Three rounds in, the 2025 Carling Currie Cup looks less like a steady procession for the usual suspects and more like a pub quiz where the underdog team is suddenly leading halfway through. The standings are a logjam – six teams separated by a single point – while the traditional powerhouses are feeling a very real nip at the ankles.
Boland’s Big Bite
The Boland Cavaliers, bless their farmer-tough hearts, pulled off a result that will be remembered in Wellington for years: a 29-10 bruising of the Golden Lions. Four tries, a last-minute bonus-point score from Juan Mostert, and a crowd that probably hasn’t stopped buzzing yet. For a union often cast as Currie Cup extras, this was a leading-man performance. The consequence? They’ve rocketed into the three-way tie at the top on 11 points, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Toyota Cheetahs and the Airlink Pumas. If they can keep this up – especially at home – Boland might make the kind of semifinal run that forces the big teams to clear their throats nervously.
Pumas Pounce
If Boland’s win was a shock, the Pumas’ 41-7 demolition of the Bulls at Loftus was a public service announcement. Yes, the Bulls are juggling United Rugby Championship commitments, but this was still Loftus. The Pumas were sharper, hungrier, and faster, with a defence that turned blue-jersey frustration into pink-jersey dominance. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. The reigning “small-town giant-killers” have reloaded for 2025, and if they can avoid the mid-season wobble, they could top this log outright.
Cheetahs Grind It Out
Bloemfontein’s finest may not have produced a crowd-pleaser in their 7–5 squeak over the Sharks, but two points are two points – and in a log this tight, every scrap matters. It was ugly, sure, but the Cheetahs are 2-1 and know how to win arm-wrestles. They’ll take that resilience into Round 4 against a desperate Western Province.
Griquas Swat WP Aside with ease
Then there’s Kimberley’s Suzuki Griquas, who barely had to reach fourth gear in running out 47-17 winners. The result was expected, so there is not much to say about it beyond the fact that Griquas are a very difficult outfit at home. Staggeringly, their visitors last beat them all the way back in December 2020, which is a run of domination not many speak about enough.
Trouble in the Basement
Speaking of Province… it’s hard to spin 0-3 as anything but trouble. Same for the Sharks, whose campaign is looking stale before it’s even warmed up. These are two unions with deep resources and strong feeder systems, yet they’re sitting on duck-eggs while Boland and Griquas feast. If either wants to claw back into semifinal contention, the turnaround has to start immediately.
What’s Next – Round 4
The fixtures ahead are loaded with narrative hooks:
- Griquas vs Sharks in Kimberley – One of the most hostile road trips in SA rugby. Lose here, and the Sharks could be cooked.
- Cheetahs vs Western Province – WP’s last chance to stop their season from spiralling. Bloemfontein is a bad place to need points.
- Pumas vs Lions in Nelspruit – Two form teams colliding. Expect fireworks and some scoreboard whiplash.
- Bulls vs Boland in Wellington – The surprise leaders hosting the wounded bulls from Pretoria. If Boland win again, the fairy tale gets real.
Why It Matters
The Currie Cup has often been dismissed in the United Rugby Championship era as a “development comp.” Try telling that to Boland’s forwards, who just monstered the Lions. Or to the Pumas backs, who ran the Bulls ragged. What we’re seeing is a tournament stripped of predictability, where coaching nous, squad depth, and momentum are worth more than pre-season reputations. The fact that first and sixth place are split by a single point means one bad week can drop a contender into the danger zone.
And that, dear reader, is how you end up with the Cavaliers staring down the Bulls from the top of the mountain, while the Sharks and Province go fishing for their first win.
If this keeps up, the only thing “blindsided” this season will be the punters who still think the Currie Cup follows the script.
