South Africa’s second oldest non-university club, Villager, will be looking to cap an historic and highly successful 150th anniversary season thus far when they go in search of an unprecedented “triple” at this year’s Pick n Pay Gold Cup, which kicks off this Saturday, 26 September.
The Claremont-based side, established in 1876, reached the Gold Cup Final in 2025, where they lost to Sanlam Naka Bulls at their Brookside stronghold in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to win the national crown for the first time since former Springbok captain Morné du Plessis’ class of 1980.
The Capetonians will be looking to go one better this year and add the most sought-after trophy in South African club rugby to their Western Province League and Cup triumphs achieved over the past few weeks, in a year in which they became only the third club in South Africa – alongside Hamilton and the University of Stellenbosch – to pass the 150-year mark.
Villager’s first obstacle on Saturday will be Border runners-up Young Leopards, with the match kicking off at Brookside at 15h00.
The clash is just one of 16 taking place across the length and breadth of the country, as the ‘FA Cup’ of South African rugby enters its 10th edition under the Gold Cup brand – and the second with partners Pick n Pay and Northam Platinum investing into the grassroots game.
This year’s 32-team line-up is arguably one of the strongest in years, with no less than six current or former national club champions in the draw, including Villager and 2015 champions Durbanville-Bellville (both WP), College Rovers and Crusaders (both KZN), Pirates (Lions), and three-time defending champions, Naka Bulls of Pretoria.
“The 2025 Pick n Pay Gold Cup showed the tremendous appetite and passion for community rugby amongst supporters from every conceivable walk of life,” said SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer.
“Our highly popular Pick n Pay Gold Cup Trophy Tour roadshow is also in full swing, having already visited Wellington and Pacaltsdorp, and this coming weekend the famous Cup will be making its first ever visit to the Lowveld, where it will be on display at the match between White River and Louis Trichardt.
“The Gold Cup’s partners, Pick n Pay and Northam Platinum, have been incredible in the way they have bought into what we are trying to do in this space, and that can only augur well for the future.”
There are a number of intriguing Round of 32 fixtures this weekend, both in the North and South sections.
Defending champions Naka Bulls, who recently lost their Blue Bulls Carlton Cup crown to Tukkies, will need to be at their very best when they face wildcards SK Walmers of Western Province first up.
Perennial title contenders Northam Rhinos will be hoping that 2026 is finally their year, and the platinum miners will kick off their campaign against Mpumalanga champions Nelspruit.
At the other end of the country, all eyes will be focused on the West Coast where Boland champions Saldanha will host Pacaltsdorp Evergreens in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd, while the same can be said for the Garden Route, where Groot-Brakrivier welcome Roses United of Wellington to their very own ‘House of Pain’.
The Pick n Pay Gold Cup’s roots can be traced back to 1975, when the University of Stellenbosch’s Maties beat Durban Collegians in the first-ever National Club Championship final. Today, 31 years into the professional era, the Gold Cup remains South Africa’s premiere national club tournament, with the objective of growing to serve as an aspirational platform for every single one of the country’s 1,197 clubs and their 118,000 registered players.
It will also be the second time that the tournament will be sponsored by Pick n Pay, the national retail chain’s investment into community rugby forming part of a four-year agreement with SA Rugby that includes becoming Tier-1 sponsors of all the national teams.
The success of the Gold Cup is also thanks in no small part to the support of Northam Platinum, whose commitment to community aligns with the grassroots spirit of the Pick n Pay Gold Cup.
Round of 32 Fixtures – Saturday 26 September:
Note: All kick-off times 16h00 unless otherwise indicated
North section:
Welkom v Centurion (Griffons B field, Welkom, 15h00)
White River v Louis Trichardt (White River Rugby Club, 15h30)
Naka Bulls v SK Walmers (Naka Bulls Rugby Club, Pretoria)
Grizzlies v Brakpan (Grizzlies Rugby Club, Pretoria)
Northam Rhinos v Nelspruit (Setaria Recreation Club, Setaria)
Northam Wolves v Pirates (Wolves Rugby Club, Hartbeespoort)
Vereeniging v Bethlehem Oud-Skoliere (Vereeniging Rugby Club)
Randfontein v Sibanye Stillwater (Greenhills Stadium, Randfontein)
South section:
College Rovers v Kimberley (KP3, Kings Park, Durban, 13h00)
Bloemfontein Police v PE Harlequins (Fichardtpark Secondary, Bloemfontein, 14h00)
Villager v Young Leopards (Brookside, Cape Town, 15h00)
Gardens v Bloemfontein Collegians (Central Ground, Kariega, 15h30)
Groot-Brakrivier v Roses United (Green Haven, Groot-Brakrivier, 15h30)
East London Police v Durbanville-Bellville (Police Park, East London, 15h30)
Saldanha v Pacaltsdorp Evergreens (Transnet Saldanha Stadium, Saldanha Bay)
Sishen v Durban Crusaders (Sivos Sports Ground, Kathu)
Pick n Pay Gold Cup Champions – 2013-2025:
2013 – Despatch (EP)
2014 – Rustenburg Impala (Leopards)
2015 – Durbanville-Bellville (WP)
2016 – Rustenburg Impala (Leopards)
2017 – False Bay (WP)
2018 – no tournament as Gold Cup transitioned from post-season to pre-season timeslot
2019 – Rustenburg Impala (Leopards)
2020, 2021, 2022 – did not take place due to Covid
2023 – Sanlam Naka Bulls (Bulls)
2024 – Sanlam Naka Bulls (Bulls)
2025 – Sanlam Naka Bulls (Bulls)
Ex0Tic
Sport Trivia: Who was the first SA cricketer to take a hat trick in Test cricket? Answer: Geoff Griffin in the second test match against England at Lords in June 1960 — he dismissed Mike Smith, caught by the wicket-keeper, then bowled Peter Walker and Freddy Trueman. England went on to win the game by an innings and 73 runs. He never played another test match after that, due to his continually being called no-ball for alleged throwing.
Hitch Frenzy
In the early days of rugby, there were no points awarded for ‘tries.’