Weekend Preview: All Roads lead to Paarl

There’s no rugby match in South Africa this weekend bigger than Paarl Gim vs Paarl Boys’ High. It’s not a fixture – it’s identity. It’s family. It’s blood. Here’s your weekend preview:

Paarl Derby

Faure Street Stadium will be packed for the derby that means everything in the Winelands. Forget rankings. Forget the Boks. This is the one that counts.

Gim arrive unbeaten in 16, powered by Stormers-bound Markus Muller – scoring, kicking, tackling, creating. Boishaai have 15 wins of their own and, as Keo says, a handful of future Test Springboks will be on the field.

Gim hammered Boys’ High 30-8 last year, but history warns against reading into form. This game doesn’t care for predictions. It writes its own story.

Gim vs Boishaai: The Real Big One

And a nod to Keo’s favourite, Boishaai (Old Boy) No 10 Jack Cloete – who played 9 and 10 earlier this week and wears the family name with pride.

Currie Cup

Bulls out to batter bruised Sharks

The Bulls return to Loftus flying high after subduing WP in Cape Town. The Sharks, meanwhile, are still licking their wounds from a 44-3 hammering by the Lions.

Last year’s semi-final thriller ended 40-all, but this Bulls side looks more settled. The Sharks will need something special to avoid another bruising.

Castle Lager, Springboks, you & your bestie … a match made in rugby heaven

Cheetahs look to bounce back in Bloem

Frans Steyn’s side need a response after that Boland ambush. But the Pumas arrive confident after easing past Griquas.

The Cheetahs took last year’s final, but the Pumas beat them twice in the SA Cup. This one’s a toss-up.

Lions licking their lips

The Lions were ruthless against the Sharks and will back themselves to put WP away.

Province haven’t beaten the Lions since March 2023 and looked lost against the Bulls. Another tough afternoon looms.

Boland eye back-to-back upsets

Boland’s dramatic win over the Cheetahs has injected belief. Griquas have bossed this fixture in recent years, but Hawies Fourie’s men are starting to believe.

 

Lions eye whitewash, Wallabies cling to pride

The Lions head into Saturday’s final Test in Sydney chasing a 3–0 series sweep — a feat last achieved in Australia over a century ago. Andy Farrell’s side is largely unchanged, while the Wallabies turn to experience with Nic White in his final Test. The series is won, but pride, history, and one last battle remain.