Thrilling start to 2025 Carling Currie Cup as Boland Kavaliers stun Cheetahs and Griffons claim first division title

The 2025 Carling Currie Cup kicked off with fireworks across the country as the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers delivered a last-minute stunner against the Toyota Cheetahs, while the NovaVit Griffons emerged as the Carling Currie Cup First Division champions in a dramatic final against the Valke.

In Wellington on Sunday, the Kavaliers, playing in front of a passionate home crowd, clinched a nail-biting 37–35 win over the Toyota Cheetahs thanks to an 87th-minute try by Blitzbok flyer Donavan Don. The try sent the Sanlam Boland Stadium into celebration, marking a spectacular return to top-flight rugby for the Western Cape-based side.

The Kavaliers took a 27–14 lead into halftime, courtesy of tries from Ashlon Davids, David Brits, and Don. James Tedder was clinical with the boot, adding valuable points. The Cheetahs stormed back in the second half, briefly taking the lead late in the game with a series of tries, including two from rolling mauls. However, Boland held their nerve, and Don’s second try sealed the upset win.

It was a high-scoring weekend all round, with the opening fixture on Friday night seeing the Airlink Pumas overpower the Suzuki Griquas 49–28 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. Despite trailing by just two points at halftime (25–23), the Pumas pulled away in the second half, aided by the Griquas’ poor discipline, which saw them receive three yellow cards.

Flyhalf Danrich Visagie was the star of the match, scoring 24 points through a try, five conversions and three penalties. Other contributors included Sango Xamlashe, Eddie Swart, Wian van Niekerk, JJ Scheepers and Darren Adonis as the Pumas crossed for six tries in total.

Saturday's fixtures saw the Fidelity ADT Lions dominate the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV 46–5 at Ellis Park. The Lions ran in seven tries, including a brace from Rabz Maxwane and a penalty try, while the visitors from Durban struggled to gain any foothold in the match.

Yellow cards to Phiko Sobahle and Jean Smith made matters worse for the Sharks XV, who only managed a solitary try in the second half through Sobahle.

At DHL Stadium in Cape Town, the Vodacom Bulls imposed their will on DHL Western Province with a convincing 48–23 win. The Bulls had the game virtually sealed by halftime with a 38–16 lead. Zak Burger and Jeandre Rudolph both scored two tries, and Boeta Chamberlain was flawless from the tee, converting all six tries and slotting two penalties.

Western Province’s cause was not helped by three yellow cards in the first half, disrupting their rhythm. Although Courtnall Skosan added a second-half try, the hosts couldn’t match the Bulls’ physicality and structure.

Meanwhile, in the First Division final on Saturday, the NovaVit Griffons and Valke treated fans to a pulsating encounter in Kempton Park. With the scores locked at 37–37 after regular time, both sides added converted tries in the first period of extra time to move to 44–44.

But Griffons No 8 Ulrich Stander crashed over for the decisive score in the second period of extra time, sealing a 51–44 victory and crowning the Welkom-based team as the 2025 First Division champions. The Griffons scored seven tries to the Valke’s five in a match played in icy conditions.

Looking ahead, the second round of Premier Division fixtures promises more excitement:

• Friday, 1 August: The Toyota Cheetahs host Airlink Pumas in Bloemfontein at 19h00.
• Saturday, 2 August: Fidelity ADT Lions face DHL Western Province at Ellis Park (15h00), followed by the Vodacom Bulls vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at Loftus Versfeld (17h10).
• Sunday, 3 August: Suzuki Griquas welcome Sanlam Boland Kavaliers to Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley at 15h00.

Scorers summary:

Carling Currie Cup First Division Final:

• Valke 44 (21) Tries: Ezrick Alexander (2), Theuns Pretorius, Mbembe Payi, Valentino Wellman Conversions: Keagan Fortune (4), Sergio Stalmeester. Penalties: Fortune (2), Stalmeester
• Griffons 51 (24) Tries: Duan Pretorius (2), Matt Gray, Kyle Syster, Jandre de Beer, Keanu Vers, Ulrich Stander Conversions: Andrew Kota (5) Penalties: Kota (2)

Premier Division Round 1 Results:

• Airlink Pumas 49 (25), Suzuki Griquas 28 (23) Pumas Tries: Xamlashe, Visagie, Swart, Van Niekerk, Scheepers, Adonis Griquas Tries: Erlank, Abrahams, Zwelendaba
• Fidelity ADT Lions 46 (24), Hollywoodbets Sharks XV 5 (0) Lions Tries: Maxwane (2), Cairns, Davids, Jonker, Horn, Penalty Try Sharks Try: Sobahle
• DHL Western Province 23 (16), Vodacom Bulls 48 (38) WP Tries: Van Wyk, Skosan; Bulls Tries: Burger (2), Rudolph (2), Manjezi, Van Zyl
• Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 37 (27), Toyota Cheetahs 35 (14) Kavaliers Tries: Don (2), Davids, Brits, Titus Cheetahs Tries: Janse van Rensburg, Kruger, Coetzee, Van der Merwe, Paulo

As the Carling Currie Cup gathers momentum, rugby fans can look forward to more thrilling contests as teams chase early-season form and championship glory.