Latest news with #JimmyStonehouse
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pumas issue rally cry for supporters to paint Mbombela Stadium pink for SA Cup final
The Airlink Pumas have issued a call to the people of the Lowveld to come out in their numbers this Saturday for the looming SA Cup final against the Suzuki Griquas. Mbombela Stadium will host the SA Cup final for the first time this coming Saturday, and with more than 3 000 people having attended the semi-final against the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers last week, the Pumas have called on the Pumas faithful to show their support once again. 'Last weekend was amazing, beating the Boland Kavaliers here in the semi-final, and I just want to thank all the supporters for wearing their pink and coming out in their thousands, what a great weekend it was,' said head coach Jimmy Stonehouse, who also issued an invite to all to come out and watch the game on Saturday. You can watch Stonehouse's call to the Pumas faithful, here. Airlink Pumas CEO Marius van Rensburg echoed Stonehouse's sentiments, adding that there will be more than just rugby on show at the stadium this Saturday. There will also be a curtain-raiser fixture as Hazyview Rugby Club will face off with the Laeveld Ratels in an official MRU Mayor's League game that kicks off at 15:30. Local singer Zané van Zyl will also be performing as she will sing the national anthem prior to the game. If you would like to win tickets to this Saturday's match you are in luck, as Lowvelder is running a competition in which 10 pairs of tickets and two Airlink Pumas jerseys are up for grabs. All you need to do to enter is post a photo of yourself wearing pink this Friday and make sure you tag Lowvelder with the hashtag #PumaPinkFriday. We will select our winners from these posts and be in touch! Tickets can be purchased at the stadium or online at Computicket and cost R50 for adults and R20 for children. The match will kick off at 18:30. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pumas, Griquas set for another epic encounter
The next chapter in the budding rivalry between the Pumas and Griquas will be written in Saturday's SA Cup final at Mbombela Stadium. The two have been fierce competitors since the 2022 Currie Cup final in Kimberley, which the Pumas won 26-19 to lift the famous trophy for the first time in their history. Griquas got their revenge last year, beating the Pumas twice, including 46-24 in the final, to lift the inaugural SA Cup. But the Pumas regained the ascendancy over their Kimberley rivals with two convincing victories in the 2024 Currie Cup, including a 66-26 romp at Mbombela Stadium. Both teams, though, failed to make the semi-finals. Last month, the Pumas ended Griquas' unbeaten run in the SA Cup across two seasons with a 39-35 win in Mbombela. That helped coach Jimmy Stonehouse's men to finish top of the log and earn the right to host Saturday's final, which kicks off at 18:30. Pumas vs Griquas recent results: 2024: Pumas 26 Griquas 31, Mbombela (SA Cup league stage) 2024: Griquas 46 Pumas 24, Kimberley (SA Cup final) 2024: Griquas 24 Pumas 44, Kimberley (Currie Cup league stage) 2024: Pumas 66 Griquas 26, Mbombela (Currie Cup league stage) 2025: Pumas 31 Griquas 29, Mbombela (SA Cup league stage) The post Pumas, Griquas set for another epic encounter 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.
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Look who's back in the Currie Cup Premier Division — Boland
The top eight teams have now been confirmed for this year's main Currie Cup competition. Boland will play in the Premier Division of the Currie Cup this season. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images The Boland Kavaliers are back in top-flight Currie Cup rugby! The men from the Western Cape finished fourth on the SA Cup points table at the weekend to take their place in this season's Premier Division of the Currie Cup. The top four teams qualify, and they are log leaders the Pumas, second-placed Griquas, the third-placed Cheetahs and Boland. They'll join the four United Rugby Championship franchises – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers (Western Province) – in the eight-team Premier Division later this year. Semi-finals In this weekend's SA Cup semi-finals, the Pumas will host Boland and the Griquas will host the Cheetahs. Jimmy Stonehouse's Pumas finished top of the log with a perfect 45 points after their nine matches, Griquas accumulated 42 points from eight wins from their nine games, the Cheetahs finished with 34 points from six wins, while Boland had five wins and 32 points. Valke (30), Griffons (26), Eastern Province (21), Leopards (10), SWD Eagles (eight) and Border Bulldogs (three) finished in positions five down to 10. The SA Cup semi-finals will be staged this coming weekend, with the final the following week, on 24 May. The Premier Division of the Currie Cup will kick off on Friday 26 July, with the final on Saturday 20 September. The last time Boland featured in the top-flight of South Africa's Currie Cup was in 2016.
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
SA Cup: It's all business in playoff bun fight
Seven teams are still in the running for a semi-finals spot of the SA Cup this weekend, with only two rounds of league action remaining. However, several of these sides will need help from others to qualify for the playoffs, as all five games in round 8 have an influence on the final standings. The action kicks off tonight in George, where the SWD Eagles host the defending champion Griquas. Tomorrow, the Boland Kavaliers welcome log-leaders Pumas; the Valke travel to Potchefstroom to take on the Leopards; the Cheetahs host the Border Bulldogs in Bloemfontein; and Eastern Province face the Griffons in Gqeberha. ALSO: Bok tickets up for grabs Jimmy Stonehouse's Pumas are sitting pretty at the top of the standings on a perfect 35 points, three more than Griquas. Both teams are assured of their places in the semis. The chasing pack of five teams have their work cut out for them. The Cheetahs are third on 27 points, followed by the Kavaliers (25 pts) in fourth, while the Griffons are fifth on the same amount of log points. The Valke, in sixth on 20 points, can't afford to slip up, while seventh-placed EP (17 pts) have to hope on favours from other teams if they are going to sneak into the top four. The Eagles (eighth, 7 pts), Leopards (ninth, 4 pts) and Border (10th, 2 pts) bring up the rear. Two rounds to go, who will make it to the top four in the #SACup?#LetsPlayRugby — The Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) April 29, 2025 SA Cup round 8 fixtures: Tonight SWD Eagles vs Griquas, George, 18:00 Saturday Boland Kavaliers vs Pumas, Nelspruit Leopards vs Valke, Potchefstroom Cheetahs vs Border Bulldogs, Bloemfontein EP vs Griffons, Gqeberha (All kick-offs 15:00) The post SA Cup: It's all business in playoff bun fight 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.
