Pumas and Griquas to battle it out for SA Cup title
The Pumas and Griquas in action during their SA Cup pool match earlier this season. The two teams will contest the final on Saturday. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images
A cracking 2025 SA Cup final is on the cards as fierce rivals the Pumas and competition defending champs Griquas are set to battle it out for the title at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela on Saturday evening (kick-off 6:30pm).
Although it is a lower division title, with none of the country's big four, the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions taking part, it is still an important trophy for the teams bubbling under, while the competition is also used as qualification for the Currie Cup, with the top four ranked teams making it in.
That saw the two finalists, plus the third and fourth placed Cheetahs and Boland Kavaliers respectively, joining the big four in the country's premier franchise competition, set to kick off towards the end of July.
This weekend's finale could have been very different after two thrilling semifinals were battled out last weekend that just went the way of the hosts by very small margins.
The Pumas edged the Kavaliers 31-29, after they were reduced to 12 men in the second half holding a 25-10 lead, which allowed the visitors to fight back and go ahead 29-25, before two late penalties snuck the hosts back in front for the win.
The Griquas and Cheetahs battled out a breathtaking encounter, both teams taking the lead and drawing level on numerous occasions, leading to the scores being locked at 38-all with just over 10 minutes left.
Home captain George Whitehead then nailed a long range penalty to get them back ahead, which proved to be enough thanks to a terrific defensive effort at the death, including holding a Cheetahs player up over the line to secure the win.
Fantastic rivalry
The Pumas and Griquas will now continue their fantastic recent rivalry that has seen both sides triumph over the other in major finals.
In 2022 it was the Pumas that stunned the Griquas on their home ground in the Currie Cup final, clinching a 26-19 win to lift the country's oldest trophy for the first time.
In the 2023 Currie Cup the Pumas beat the Griquas 28-13 and 27-17 in the pool phase, as they made it to the playoffs and finished as runners-up to the Cheetahs.
The SA Cup was then launched in 2024, and the Griquas got their revenge, beating the Pumas 31-26 in the pool stage and 46-24 in the final to lift the inaugural title.
But the Pumas bounced back in the 2024 Currie Cup, thumping the Griquas 44-24 and 66-26, while they are unbeaten in this year's SA Cup, beating their rivals 39-34 in the pool stage, to take a three game winning run into the final.
A top encounter is thus in the offering and it could become a scintillating battle that goes right down to the wire to see who will emerge victorious.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
12 hours ago
- IOL News
Slaughter of the innocents as Sharks capitulate to Bulls in one-sided Currie Cup clash
FILE - Sharks prop Dian Heunis' face tells it all after their poor start to the Currie Cup campaign. Image: Backpagepix If this had been a boxing bout, the Sharks' corner would have thrown in the towel before half-time. Instead, the South African rugby public had to watch — with one hand over an eye — as the defending champions were annihilated 64–0 by the Bulls. Here is the reality: we understand that the Currie Cup has become a development competition, and that is fine. But how can the Bulls' wannabees be 64 points better than the Sharks' wannabees? Well, it clearly means the Bulls are recruiting much better than the Sharks, and those in Durban in charge of the future of the Sharks must be shown the door — immediately. It should have happened a long time ago because hit-and-miss recruiting has been their problem for years, whether it's overloading on Springboks or signing players that make no sense given the playing strategy of the head coach. An illustration of the dysfunction at the Sharks in terms of recruitment was the confirmation last week that Junior Springbok hero Bartho Hlekani is on his way to the Lions. This guy is arguably the hottest property in South African rugby, but the Sharks were so poor in their management that they couldn't keep him in Durban. Flanker Hlekani is arguably the next Eben Etzebeth in terms of potential, and he was in the Shark Tank — but is now a Lion. The red faces at Sharks HQ over that one will endure for some time, but well done to the Lions for snatching the bargain of the century while the Sharks were out to lunch. Spare a thought for proud former Springbok JP Pietersen. He is in charge of a team that has shipped more than 100 points in two matches — away games to the Lions and Bulls. I feel for the man. You could hear a tone of doom in his team announcement press conference on Thursday. He didn't quite articulate it, but the paraphrase was that his boys were being sent to their doom. