: Calla Pienaar, Hlumza Nondonga, Chad Tshimanga (3), Justin Forwood Con: Keegan Schaefer (3) |
Report | Try: Siyabonga Marele, Mbasa Nkonki, Sphamandia Soti Con: Avuyile Mabece |
Referee: Griffin Colby |
Round two
| 13 March 2026 | Leopards | 7–64 | Free State Cheetahs | Olën Park, Potchefstroom | |
| 18:30 | Try: Hlumelo Ndudula Con: Jandré Burger |
Report | Try: Marko Janse van Rensburg (2), Jandré Nel, George Lourens, Cohen Jasper, Clayton Blommetjies, Victor Sekekete, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Tielman Nieuwoudt, Penalty Try Con: Cohen Jasper (4), Ntokozo Makhaza (2) |
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron |
| 13 March 2026 | Pumas | 47–10 | Eastern Province | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit | |
| 19:00 | Try: Ntsika Fisanti (3), Andrew Kota, Sango Xamlashe, Valentino Wellman, Darnell Osuagwu Con: Clinton Swart (4), Danrich Visagie (2) |
Report | Try: Lwandile Mapuko Con: Lwandile Mapuko Pen: Garth April |
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys |
| 14 March 2026 | Valke | 15–52 | Griquas | Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park | |
| 15:00 | Try: Mbembe Payi, Zander van der Merwe Con: Tylor Sefoor Pen: Tylor Sefoor |
Report | Try: Connor Mahoney (3), Cameron Hufke, Tiaan Lange, Mnombo Zwelendaba, Marco de Witt, Lourens Reinart Oosthuizen Con: Liam Koen (4), George Whitehead (2) |
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen |
| 14 March 2026 | Border Bulldogs | 22–57 | SWD Eagles | Sisa Dukashe Stadium, Mdantsane | |
| 15:30 | Try: Sibusiso Lali, Hlumelo Zitha, Hlumelo Pantyo Con: Isiphe Mbini (2) Pen: Isiphe Mbini |
Report | Try: Tiaan Pretorius (2), Gideon van Wyk (2), Janus Venter, Gunther Janse van Vuuren, Kyle Cyster, Matthew Sekele, Penalty Try Con: Fred Zeilinga (5) |
Referee: Paul Mentre |
| 15 March 2026 | Boland Cavaliers | 56–23 | Griffons | Boland Stadium, Wellington | |
| 16:00 | Try: Xavier Mitchell (4), Sidney Tobias (2), Khwezi Mafu, Chris Smit Con: Juan Mostert (7), Thurlon Williams |
Report | Try: Chyle van Zyl, Penalty Try Con: Dehovine Johannes Pen: Keegan Schaefer (3) |
Referee: Sean Muller |
Round three
| 20 March 2026 | Cheetahs | 7–10 | Pumas | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | |
| 18:00 | Report | Referee: Christopher Allison |
| 21 March 2026 | Boland Cavaliers | 73–24 | Valke | Boland Stadium, Wellington | |
| 15:00 | Report | Referee: Dylen November |
| 21 March 2026 | Griffons | 29 –23 | Leopards | North West Stadium, Welkom | |
| 15:00 | Report | Referee: Paul Mente |
| 21 March 2026 | Griquas | 97–7 | Border Bulldogs | Griqua Park, Kimberley | |
| 15:00 | Report] | Referee: Lulutho Matomela |
| 21 March 2026 | Eastern Province | v | SWD Eagles | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha | |
| 17:00 | Referee: AJ Jacobs |
Round four
| 27 March 2026 | Pumas | v | Valke | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit | |
| 17:00 |
| 28 March 2026 | SWD Eagles | v | Boland Cavaliers | Outeniqua Park, George | |
| 15:00 |
| 28 March 2026 | Leopards | v | Border Bulldogs | Olën Park, Potchefstroom | |
| 15:00 |
| 28 March 2026 | Free State Cheetahs | v | Eastern Province | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | |
| 15:00 |
| 28 March 2026 | Griquas | v | Griffons | Griqua Park, Kimberley | |
| 15:00 |
References
- ^ "Status quo remains for 2026 SA Cup and Currie Cup", news24.com, 11 February 2026
- ^ "Airlink Pumas Claim Maiden SA Cup Title with Dominant Win Over Suzuki Griquas - South Africa Today". southafricatoday.net. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ "SA Rugby confirms bumper domestic schedule for 2026". SA Rugby.