The #Reloaded Currie Cup will kick off in dramatic fashion this weekend as six of the seven participating teams take to the field in the first of nine action-packed weekends of rugby, with the north-south derby between DHL Western Province and the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Cape Town taking centre stage.
Xerox Golden Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen named a team featuring a good mix of young players who have made a strong statement in the last two seasons and experienced players, with Springbok scrum half Ross Cronje leading their charge.
The Phakisa Pumas, under the captaincy of Ryan Nell (centre), feature nine players who started in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge final, which will give them confidence going into the clash.
The match will be played at Emirates Airlines Park and will start at 3pm on July 15.
The Cell C Sharks and Tafel Lager Griquas will kick off South Africa’s premier domestic competition in Durban on Friday evening, which will be followed by match-ups between the Lions and Pumas in Johannesburg, and WP and the Blue Bulls in Cape Town, on Saturday. The Toyota Free State Cheetahs have a bye.
Siv Ngesi (WP) and Bouwer Bosch (Blue Bulls) will make their debuts as official unofficial team commissioners at DHL Newlands on Saturday, and lucky fans will have the opportunity to interact with them.
The Currie Cup First Division will enter its second week, and with the Boland Cavaliers, Jaguares XV and Leopards aiming to build on their winning starts to the competition, fans will be treated to another entertaining round of action.
The SWD Eagles and Leopards will take to the field in George in the only match on Friday, while Saturday’s action will see the Border Bulldogs take on the Valke in East London, the Jaguares meet the Boland Cavaliers in Potchefstroom, and the EP Elephants battle it out with the Down Touch Griffons in Port Elizabeth.
