About
The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV upset the odds when they edged the Fidelity ADT Lions in a pulsating final in Johannesburg in 2024, dethroning 2023 season champions, the Toyota Cheetahs. The Airlink Pumas (2022) and Vodacom Bulls (2020 and 2021) are other recent champions. These teams were joined in the 2024 Premier Division by the DHL WP, Suzuki Griquas and the Novavit Griffons, but in 2025, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers will return to the competition for the first time since 2016, while the Griffons have dropped out after the SA Cup. This season, the teams will play a single round of matches, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals (weekend of 13 September) before the final, on Saturday, 20 September.
The history
The Currie Cup is one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world, with the first games played in 1889, but it was only in 1892 that it became officially known as the Currie Cup. The original participating unions were Western Province, Griqualand West, Transvaal and Eastern Province. The first tournament was held in Kimberley and was won by Western Province. The Currie Cup trophy was donated to South Africa in 1891 by the touring British Isles team - it was given to the tourists by Sir Donald Currie, owner of Union-Castle Lines, the shipping company that transported them to the southern tip of Africa. Sir Donald was clear with his instructions – hand this trophy over to the team in South Africa that gives you the best game. After a spirited display where the unbeaten British Lions narrowly won 3-0, Griqualand West became the first ever holders of the Currie Cup.
Airlink Pumas
25 Jul | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
19:00
Suzuki Griquas
Fidelity ADT Lions
26 Jul | Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
15:00
Hollywoodbets Sharks
DHL Western Province
26 Jul | DHL Stadium, Cape Town
17:10
Vodacom Bulls
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers
27 Jul | Boland Stadium, Wellington
15:00
Toyota Cheetahs
Fidelity ADT Lions
14 - 16
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
Piardi to referee Vodacom URC Grand FinalAndrea Piardi will referee his third consecutive Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final this Saturday after the Italian was selected to oversee the clash between Leinster and the Vodacom Bulls at Croke Park in Dublin.
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
Bulls to meet Leinster in Grand Final in DublinThe Vodacom Bulls will travel to Dublin where they will line up against Leinster in the Vodacom URC Grand Final next Saturday after the two top-ranked teams defeated the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Glasgow Warriors respectively in a gripping semi-final round on Saturday.
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
Vodacom URC Grand Final berth at stake in PretoriaThere will be no love lost when the Vodacom Bulls host the Hollywoodbets Sharks in their all-South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final in Pretoria on Saturday, where a place in the Grand Final of the cross-hemisphere showpiece will be up for grabs.
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
SFM crowned SA Vodacom URC Player of the SeasonSpringbok and DHL Stormers utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added another significant accolade to his SA Rugby Young Player of the Year award by being crowned SA’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship Player of the Season for 2024/25.
SA Rugby Under-21 Cup and Shield
Top three surge ahead on SA Rugby U21 Cup logDefending champions DHL Western Province, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and the Vodacom Bulls opened a gap at the top of the standings after all three were victorious in their fifth round SA Rugby Under-21 Cup clashes staged over the past weekend.
