SA Rugby confirms 2023 domestic calendar, expanded Currie Cup

While the United Rugby Championship and Champions and Challenge Cups are already in full swing, South Africa's rugby bosses have now also confirmed the competition structure for the rest of the local rugby calendar.

This includes an eight-team Currie Cup Premier Division competition starting in the second week of March, one more team than last year following the addition of First Division champions the Griffons.

The Pumas will have to defend their Currie Cup title against the Bulls, Sharks, Cheetahs, Lions, Griquas, Western Province and Griffons over a double round of matches, culminating with the final on 24 June, four weeks after the URC wraps up on 17 May.

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

All 11 teams will contest the Mzanzi Challenge in a single-round format which includes a semi-final and a final match during the 14-week period, with the final set for mid-June. At the same time, the six local teams will carry points earned against each other into the race for Currie Cup First Division honours.

In the women's game, seven teams will battle it out for top honours in the Women's Premier Division, while the Women's First Division will comprise eight teams, with the dates and final structure of these competitions to be confirmed in due course.

The Border Ladies will defend their Premier Division title against Western Province - runners up against the Eastern Cape side the last two years - the Golden Lions Women, EP Queens, Boland Dames, Blue Bulls Women and Sharks Women.

The Women's First Division will once more feature eight teams - Leopards, Valke, Limpopo, Pumas, Free State, Griffons, Griquas and SWD. These competitions are scheduled to take place towards the middle of the year.

The provincial Under-20 sides will kick off the local action when seven teams - the Bulls, Cheetahs, Leopards, Lions, Sharks, Western Province and Valke - will contest the SA Rugby U20 Cup competition over a single round.

The opening round of the SA Rugby U20 Cup competition starts on 18 February and the final match will be staged on 6 April 2023, after which the best players will be invited to join the SA Rugby Academy programme, which will then feed into the Junior Springboks for the return of the World Rugby U20 Championship.

SA Rugby President Mark Alexander said the announcement of the confirmed competition structure for 2023 follows an intense period of planning by the governing body and key stakeholders.

"In a year when we will see the Springboks defend their Rugby World Cup title in France, we are extremely pleased to announce these confirmed competitions, ranging from the Currie Cup Premier Division and brand-new Mzanzi Challenge, to our provincial women's leagues right down to age-group rugby.

"I'd like to commend everyone involved in this planning process, including the provincial union CEOs and coaches, for working so hard in collaboration with our Rugby and Competitions departments to produce an incredible detailed and workable schedule for the entire local season.

"I also want to thank our broadcast partner SuperSport for again getting on-board with these plans in what promises to be an epic season of local rugby action," Alexander said.

All fixtures will be confirmed by SA Rugby in due course.