The African Rainbow Gold Cup kicks off on Saturday with matches scheduled at 16 club grounds around South Africa, at venues as far afield as Kathu, Saldanha, Hartbeespoort and Uitenhage.

The opening round will see 32 clubs play for places in the Round of 16 in the straight knock-out competition.

Rustenburg Impala – champions in 2019, the last time the competition took place – face a tricky trip to Secunda, while False Bay, the only other former winners in action this year, welcome Heidelberg to their home ground in Cape Town.

The Round of 16 is scheduled for the weekend of 15/16/17 September, followed by the quarter-finals (22/23/24 September), semi-finals (29/30 September) and the final (7 October).

African Rainbow Gold Cup Round 1 Fixtures (Saturday, 9 September)

15h00: Raiders vs Vereeniging (Johannesburg)

15h00: Progress vs Kimberley (Uitenhage)

15h00: Crusaders vs Tygerberg (George)

15h00: East London Police vs Bella Vista (East London)

15h30: Sasol Secunda vs Rustenburg Impala (Secunda)

15h30: Welkom Rugby Club vs Harlequins (Welkom)

15h30: False Bay vs Heidelberg (Cape Town)

15h30: College Rovers vs Centurion (Durban)

16h00: Wolverines vs White River (Hartbeespoort)

16h00: Northam Rhinos vs Collegians (Setaria)

16h00: Bloemfontein Police vs Louis Trichardt (Bloemfontein)

16h00: Naka Bulle vs Union Milnerton (Pretoria)

16h00: Springs vs Pirates (Springs)

16h00: Sishen vs PE Harlequins (Kathu)

16h00: Saldanha Bay vs Ncera Leopards (Saldanha)

16h00: Wesbank vs Westville Old Boys (Malmesbury)