Khwezi Mafu, powerhouse looseforward of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, has been an influential figure in Hawies Fourie’s side since joining from the Leopards last year.
The 27-year-old journeyman – he has turned out for the Vodacom Bulls, Airlink Pumas, Valke, and Leopards since matriculating from Grey High School in Gqeberha in 2016. Mafu, who also played for the SA Schools side in both his Grade 11 and 12 years, will start at openside flank when the Kavas play the Airlink Pumas in Mbombela in a crucial Carling Currie Cup clash.
Mafu has made a strong impression with the Cavalry (Boland supporters) after making his debut in the SA Cup. He is particularly revered for his powerful runs and bulldozing defence, whilst also being a safe line-out option for the men from Wellington.
“Being back in the starting line-up doesn’t really feel different from coming off the bench. From the very beginning of this Currie Cup campaign, the coaches made it clear that every player has an important role to play – whether you start or come on as an impact player. Last week, my role off the bench was to bring energy in the second half and take advantage of tired legs. This week, my responsibility with the rest of the starters is to set the tone early, establish the standard and put us in a strong position by halftime.”
Looking ahead to the Pumas challenge, Mafu, who forms a back row with Sibusiso Sangweni and captain Thurlow Marsh, expects a fierce contest.
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 17: Khwezi Mafu of Sanlam Boland Cavaliers celebrates scoring a try with team mates during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Vodacom Bulls at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 17, 2025, in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
“Facing the Pumas in Mbombela will be tough. They’ve been inconsistent (in the Currie Cup) by their own standards, but they’re still dangerous and will come out firing after some recent results. For us, the mindset doesn’t change – we don’t fear anyone and we respect every opponent while focusing on our own goals. We want to prove that Boland can be competitive both at home and away.”
The former SA Schools star believes the Cavaliers’ campaign is about more than just results. “Our mission is to put Boland rugby on the map. We’ll fight for it, give everything, and whatever happens after 80 minutes, we’ll regroup and keep pushing. With three games to go, nothing is do-or-die yet – it’s about consistency, hard work and belief. This Currie Cup journey is something special, and as a group, we want to make the class of 2025 memorable. We’ve had setbacks, but now it’s about bouncing back and showing what Boland rugby is made of.”
Mafu and the Kavas are set to face the Airlink Pumas at Mobombela Stadium at 17:00 on Friday. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport channel 211 with referee Cwengile Jadezweni taking charge of this fixture.
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers head coach Hawies Fourie has announced his side to face the Airlink Pumas in Mbombela, which includes five changes from the one that beat the Vodacom Bulls in the Carling Currie Cup Premier division in Wellington on Sunday.
Fullback James Tedder returns after missing out against the side from Pretoria because of a back injury. Donovan Don, the leading try scorer in the Carling Currie Cup with seven tries in four matches, misses out due to injury and is replaced by Marcqwien Titus on the right wing.
The rest of the backline has a now familiar look to it with the midfield pairing of Lunathi Nxele and David Brits and the halfback duo of the experienced Louis Schreuder and Ashlon Davids. Left wing Xavier Mitchell completes the backline.
Up front, Fourie has opted for a brand-new front row. Regular starters Wayrin Losper and Dayan van der Westhuizen are back in the number 1 and 3 jerseys, respectively, with Mthokozisi Gumede and Laurence Victor on the bench. HP van Schoor starts in the number two jersey with Llewellyn Claasen providing cover from the bench. Sidney Tobias has been rested.
Michael Benadie and Jurie van Vuuren reunite in the second row, whilst Khwezi Mafu is back in the starting line-up after a sterling performance off the bench against the Bulls. He swaps roles with Ludio Williams. Mafu teams up with Sibusiso Sangweni and captain Thurlow Marsh to form the rest of the loose trio.
A victory against the Airlink Pumas will all but secure the Kavas’ place in the semi-finals, so the Wellington-based side will have all to play for at the Lowveld. Fourie’s side has lost twice this year to Jimmy Stonehouse’s Pumas, with both encounters going down to the wire. The Airlink Pumas won 34-32 in the SA Cup league match early in May in Wellington before they defeated the Bolanders 31-29 two weeks later in Mbombela in the semi-final.
SANLAM BOLAND KAVALIERS: 15 James Tedder, 14 Marcqwien Titus, 13 David Brits, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Ashlon Davids (vice-captain), 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Khwezi Mafu, 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 HP van Schoor, 1 Wayrin Losper Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Laurence Victor 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Ludio Williams, 21 Chriswill September, 22 Juan Mostert, 23 Erik Lambrecht
A home semi-final of the Carling Black Label Currie Cup Premier Division would be a dream come true for the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, but coach Hawies Fourie is not the type of guy who walks around with his head in the clouds.
