Pumas and Griquas face each other in final battle of 2025 SA Cup war
The home SA Cup final that the Pumas and their coaching staff promised their fans will became a reality when the Mpumalanga team take on the Suzuki Griquas later today, Saturday, May 24.
The Pumas beat the Griquas 39-34 at Mbombela Stadium in the league phase of the SA Cup on April 25. This was the only defeat in the Griquas SA Cup campaign.
The Pumas remain undefeated, with 10 consecutive wins.
The two teams' SA Cup stats, after 10 matches each, are separated by the narrowest of margins. The Griquas have scored 574 points and the Pumas 576. The Griquas have conceded 222 points, the Pumas 221. The Kimberly team have scored 85 tries to the Pumas' 84; and the Griquas have conceded 32 tries and the Pumas 29.
But the finalists results and stats over the past 800 minutes of rugby will count for nothing come 18:30. The 2025 champions simply need the most points on the scoreboard after 80 minutes.
Finals are all about pressure – the team that better handles the mental and emotional aspect of the game will win. Physically and tactically the Pumas and Griquas could not be better prepared. That said, a pressure implosion can lead to unforced errors, poor decision making, poor discipline and conceding penalties.
ALSO READ: Pumas issue rally cry for supporters to paint Mbombela Stadium pink for SA Cup final
The 2025 SA Cup final at Mbombela Stadium will be the first home final for the Pumas in 12 years, and only their fourth home final in their 56-year history.
They defeated the Eastern Province Kings 53-30 in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division final at Mbombela Stadium. The other two finals being the 2009 Currie Cup First Division final at the Puma Stadium in Witbank in which the Pumas beat South Western Districts 47-19, and the 2013 Vodacom Cup final at Mbombela Stadium in which the Lions beat the Pumas 42-28.
In the past six seasons the Pumas and Griquas have played each other in four finals, with each winning two.
Tickets for the final are available at Computicket and at the stadium, and cost R50 for adults and R20 for children.
The finals the Pumas have played in:
• 2005 Currie Cup First Division (Bosman Stadium): Falcons 16 – Pumas 25
• 2009 Currie Cup First Division (Puma Stadium): Pumas 47 – South Western Districts 19
• 2012 Currie Cup First Division (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium): Eastern Province Kings 26 – Pumas 25
• 2013 Vodacom Cup (Mbombela Stadium): Pumas 28 – Golden Lions 42
• 2013 Currie Cup First Division (Mbombela Stadium): Pumas 53 – Eastern Province Kings 30
• 2015 Vodacom Cup (Newlands): Western Province 7 – Pumas 24
• 2018 Rugby Challenge (Bridgton Sports Grounds): Pumas 32 – Griquas 30
• 2019 Rugby Challenge (Saldanha Stadium): Pumas 13 – Griquas 28
• 2022 Currie Cup Premier Division (Griqua Park): Griquas 19 – Pumas 26
• 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division (Free State Stadium) Cheetahs 25 – Pumas 17
• 2024 SA Cup (Suzuki Stadium): Griquas 46 – Pumas 24
Airlink Pumas
1 Etienne Janeke
2 Eddie Swart
3 Sampie Swiegers
4 Heinz Bertram
5 Jeandre Leonard
6 Ntsika Finsanti
7 Ruwald van der Merwe (captain)
8 Willie Engelbrecht
9 Ross Braude
10 Danrich Visagie
11 Darren Adonis
12 Wian van Niekerk
13 Sango Xamlashe
14 Lundi Msenge
15 Tino Swanepoel
16 Darnell Osuagwu
17 Stephan de Jager
18 Dewald Maritz
19 Kwanda Dimaza
20 Andre Fouche
21 Clinton Swart
22 Jay-Cee Nel
23 Stefan Coetzee.
Suzuki Griquas
1 Leon Lyons
2 Janco Uys,
3 Cebo Dlamini
4 Dylan Sjoblom
5 Albert Liebenberg,
6 Lourens Oosthuizen
7 Marco de Witt
8 Gustav Erlank
9 Thomas Bursey
10 George Whitehead (captain)
11 Gurswin Wehr
12 Mnombo Zwelendaba
13 Zane Bester,
14 Dylan Maart
15 Cameron Hufke
16 Gustav du Rand
17 Eddie Davids
18 Junior Banda
19 Athenkosi Khethani
20 Phumzile Maqondwana
21 Bobby Alexander
22 Tylor Sefoor
23 Tom Nel
• Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
• Assistant referees: Paul Mente, Jonathan Lottering
• TMO: Egon Seconds
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