Latest news with #Griquas
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Pumas dethrone Griquas to capture SA Cup in Mbombela final
On Saturday they repeated that feat in convincing style to capture the SA Cup title on home soil. The Pumas became the second team – after Griquas in the inaugural competition last year – to finish the campaign unbeaten after they dealt the men from the Northern Cape their first defeat in the competition in the league phase a few weeks ago. The hosts worked hard for a 19-7 advantage at half time and kicked on the second half for a deserved win. It is happy days in Nelspruit after the Pumas captured their first SA Cup title by beating last year's champions, Griquas, 39-14 in the final at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday evening. The Airlink Pumas take down the Suzuki Griquas to lift the 2025 #SACup 🏆 The match got off to a bad start for Griquas when their front ranker Cebo Dlamini was red carded for a head-on collision in the seventh minute, which meant they had to play the next 20 minutes with 14 men. In a sign of what was to come, the Pumas scored their first try barely a minute later, when hooker Eddie Swart went over at the back of a strong maul, which was converted by Danrich Visagie. Predictably, the men from Mpumalanga proceeded to dominate both possession and territory, leaving the defending champions to fend off wave after wave of attack from the rampant home side. The Pumas used their forward dominance to set up two good tries for midfielder Sango Xamlashe to take the score to 19-0 with a quarter of the opening half remaining. For his first effort, the outside centre stepped his way inside two defenders to score near the posts, and he was on the receiving end of a looping skip pass to go over near the corner for his second five-pointer. Griquas tried their best to stay in the contest and they were rewarded with a rather fortunate try when speedster Gurshwin Wehr intercepted a pass in his 22 to run in a long-distance try to make the half-time score 19-7. The dependable Visagie slotted a penalty goal before he converted No 8 Willie Engelbrecht's intercept try to stretch the home team's advantage to 29-7 shortly after the restart for the second half. Another successful penalty goal by Visagie took the score to 32-7 before Mnombo Zwelendaba scored Griquas' second try to bring the deficit down to 32-14. But the Pumas had the last laugh when replacement front ranker Dewald Maritz forced his way over the try line for their second try of the second half to all but secure them the SA Cup title
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Intensity wins: Pumas conquer Griquas in Mbombela
The SA Cup has a new title holder, and their home ground is Mbombela Stadium. The Airlink Pumas put on a brilliant display of dominant rugby to defeat the Suzuki Griquas 39-14 and were crowned the 2025 SA Cup champions tonight. The home team came out snorting from the kick-off and executed a game plan of speed, power and precision. This was complemented by excellent defence. The foundation of the Pumas' victory was their powerful scrum, which earned them numerous scrum penalties. The Griquas played their hearts out but were outclassed in every aspect of the game. They could not cope with the Pumas' intensity and committed too many unforced errors. The Pumas were gifted possession. The home team was also ruthless at the breakdowns and won numerous turnovers. It was a sublime team effort from the Mpumalanga side. The Griquas were in trouble within five minutes of the start. Cebo Dlamini was red carded for a dangerous tackle and they would play the rest of the match with 14 men. The Pumas' first try came in the sixth minute. A penalty was punted into touch on the Griquas' five-metre line and Eduan Swart scored from the resulting maul. Danrich Visagie slotted the conversion. Shortly after the restart, the Pumas again had an attacking line-out from a penalty into touch. The Pumas won their line-out and the ball went down the backline, with Sango Xamlashe scoring a try that was not converted. ALSO READ: Pumas and Griquas face each other in final battle of 2025 SA Cup war Xamlashe scored again in the 24th minute from the same scenario, using his speed to carve a gap through the Griquas' defence. Visagie added the two points. Three minutes before half-time Griquas finally put points on the board. Gurshwin Wehr intercepted a pass on his own five-metre line and sprinted the length of the field to score a try. George Whitehead converted. The half-time score was 19-7 to the home team. The Pumas continued to dominate in the second half. Two Visagie penalty kicks put the Mpumalanga team up 25-7 by the 52nd minute. Then Willie Engelbrecht intercepted a pass on his own 10-metre line and ran through untouched to score a try. Visagie kicked the conversion. The Griquas hit back when Mnombo Zwelendaba caught the Pumas napping, tapped a penalty and scored the try. Whitehead kicked the conversion. ALSO READ: IN PHOTOS: Pumas on fire at captain's practice The Pumas were soon back on attack in the Griquas 22-metre area, and after a period of sustained pressure, Dewald Maritz claimed a try. Visagie nailed the conversion. The Griquas threw everything at the Pumas in the final ten minutes of the match, but the home team's defence held. The new champions did their fans proud. They simply did not take the foot of the accelerator, and this sustained level of play gave them front-foot possession. It was 80 minutes of attrition that the visitors could not combat. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
IN PHOTOS: Pumas on fire at captain's practice
IN PHOTOS: Pumas on fire at captain's practice The Airlink Pumas took to the training field for the last time in their 2025 SA Cup campaign. The captain's practice was held at Mbombela Stadium last night, Friday, May 23, just 24 hours before the kick-off against the Griquas today, May 24. ALSO READ: Pumas and Griquas face each other in final battle of 2025 SA Cup war The final starts at 18:30 and the Pumas again asked that the fans colour the stadium in pink tonight. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pumas and Griquas face each other in final battle of 2025 SA Cup war
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 At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pumas and Griquas to battle it out for SA Cup title
The great rivalry between the Pumas and Griquas hits another level as they again battle it out in the SA Cup final this weekend. 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.