There is still a job to do for his team that is currently sitting in second position on the Currie Cup log with 16 points after three wins and one loss.
All three of the Kavas’ wins came at home against current log leaders, the Toyota Cheetahs, followed by the Fidelity ADT Lions and Vodacom Bulls.
The side’s only loss so far came against the Suzuki Griquas, where a lack of game management and inaccuracy at scrum time cost Fourie’s team in what was a game that was theirs for the taking after a comfortable halftime lead.
And with their perfect home run in the Currie Cup’s league phase now completed, the Kavas hit the road for three consecutive away games, starting with a trip to Nelspruit, where they come up against the Airlink Pumas in a 5 pm clash on Friday.
The following week, a trip to Pietermaritzburg looms, where it is expected that the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV will use some of their United Rugby Championship (URC) stars for the clash.
Boland will then end their league run with a highly anticipated derby against DHL Western Province at the DHL Stadium on 6 September.
A win in one of these three fixtures should be enough to get the Kavas to the play-offs, but what about qualifying with home-ground advantage?
“I believe in taking things one step at a time,” Fourie says. “Our goal remains to first get to a semi-final and then once we get there, we can start talking about [getting a home semi] in those last weeks.
“We can then look at what the permutations are to get a home semi-final. But, as I said, we must qualify first, and I don’t believe in thinking too far ahead when it comes to these types of things.”
Fourie, however, adds: “If we can get a home semi-final, it would be great and it is something we would love to achieve for our supporters.
“You can’t shy away from the fact that the support that we have had in these three home games has been unbelievable. None of the other teams has had that much support in this season’s Currie Cup. So, if we can get a home game, then I believe they will be able to carry us through to a final.”
The Kavas boss knows his team will have to stay on mission if they want to achieve something great in their first season back in the Currie Cup since 2016. But he says he has already seen signs of togetherness throughout this campaign that make him and his management staff sleep a little bit easier at night.
“The mission of this team is to bring hope to the people of the Boland and show them what can be done, with fewer resources than the other teams,” he explains. If you go and put this team on paper, then not a lot of people would have given us a chance to get to where we are at the moment.
“That forms part of the message we want to send out to everyone; against all odds, you can achieve things. The entire group is working in the same direction, and that is the one thing I have noticed about our team.
“Guys that are not playing, they are on the side of the field, in the change room afterwards, and they are just as glad for the win as the guys out there on the field. That tells you a lot about the culture within a side, and that is what we want to show to the world out there.”
SANLAM Boland Kavaliers captain Thurlow Marsh reckons he and his team are finding ways of beating teams in this year’s Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.
The Kavas fought back after trailing 12-7 at halftime at the Boland Stadium in Wellington to beat the Vodacom Bulls 28-20 on Sunday.
It was their third straight win at home after defeating the Toyota Cheetahs in the opening round and besting the Fidelity ADT Lions in the third round.
The three wins have seen Boland rise to second position on the Currie Cup log ahead of three away games, starting with Friday’s fifth round clash against the Airlink Pumas in Nelspruit.
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 17: Ashlon Davids of Sanlam Boland Cavaliers (Player of the Match) during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Vodacom Bulls at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 17, 2025 in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
According to Marsh, they never panicked after conceding two tries in an error-ridden first-half performance against the Bulls.
“Like coach Hawies Fourie said, our start to the game felt a bit rusty, and everyone felt a bit shaky. But I think after conceding the two tries, we remained calm. We did not look under pressure to me when we stood behind the poles; it was just a matter of time for us to remain calm and get back to what works and what we prepared for,” Marsh explained.
The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers then scored a powerful rolling maul try as hooker Sidney Tobias crashed over just before halftime to get the Kavas up and running.
Marsh continued: “The try we scored before halftime grew a new belief, especially into the forwards, because we saw here is a weakness we can begin to exploit.
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 17: Khwezi Mafu of Sanlam Boland Cavaliers scores a try during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Vodacom Bulls at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 17, 2025 in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 17: Khwezi Mafu of Sanlam Boland Cavaliers celebrates scoring a try with team mates during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Vodacom Bulls at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 17, 2025 in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
“[Assistant] coach Pote [Human] then told us to do more of that even when we find ourselves further away from the red zone. We should maul them because it was their weakness, and the boys did it quite well.”
The Kavas did, however, find themselves playing with 14 and 13 men down after three yellow cards, but Marsh praised his side’s defensive work for not allowing the Bulls to add to the eight points the visitors scored in the second half.
“The game was so fast that we did not even feel as if we were playing with a player of players down, and that is the type of character that this team has,” he said.
