The quarterfinalists in the Pick n Pay Gold Cup have been confirmed after a tense Round of 16 weekend in which all eight home sides in the ‘FA Cup’ of South African rugby made it through to the last eight.
This year’s tournament, which signals a bold new era for club rugby on the back of significant growth in the community game, is also supported by Northam Platinum, whose commitment to community aligns with the grassroots spirit of the Pick n Pay Gold Cup.
Pick n Pay’s title partnership with the Gold Cup is part of a four-year agreement that includes becoming Tier-1 sponsors of the four-time world champion and now back-to-back Castle Lager Rugby Championship-winning Springboks.
In the North section, defending champions Naka Bulls are just three victories away from what would be an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ of national titles, after hat-tricks by left wing JJ Motlhodi and scrumhalf Jack Hart saw the Pretoria side sweep aside visitors Louis Trichardt by 88-19.
DARK HORSES
Naka Bulls will face Northam Wolves in the first quarterfinal, after the platinum miners emerged as a tournament dark horse by beating Raiders of Johannesburg by 53-30 in a match which saw wing Marcel Human score three tries – the first in the opening minute and the hat-trick score in the 77th – and kick three conversions for a personal haul of 21 points.
Northam’s other team, Rhinos, the 2024 runners-up, had to come from behind to beat a gallant Centurion 31-19, with the match in the balance right until the end, when Rhinos wing Elzandro Fredericks scored in stoppage time to seal the win.
Rhinos will play Harlequins of Pretoria in the second quarterfinal after Quins beat Vereeniging by 34-22 in a seven-try see-saw battle ultimately decided by a second try for centre Dieter Crafford and 14 points from the boot of flyhalf Jaen-dré de Bruyn.
In the South half of the draw, two mouthwatering quarter-finals are set for the Western Cape.
Western Province champions Villagers, who are looking for their first national title since 1980, beat arch-rivals Hamilton for the fourth time in 2025 to secure their place in the last eight.
The country’s oldest club derby didn’t disappoint, with the Claremont side having to reel in a half-time deficit to prevail 27-14 over their Sea Point opponents, who were looking to cap their 150th anniversary season with a second national title.
Villagers will host Gardens in the third quarterfinal, after the Nelson Mandela Bay-based side held on for a tense 29-25 win over Kruisfontein United in the big Eastern Cape derby, played at the Central Ground in Kariega.
SEVEN-TRY THRILLER
The capacity crowd were treated to a seven-try thriller, in which the home side appeared well on their way to securing a home last-eight tie when a 74th-minute try by super-sub Claude Jantjies took Gardens to within a penalty of overtaking Villagers’ 12-point winning differential against Hamilton.
But Kruisfontein had other ideas, wing Breyton Wentzel diving over in the 79th minute to ensure a tense final minute in which Gardens had to hang on by their fingernails for a famous win.
The fourth quarterfinal will see KZN champions College Rovers fly to the Cape Winelands to play Boland champions Robertson, after the Durbanites secured a hard-fought win over their rivals from across the Umgeni River, Crusaders, by 19-3.
Robertson, who, like Northam Wolves, look to be peaking at just the right time, overcame their great rivals from 50km up the R60, Villagers Worcester, 52-33 in a 13-try affair that was only decided in the dying minutes.
The full house at the Van Zyl Sports Grounds got their money’s worth, with Worcester fullback Elton Mfundisi’s 74th-minute try cutting the home side’s lead to just five points to set up a nerve-wracking end to a rollercoaster match.
But it was Robertson who ultimately prevailed, centre Jennewil April’s score from the restart and his second touchdown in stoppage time finally putting daylight between the sides.
“We’ve now reached the business end of the Pick n Pay Gold Cup and it was clear to see the step up in intensity,” said SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer.
“The last eight teams standing will now know that anything can happen in a knockout tournament and that they are within touching distance of lifting the Cup.
“I would once again like to thank Pick n Pay and Northam Platinum for making the Gold Cup possible, thus allowing our best amateur and semi-professional players the chance to display their talents on a national stage.
“In 2017, Grant Williams was playing in the Gold Cup for College Rovers and on Saturday, he was in London, lifting the Rugby Championship trophy with the Springboks.
“The Gold Cup has the potential to provide the next Grant Williams with an alternative route to professional and even international rugby, and with Pick n Pay and Northam Platinum on board, I have no doubt this will happen sooner rather than later.”
This weekend’s quarterfinal venues and kick-off times will be confirmed in due course.
Pick n Pay Gold Cup Round of 16 Results – Saturday 4 October:
North section:
Naka Bulls 88-19 Louis Trichardt
Northam Wolves 53-30 Raiders
Northam Rhinos 31-19 Centurion
Pretoria Harlequins 34-22 Vereeniging
South section:
College Rovers 19-3 Crusaders
Robertson 52-33 Villagers Worcester
Villager 27-14 Hamilton
