Gavin Hunt believes Stellenbosch can challenge for Carling Knockout

Stellenbosch coach Gavin Hunt believes his side have a realistic chance of winning the Carling Knockout, pointing to the competition’s history of producing surprise winners.

The Cape Winelands club begin their campaign against Durban City in the first round at Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday at 19:00.

Stellenbosch won the inaugural Carling Knockout in 2023 under their former coach Steve Barker. They now return to the competition seeking a similar run under Hunt, despite having made a difficult start to their league campaign.

“In any cup competition there’s always a chance to win it and I think if you look at this competition, it’s got quite a history of underdogs winning it, so I really think we stand a good chance to win it,” Hunt said.

The tournament has again offered encouragement to teams regarded as outsiders. Orlando Pirates are the defending champions, while Magesi won the competition in 2024 before being relegated the following season.

Hunt will face his former club Durban City in the opening round, with the fixture taking place away from Stellenbosch. However, he indicated that playing in Durban could lessen the disadvantage of an away tie.

Stellenbosch have played several of their home matches in Durban this season because venues in the Western Cape were unavailable for various reasons. That familiarity could make the venue feel less unfamiliar to Hunt’s team.

“The draw is always important, who you play, where you play, but for us it’s difficult because we are playing away,” Hunt said.

“But maybe Durban is home away from home because we used to play there. So it is what it is,” he added when assessing the first-round meeting.

The Carling Knockout provides Stellenbosch with an opportunity to alter the direction of a season that has so far brought inconsistent league results.

They have won only two of their eight league fixtures, drawing two and losing four. Their cup campaign therefore begins with Hunt hoping the side can take advantage of a competition in which less-fancied teams have previously made a significant impact.

The match against Durban City kicks off at 19:00 on Wednesday at Chatsworth Stadium, with Stellenbosch aiming to continue the kind of cup success they achieved in the tournament’s first edition.