The country’s pre-eminent knockout championship for non-university clubs – which is sponsored by the national retail chain for the first time as part of a four-year agreement that includes becoming Tier 1 sponsors of the world champion Springboks – is also supported by Northam Platinum, whose commitment to community aligns with the grassroots spirit of the Pick n Pay Gold Cup.

In the northern section, there were big home wins in the Round of 32 for defending champions Naka Bulls, 2024 runners-up Northam Rhinos, Pretoria Harlequins and Northam Wolves, while in the south half of the draw, it was Villager, Robertson and College Rovers who got out of the blocks with equally imposing wins in front of their own fans.

But the real drama was reserved for Vereeniging, Kruisfontein, Welkom and White River.

A penalty after the hooter gave Valke champions Vereeniging a nail-biting 39-37 victory over Pirates of Johannesburg.

In Humansdorp, home side Kruisfontein only advanced to the Round of 16 on try count after their match against SWD’s Heidelberg finished 33-33 after 80 minutes, while scores were still tied after extra time. The hosts scored a vital fourth touchdown in a seven-try thriller that ultimately made all the difference.

In Welkom, Louis Trichardt’s No 8 Denzel Dhlamini dived over in stoppage time for his side’s levelling score, which scrumhalf Louis Fourie calmly converted for a 20-18 win, while visitors Centurion hung on by the same scoreline in the Lowveld against a spirited White River.

All in all, there were no fewer than six away wins on the day that were decided by 10 points or less, with Hamilton’s 39-30 victory over East London Police and Villagers Worcester’s 39-32 win over Sishen in the remote Northern Cape mining town of Kathu, no less impressive than the exploits of their numerous title rivals.

With the field now halved, and with six current or former champions still in the hunt, this coming weekend’s Round of 16 promises even more drama, with the knockout draw producing a number of mouthwatering derbies to look forward to.

In the South Section, Villager – having dismantled Swallows 99-10 in Claremont on Saturday – will host Hamilton in what is the country’s oldest club derby, with a combined 299 years of history between the sides.

Villager, who recently won the Western Province Grand Challenge Cup for the first time in 25 years, will be looking for their first national title since former Springbok captain and 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning team manager, Morné du Plessis, lifted the trophy in 1980.

“This past weekend once again saw how South African rugby teams at all levels respond when the stakes are at their highest,” said SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer.

“From the Springboks, who were effectively playing a ‘semi-final’ against the Pumas in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, to the clubs in the Pick n Pay Gold Cup who never gave up looking for the winning score or holding their line deep into injury time, that knockout mentality is something we as a rugby nation can be very proud of.

“I have no doubt that, as the stakes get progressively higher this coming weekend, our top clubs will bring more of that unique spirit to a national stage in the Pick n Pay Gold Cup.”

In the North Section, Naka Bulls will move one step closer to an historic hat-trick of Pick n Pay Gold Cup titles when they host Louis Trichardt in Pretoria on Saturday, with the nation’s capital also set to welcome Vereeniging, who play Harlequins.

Pick n Pay Gold Cup partners Northam Platinum’s two participants, Wolves and Rhinos, face Raiders and Centurion respectively as the northern half of the draw heats up.

And in the South Section, it’s derbies all round as Rovers and Crusaders clash in Durban, and Villager and Hamilton lock horns in the Mother City.

But perhaps the pick of the weekend’s action is Gardens v Kruisfontein in a titanic Eastern Province derby that is set to bring the town of Kariega to a standstill, while, not to be outdone, Villagers Worcester and their small army of supporters will travel 50km down the R60 to arch-rivals Robertson for what is sure to be another sell-out occasion at the Van Zyl Sports Grounds.

Pick n Pay Gold Cup Round of 32 results:

North section:
Naka Bulls 66-8 Safcol United
Northam Rhinos 101-11 Welkom Rovers
Pretoria Harlequins 64-31 Nelspruit
Raiders 38-31 Brakpan
Northam Wolves 48-8 Sibanye
Vereeniging 39-37 Pirates
White River 18-20 Centurion
Welkom Club 18-20 Louis Trichardt

South section:
College Rovers 73-12 Bloemfontein Collegians
Villager 99-10 Swallows
Groot Brakrivier 23-33 Gardens
Robertson 62-7 Kimberley
Sishen 32-39 Villagers Worcester
Kruisfontein Utd 33-33 Heidelberg (after extra time; Kruisfontein advance on try count)
East London Police 30-39 Hamilton
Bloemfontein Police 21-26 Durban Crusaders

Pick n Pay Gold Cup Round of 16 Fixtures – Saturday 4 October (subject to change)

North section:
Naka Bulls v Louis Trichardt (Naka Bulls Rugby Club, Pretoria)
Northam Rhinos v Centurion (Setaria Recreation Club, Setaria)
Pretoria Harlequins v Vereeniging (Harlequins Rugby Club, Pretoria)
Northam Wolves v Raiders (Millstream River Estate, Hartbeespoort)

South section:
College Rovers v Northwood Crusaders (Kings Park 3, Durban)
Villager v Hamilton (Brookside, Cape Town)
Gardens v Kruisfontein (Derrick Ferreira Sports Ground, Kariega)
Robertson v Villagers Worcester (Van Zyl Street Sports Grounds, Robertson)