The Pick n Pay Gold Cup returns for its 10th edition on 26 September, and the draw has delivered a blockbuster opening round that perfectly captures everything community rugby represents.
Three-time defending champions Naka Bulls will resume a growing rivalry with Cape Town’s Schotsche Kloof Walmers in what promises to be one of the tournament’s standout Round of 32 clashes, a rematch of April’s pulsating Easter encounter that had everything except a comfortable margin.
Also read: Club Rugby | Gold Cup line-up locked in
SA Rugby confirmed the final 32-team line-up on Thursday, with SK Walmers, based in Cape Town’s historic Bo-Kaap and playing out of the iconic Green Point Track, grabbing the tournament’s wildcard spot after a stellar domestic season that’s seen them become one of Western Province’s most dangerous outfits.
The wildcard that earned its ticket
This isn’t charity selection or token representation. SK Walmers have earned their golden ticket through results that speak louder than any selection committee endorsement.
The Bo-Kaap club finished in the top five of the Western Province Super League A behind three former national club champions in Villagers, Durbanville-Bellville and Hamiltons.
But here’s the really impressive statistic: SK are currently riding a 12-match unbeaten streak stretching back to April. Twelve matches. Zero defeats.
During this remarkable run, head coach Sentle Lohoko, who also served as assistant coach to the Stormers XXIII in the Carling Currie Cup, has guided Walmers to victories over FNB Varsity Cup champions Maties and UCT, plus two former Gold Cup winners in Hamiltons and False Bay.
The Easter revenge mission
SK’s golden ticket creates a fascinating narrative arc. Their reward for domestic excellence? A trip from the shadow of Table Mountain to Pretoria’s Moot, where they’ll face the team that’s owned this tournament for three consecutive years.
The two sides met at the Saldanha Super 8 Easter tournament on the West Coast in April in what became an instant classic. Naka Bulls hung on desperately to win 28-24 en route to claiming the Cup, whilst Walmers bounced back to lift the Plate title.
Four points separated them in April. Both sides scored freely. Neither could pull away. It was exactly the kind of match that creates rivalries and guarantees the rematch will be absolutely electric.
This time the stakes are higher. This isn’t a pool match or plate semi-final. This is sudden death knockout rugby where the loser goes home and the winner advances toward national glory.
A field stacked with champions
This year’s 32-team line-up is arguably the strongest in years, featuring no less than six current or former national club champions in the draw.
The 2025 finalists Villager return alongside 2015 champions Durbanville-Bellville, both from Western Province. KZN contributes College Rovers and Crusaders, whilst Johannesburg’s Pirates represent the Lions.
New blood and returning heavyweights
The field balances tradition with fresh faces. Perennial SWD contenders Pacaltsdorp Evergreens of George, who reached the last eight of the inaugural Gold Cup in 2013, make a welcome return alongside Garden Route heavyweights Groot-Brakrivier.
The 2025 semi-finalists Rhinos from Limpopo return, as do fellow miners Sishen from Griquas, Lowveld kings White River, Eastern Cape giants East London Police, and last year’s quarter-finalists Gardens of Kariega.
Newcomers include Bethlehem Oud-Skoliere of the Griffons, making their Gold Cup debut despite being Eastern Free State community rugby giants for decades. Randfontein and Grizzlies also debut, adding fresh storylines to rugby’s most democratic national tournament.
The bigger picture
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer highlighted the tournament’s remarkable 2025 success and the vision for continued growth.
“The 2025 Pick n Pay Gold Cup was a tremendous success. Fans across the country bought into the vibe, our social media pages had almost two million views and we intend to build on that foundation this year,” Oberholzer said.
The Gold Cup Trophy Tour roadshow has already resumed, with the iconic trophy visiting Pick n Pay Wellington and Roses United Rugby Club last weekend, allowing fans to connect with the tournament’s history.
“The role that the Gold Cup’s new partners, Pick n Pay and Northam Platinum, have played in the tournament’s revival cannot be overstated. They have bought in to what we are trying to achieve in the community rugby space and we look forward to taking things up another level when teams get down to battle at the end of the month.”
From 1975 to 2026
The tournament’s roots stretch back to 1975 when Stellenbosch Maties beat Durban Collegians in the first National Club Championship final. Today, 31 years into the professional era, it remains South Africa’s premier national club tournament, serving as an aspirational platform for all 1,197 clubs and 118,000 registered players.
After a three-year pandemic hiatus that threatened community rugby’s future, the Gold Cup returned in 2023 with a reinvented FA Cup-style knockout format that doubled participation from 16 to 32 clubs.
Record crowds and unprecedented social media engagement in 2025 proved community rugby hadn’t just survived, it was thriving, culminating in Naka Bulls’ memorable hat-trick triumph in Cape Town.
The Round of 32 kicks off on 26 September, featuring two clubs from each of the 15 provincial unions plus defending champions Naka Bulls and wildcard SK Walmers.
Full fixtures and the complete draw will be released soon, but one match already has everyone talking: champions versus wildcards, Pretoria versus Cape Town, Easter rematch with everything on the line.
Naka Bulls chasing history. SK Walmers riding a 12-match unbeaten streak. One will advance. One goes home.
