| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| First season | 2021 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | South Africa Spain Romania Ireland United States Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) | Cheetahs |
| Most titles | Cheetahs (9) |
| Sponsor(s) | Toyota |
The Toyota Challenge is a rugby union competition hosted in South Africa by the Cheetahs, a team sponsored by Toyota SA. [1] The first tournament took place at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein between 13 November and 26 November 2021. [2]
In 2021, four teams played against the Cheetahs across four matches, with a 250,000 rand prize money for each match. In addition, players were rewarded for "positive play actions" during the games, while fans were rewarded for supporting their favourite teams in the stadium and online on various social media platforms. [3]
The Cheetahs are currently without a permanent tournament, whilst the Stormers and Sharks compete in the United Rugby Championship. CSM Știința Baia Mare competes in Romania's top level professional league the SuperLiga and Diables Barcelona are a newly formed Spanish pro team to promote professionalism in the Spain.
The Toyota Challenge fixtures are broadcast by SuperSport. [4]
The Cheetahs won six out of eight Toyota Challenge matches since 2021 making them the most successful team in the tournament.
In 2022, the competition returned with five team competing in a four-match Toyota Challenge with each match winning again winning a 250,000 rand prize money. [5] The Cheetahs remained as the hosts and are joined by Emerging Ireland, USA Falcons XV and Griquas. Italy A had been set to participate, but later withdrew and replaced by the Bulls. [6]
Cheetahs (2021, 2022, 2023)
CSM Știința Baia Mare (2021)
Diables Barcelona (2021) Sharks (2021) Stormers XV (2021) Western Province XV (2022) Bulls (2022) Griquas (2022) Pumas (2022)
Emerging Ireland (2022)
USA National A (2022)
Western Force (2023)The overall record for the teams in the Toyota Challenge matches is as follows:
| Toyota Challenge Overall Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Name | Champions | Runner-Up | |||
| Cheetahs | 9 | 3 | |||
| Western Force | 1 | 3 | |||
| Stormers XV | 1 | 0 | |||
| Emerging Ireland | 1 | 0 | |||
| Diables Barcelona | 0 | 1 | |||
| Sharks | 0 | 1 | |||
| CSM Știința Baia Mare | 0 | 1 | |||
| Bulls | 0 | 1 | |||
| USA National A | 0 | 1 | |||
| Griquas | 0 | 1 | |||
The below fixtures counted towards games where the winners would win the 250,000 rand prize money.
| 13 November 2021 17:30 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 30–31 | Stormers XV |
| Try: G. van der Merwe 13' c Kasende 20' c Jasper 71' c Con: Masuku (2/2) 14', 22' Thomson (1/1) 72' Pen: Masuku (3/3) 8', 43', 48' | Summary | Try: Theunissen 38' c Senatla (2) 68' c, 80+2' m Con: Mngomezulu (2/3) 39', 69' Pen: Mngomezulu (4/4) 6', 11', 31', 57' |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen |
| 17 November 2021 17:30 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 99–15 | Diables Barcelona |
| Try: Brandt (2) 1' m, 9' c Potgieter (2) 17' c, 33' m Boshoff (3) 19' c, 70' c, 76' c Booysen 20' c Mafuma (2) 36' m, 80' c Botha (2) 40' c, 63' c Viljoen 50' c Mohojé 54' c Venter 61' c Con: Thomson (12/15) 10', 18', 20', 22', 40+1', 52', 55', 62', 64', 72', 77', 80+1' | Summary | Try: Brand 31' c Yika 68' m Con: Van Bilion (1/2) 32' Pen: Van Bilion (1/2) 24' |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni |
| 20 November 2021 14:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 40–34 | Sharks |
| Try: Brandt (2) 25' c, 36' c Brits (2) 41' c, 69' c Con: Masuku (4/4) 26', 38', 42', 71' Pen: Masuku (4/4) 22', 34', 65', 77' | Summary | Try: Pienaar 3' m Potgieter 19' m Bleuler 54' c Volmink 60' c Ward 80' c Con: Chamberlain (3/5) 55', 62', 80+1' Pen: Chamberlain (1/1) 6' |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge |
| 26 November 2021 18:15 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 54–5 | CSM Știința Baia Mare |
| Try: Potgieter 19' c G. van der Merwe 38' m Boshoff 46' c Van der Westhuizen 53' c Penalty try 61' M. van der Merwe 64' c Masuku 74' c Sekekete 80' c Con: Thomson (2/3) 20', 47' Masuku (4/4) 54', 65', 75', 80+2' | Summary | Try: Mahlo 3' m |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Ruhan Meiring |
| 20 November 2021 11:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| CSM Știința Baia Mare | 72–14 | Free State XV |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Jaco Kotze |
| 25 November 2021 17:30 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Diables Barcelona | 6–59 |  Kenya |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Griffin Colby |
The below fixtures counted towards games where the winners would win the 250,000 rand prize money.
| 30 September 2022 16:15 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 17–14 | Bulls |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Paul Mente |
| 9 October 2022 13:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 14–21 | Emerging Ireland |
| Try: Penalty try (2) 26' c 75' c | Report | Try: Doak 20' c Daly 53' c Osborne 60' c Con: Crowley (3/3) |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Morné Ferreira |
| 14 October 2022 18:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 52–25 | USA National A |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys |
| 21 October 2022 16:15 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Cheetahs | 27–20 | Griquas |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Christopher Allison |
| 30 September 2022 13:45 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Griquas | 7–54 | Emerging Ireland |
| Try: Otto 32' c Con: Fouché (1/1) | Report | Try: Penny (2) 13' c 36' c Baloucoune 24' c Wycherley 40' c Moore 53' c Daly 61' c McCann 68' m Nash 79' c Con: Crowley (6/6) Flannery (1/2) |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Morné Ferreira |
| 5 October 2022 17:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Pumas | 24–28 | Emerging Ireland |
| Try: Fouché 20' m Swart 30' c de Klerk (2) 60' m 65' c Con: de Beer (2/4) | Report | Try: Mullins 7' c Culhane (2) 10' c 52' c Flannery 16' c Con: Flannery (4/4) |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni |
| 5 October 2022 19:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Griquas | 41–7 | Bulls |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Griffin Colby |
| 9 October 2022 17:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Pumas | 27–20 | Western Province XV |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Griffin Colby |
| 21 October 2022 13:45 SAST (UTC+2) |
| Pumas | 33–15 | USA National A |
| Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Jaco Peyper |
The below fixtures counted towards games where the winners would win the 250,000 rand prize money.
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