SA Rugby confirms schedule for double-round 8-team Currie Cup

SA Rugby on Monday confirmed the competition structure for the 2023 season.

The Currie Cup Premier Division will be expanded to eight teams as last year's First Division champions, the Griffons, are added to the mix. The double-round Currie Cup will start on 10 March and run until the final on 24 June.

This will see an overlap with the URC and Challenge/Champions Cups, which means the provincial teams' top players will hardly feature in the Currie Cup.

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Six local teams will contest the Currie Cup First Division, which starts on 10 February, and they will later be joined by five international teams - the Diables (Spain), Simbas (Kenya), Welwitschias (Namibia), Tel-Aviv Heat (Israel) and Goshawks (Zimbabwe) - in a new Mzanzi Challenge on 24 March.

All 11 teams will contest the Mzanzi Challenge in a single round format which includes a semi-final and final during the 14-week period.

At the same time, the six local teams will carry points earned against each other into the race for the Currie Cup First Division title. The team who finishes with the most log points (only matches involving the SA teams to be taken into account) will be crowned the winner.

Currie Cup Premier Division

Participating teams: Pumas (defending champions), Bulls, Griquas, Sharks, Western Province, Cheetahs, Lions, Griffons.

Opening round: 10/11 March (double round of matches)

Final: 24 June

Currie Cup First Division & Mzanzi Challenge

Participating teams: Leopards, Valke, Boland Cavaliers, Eastern Province, Border Bulldogs, SWD Eagles (Currie Cup First Division); Diables (Spain), Simbas (Kenya), Windhoek Draught Welwitschias (Namibia), Tel-Aviv Heat (Israel) and Goshawks (Zimbabwe) (Mzanzi