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Vodacom Bulls are running riot at Loftus 🤩🐂 📺 Stream #CurrieCup on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 2, 2025 JP proved in the Currie Cup last year that he could coach the Sharks from inexperience to excellence, but you have to give the guy quality ingredients. It's all well and good to blood youngsters, but Pietersen would have liked to have a backbone of older players going into this campaign. On that note, an enduring mystery for me is the Sharks' neglect of Gerbrandt Grobler. He is a warrior player who was squandered last season when fit and able to play, and could have been ideal to build a campaign around this year. Looking at the game at Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls were superb in crushing the Sharks. After just three minutes, they rumbled over the line — a routine maul try for hooker Juanne Else. This was followed up five minutes later by a similar effort from prop Dylan Smith, and with Boeta Chamberlain again adding the conversion, the game was done and dusted. At the first-quarter mark, inside centre Chris Smit completed a well-worked backline movement. At 30 minutes, Smit nailed his second in similar fashion, and Else scored his second to complete five unanswered Bulls tries in the first half. Old campaigner Juandré Rudolph scored twice to deepen the Sharks' misery, while backs Stravino Jacobs and Cornel Smit added to the horror for the Sharks. Scorers Bulls - Tries: Juanne Else(2), Chris Smit (2), Dylan Smith, Juandre Rudolf (2), Stravino Jacobs, Cornel Smit., JJ Theron. Conversion: Boeta Chamberlain (7).
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
Currie Cup result: Rampant Bulls trample Sharks
It won't get any easier for the Sharks with a home match against the Cheetahs next Saturday, while the Bulls host the Pumas at Loftus. The Vodacom Bulls scored 10 tries in a crushing Currie Cup win against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The 64-0 hammering saw coach Phiwe Nomlomo's team move to the top of the log with a full haul of 10 log points from their first two matches, above the Lions on points difference. The defending champion Sharks are rock bottom. The Bulls charged into a 14-0 lead after 10 minutes following tries by hooker Juann Else and loosehead prop Dylan Smith, both from lineout mauls. As the match approached the half-hour mark, the Sharks did well to hold up No 8 Jeandre Rudolph over the line, but centre Chris Smit then dotted down twice in quick succession. Else scored his second try from a lineout maul, and fullback Boeta Chamberlain's fifth conversion made it 35-0 at the break. The onslaught continued in the second half. Rudolph scored after just two minutes before winger Stravino Jacobs sprinted 50m to ram home the hosts' dominance. Rudolph's second brought up the 50, and replacement Cornel Smit then crossed for the Bulls' ninth. At that stage, it looked like the Bulls were on track for 80, but the Sharks dug deep and did well to only concede one more try, to debutant JJ Theron late on. It won't get any easier for the Sharks with a home match against the Cheetahs next Saturday, while the Bulls host the Pumas at Loftus. BULLS – Tries: Juann Else (2), Dylan Smith, Chris Smit (2), Jeandre Rudolph (2), Stravino Jacobs, Cornel Smit, JJ Theron. Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain (7). This story wasn't first published on It is republished here with permission.
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Jandre Nel stars as Cheetahs outrun Pumas
Scrumhalf Jandre Nel scored four of the Cheetahs' six tries in an emphatic Currie Cup win against the Pumas in Bloemfontein last night. The hosts bounced back from an opening-round defeat to Boland with a 42-25 victory, while the Pumas – who beat Griquas last weekend – suffered a first loss. Nel grabbed a 30-minute hat-trick before No 8 Neels Volschenk scored in the last play of the first half to give the Cheetahs a 28-13 lead at the break, with two tries from No 9 Ross Braude keeping the Pumas in the contest. Again, again and again It's a 30-minute hattrick from Jandre Nel in the first half Stream #CurrieCup on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 1, 2025 Centre Carl-Jan Coetzee's try early in the second half stretched the hosts' lead to 35-13, before midfielders Sango Xamlashe and Wiaan van Niekerk dotted down to earn the Pumas a bonus point. But Nel had the final say, scoring his fourth try. Cheetahs: Tries: Jandre Nel (4), Neels Volschenk, Carl-Jan Coetzee. Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (5), Cohen Jasper. Pumas: Tries: Ross Braude (2), Sango Xamlashle, Wiaan van Niekerk. Conversions: Visagie. Penalties: Visagie. The post Nel stars as Cheetahs outrun Pumas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