The Police officer by day and rugby player on the weekend does, however, lament the fact that they were inaccurate in certain aspects of their game and pointed out: “At the beginning of the game, there was a bit of nerves, yes.
“Our work at the breakdowns was not that good, especially from our first phase attacks. We just could not get anything going.
“We go to a point where we forced a few things, but when our forwards got that first maul try at halftime, it gave us the belief.
“Our backs started understanding that they should allow us as forwards to get that dominance up front before they can start doing their thing out wide.”
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers has taken down another big dog to go level at the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division standings after beating the Vodacom Bulls 28-20 in Wellington on Sunday.
This was the third victory at home for the Wellington side, retaining their unbeaten status at the Boland Rugby Stadium.
It was a fighting performance by the Kavas, who only hit the lead in the contest deep into the second half after trailing 7-12 at halftime.
Boland started the game off well, but could not finish off early opportunities as a staunch Bulls defence met them. While some unforced errors also let the home team down.
The Bulls capitalised on Boland’s misfiring as Jean Erasmus crashed over for the game’s opening try.
The score would remain 5-0 deep into the first half as both sides struggled to get momentum, before the Bulls extended their lead to 12-0 when Jaco Grobbelaar crashed over from a powerful rolling maul.
The Kavas needed a response and found one as hooker Sidney Tobais also scored from a powerful rumble by the home side, right on halftime.
Boeta Chamberlain, however, extended the Bulls’ lead to 15-7 with an early penalty in the second half, before Boland try scoring supremo Donovan Don had a hand in the start of a Kavas attack and finished it off with a pick and go to bring the home side to within one point of the lead.
Bulls captain Nama Xaba rallied his troops as the captain himself crossed the line for the Bulls’ third try to keep the scoreboard pressure on Boland.
However, that did not faze captain Thurlow Marsh and his men, who turned the pressure into winning momentum with Khwezi Mafu finishing off a brilliant move from a powerful scrum before former Bulls prop Dayan van der Westhuizen delivered the final blow and bonus-point-winning try in the final 10 minutes of the clash.
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 17: Thurlow Marsh (Captain) of Sanlam Boland Cavaliers tackled during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Vodacom Bulls at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 17, 2025 in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
The win sees the Kavas move into second spot behind the Toyota Cheetahs on the Currie Cup log, with both sides on 16 points and the Bloemfontein side ahead on points difference.
With three rounds left, one more win for the Kavas will all but seal a semi-final spot as they prepare to travel to Nelspruit to tackle the Airlink Pumas on Friday, 22 August.
Sanlam Boland Cavaliers head coach Hawies Fourie has announced a team with a new-look forward pack for Sunday’s Carling Currie Cup clash against the Vodacom Bulls in Wellington.
Lock and captain Marlyn Williams has been ruled out due to a facial fracture, with Jurie van Vuuren taking his place in the second row with number eight, Thurlow Marsh, assuming the captaincy. Van Vuuren will make his Kavas debut.
The experienced Sibusiso Sangweni has recovered from the ankle injury he picked up in round two and replaces Ludio Williams at blindside flank, who moves to openside in place of Sauliegh Arendse.
The last time these two sides met was in the Carling Currie Cup of 2016 when the Pretoria-based side beat the Cavaliers 48-26. The Bulls traditionally enjoy significant support among the rugby-loving Western Cape rugby support base, with a sold-out crowd expected to turn up at the Boland Rugby Stadium.
WELLINGTON, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 10: Thurlow Marsh of the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers during the Carling Currie Cup match between Sanlam Boland Cavaliers and Fidelity ADT Lions at Sanlam Boland Stadium on August 10, 2025 in Wellington, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
In the front row, Mthokozisi Gumede gets his first start at loosehead prop with Wayrin Losper moving down to the bench. Tighthead Doctor Booysen will be in action for the first time in the competition, replacing Dayan van der Westhuizen, who now plays a role from the bench.
Hooker Llewellyn Classen is likely to make his debut for the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers after joining from the Airlink Pumas ahead of the competition. Godlen Masimla has also been named on the bench in place of Chriswill September.
The backline is unchanged after Blitzbok, Donovan Don, who has scored six tries in the first three rounds, was declared fit to play.
Kick off on Sunday is at 15:00 and will be broadcast on SuperSport channel 211. Robbie Jenkinson will be officiating the encounter.
SANLAM BOLAND KAVALIERS: 15 James Tedder, 14 Donavan Don, 13 David Brits, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Ashlon Davids (vice-captain), 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Ludio Williams, 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Mthokozisi Gumede
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Wayrin Losper, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Khwezi Mafu, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Juan Mostert, 23 Erik Lambrecht
