Tight at the top as Griquas host Currie Cup leading Lions

The fourth round of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division promises another compelling weekend of domestic rugby – opening with a top-of the table clash in Kimberley between holders Suzuki Griquas and log leaders the Fidelity ADT Lions – with all four fixtures carrying significant implications after a dramatic shake-up last weekend.

The round opens with the Kimberley clash, which kicks off at 1pm on Saturday; followed by the Vodacom Bulls XVs first home match of the season, at 3.05pm against the Airlink Pumas in Pretoria; and the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV host the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers from 5.15pm in KwaMashu near Durban.

The action will conclude on Sunday, when DHL Stormers XXIII host the Toyota Cheetahs at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town (3pm). All the action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Just three points separate the top five sides, with the Lions leading on 12 points, followed by Griquas and the Cheetahs on 11, the Kavaliers on 10 and the Stormers XXIII on nine.

There are also no unbeaten teams left in the competition after last weekend’s defeats for the Free Staters and the Bolanders, meaning momentum, bonus points and home-ground advantage could all prove decisive in a compressed race for semi-final places.

The weekend opens with arguably the headline fixture, when Griquas welcome the Lions to Suzuki Stadium.

Griquas showed their championship temperament last week by holding off a fast-finishing Cheetahs side for a 24-21 win, scoring four tries and staying composed under pressure. The Lions were equally emphatic, overpowering the Bulls XV 42-19 in the Jukskei Derby to move to the summit.

Both sides have two wins from three, and both have already shown the ability to strike from distance, which should make this a high-tempo contest. The rivalry has also carried plenty of recent edge, with Griquas beating the Lions 27-25 in last year’s final after the Lions had held home advantage.

In their last five Currie Cup meetings, the balance has been tight, with the Gautengers leading 3-2 in this meeting but Kimberley remains one of the toughest away assignments in the competition.

The Bulls XV return to Loftus Versfeld still searching for their first win of the campaign, and they will know that their meeting with the Pumas is already a crucial fixture in their season.

The men from Pretoria have collected only one log point from three outings and come into the match having conceded 122 points so far.

The Pumas, by contrast, regained important momentum last weekend when they became the only travelling side to win in round three, with their 20-15 victory in Wellington ending the Kavaliers’ unbeaten run.

Jimmy Stonehouse’s men have one win from three, but their bonus-point return keeps them within striking distance of the top five. The Pumas also holding a 3-2 advantage over the Bulls in the last five meetings between the sides.

The Sharks XV – featuring four members of the 2026 Junior Springbok squad – will be back in KwaZulu-Natal determined to convert competitive passages into a complete performance when they host the Kavaliers at Princess Magogo Stadium.

The Sharks were beaten 36-28 by the Stormers XXIII last week, leaving them seventh on six points after one win and two defeats but their attack has remained capable enough to keep them in contests.

Boland will be looking to bounce back after they suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend, a result that dropped the Winelands side to fourth despite their impressive points differential.

The Kavaliers have been one of the stories of the competition after returning to this level with purpose, while the Sharks are still building cohesion around a squad with a youthful edge. Last year, the Durbanites had to fight hard for their 33-31 home win over Hawies Fourie’s side and Saturday’s clash promised to be just as exciting.

The round concludes at Athlone Stadium on Sunday, where the Stormers XXIII host the Cheetahs in a fixture with clear top-four consequences.

The Stormers responded strongly to their heavy round-two defeat to Boland by beating the Sharks XV 36-28 last weekend, securing a bonus point and moving to within three points of the log leaders. The Cheetahs, who had opened with two wins, suffered their first defeat when they went down 24-21 to Griquas in Kimberley, despite a spirited second-half fightback.

The Free Staters are third on 11 points and will want to reassert themselves immediately. They will travel to Cape Town with confidence, having beaten the Capetonians in each of their last seven meetings.

Fixtures

Suzuki Griquas v Fidelity ADT Lions - Saturday @ Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley (1pm)

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls XV v Airlink Pumas - Saturday @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (3.05pm)

Referee: Dylen November

TV: SuperSport

Hollywoodbets Sharks XV v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers - Saturday @ Princess Magogo Stadium, KwaMashu, Durban (5.15pm)

Referee: Dylen November

TV: SuperSport

DHL Stormers XXIII v Toyota Cheetahs - Sunday @ Athlone Stadium, Cape Town (3pm)

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen

TV: SuperSport