Final Currie Cup team confirmed

WRAP: Boland recorded a bonus-point victory over Eastern Province in Gqeberha on Saturday to seal fourth spot in the SA Cup which guarantees them a place in the Currie Cup for the 2025 season.

Hawies Fourie’s team will travel to Nelspruit for their SA Cup semifinal against the Pumas, who finished top of the log, while the defending champions, Griquas, are home against the Cheetahs in next weekend’s other semifinal following the final round of league fixtures played on Saturday.

The Bolanders edged the Falcons into fourth spot after grabbing the last semifinal spot on offer with a 36-22 bonus-point victory at the Madibaz Stadium in Gqeberha.

Playing at home in Kimberley, Griquas scored two late tries for an exciting 31-29 win over the Cheetahs; the unbeaten Pumas halted the Griffons’ qualification bid with a 48-7 victory; the Falcons galloped to a 72-28 win over the Border Bulldogs, and the Leopards finished the competition with a 47-35 win over the SWD Eagles in Potchefstroom.

The Pumas finished the league phase with a full house of 45 points after nine rounds, with Griquas second on 42 points. The leading two were followed by the Cheetahs (34 points), Boland (32), Falcons (30), Griffons (26), EP (21), Leopards (10), SWD (8) and Border (3).

The outcome of the Saturday’s final league round therefore means that Pumas, Griquas, Cheetahs and Boland have booked their places in the 2025 Currie Cup alongside the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Western Province.

The SA Cup semifinals will be staged next weekend, with the Final scheduled for 24 May. The Currie Cup kicks off on Friday, July 26 and the Final will be staged on Saturday, September 20.

The First Division – comprising of Eastern Province, Border, Griffons, Leopards, Eagles and Falcons – is set to start on June 14 and conclude with the Final on July 26.

Before their final league game, the fourth-placed Boland had their destiny in their own hands because all they needed was a positive outcome against EP in Gqeberha, and the team from Wellington scored five tries to three to secure a return to the Currie Cup for the first time since 2016.

Boland fullback James Tedder had a good game, keeping his side on the front foot with a solid kicking game and succeeding with four conversions and a penalty goal for a personal tally of 11 points. HP van Schoor, Ashlon Davids, Sidney Tobias, Michael Benadie, and Erik Lambrecht crossed for tries against EP.

Replacement fullback Enrique Franks made a good impact off the bench for the hosts by scoring two tries, but his efforts were not good enough as Boland held firm for that crucial win.

The Falcons still had an outside chance of gaining fourth spot, but for that to happen Boland had to lose in the Eastern Cape, which didn’t materialise. The East Randers still scored 12 tries to four in their 72-28 romp over the Border Bulldogs in Kempton Park.

The hosts were 48-21 ahead by the halfway mark and switched to a higher gear in the second period to run out comfortable winners against the gallant Bulldogs.

Valentino Wellman scored four tries on the left wing, while loose forwards Tiaan Jonker and Zingisa April each crossed for two five-pointers. For Border, Oliver Zono converted all four their tries, while Sakhe Dingile grabbed a brace of tries.

The Pumas gained their ninth win on the bounce to stay unbeaten when they defeated the Griffons 48-7 in Nelspruit. The hosts held a 24-0 lead at half-time and went on to score eight tries to one in a comfortable victory.

Eddie Swart scored twice for the team from Mpumalanga, while Danrich Visagie and Clinton Swart converted two tries each.

Griquas and the Cheetahs scored five tries apiece in their clash in Kimberley, but the hosts claimed the win with two five-pointers in the last few minutes in this exciting fixture.

The Free Staters led 10-7 at the break, but Griquas kicked into gear in the second stanza. The two sides will meet again next week in Kimberley, which means that Griquas have landed an early psychological blow with this narrow win.

Leopards led by 19-11 at the break of their final match of the competition, before they kicked on in the second half, scoring seven times to five, to bag a 47-35 win over the SWD Eagles in Potchefstroom.

Siniothando Tshontsyi, Brandon Keevy and Naiden Jaarts all scored two tries each for the Leopards, while Shaun Baxter hit the target with all six conversion kicks.

SWD No.8 Leighton van Wyk had an outstanding game for the visitors, and he was rewarded with a hat-trick of tries, while Roshwin Abrahams kicked two penalty goals.

See below for the scores and scorers!

Eastern Province 22-36 Boland

The scorers:

For EP:
Tries: Franks 2, Bantom
Cons: Bantom, November
Pen: November

For Boland:
Tries: Van Schoor, Davids, Tobias, Benadie, Lambrecht
Cons: Tedder 4
Pen: Tedder

Teams:

Eastern Province: 15 Jayden Bantom, 14 Rodney Damons, 13 Sherwin Slater, 12 Troy Delport, 11 JD Jooste, 10 Chadwyn November, 9 Shirwin Cupido, 8 Athi Manentsa, 7 Jac van der Walt, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Stefan Willemse (captain), 4 JJ Scheepers, 3 Duncan du Buisson, 2 Deon Plaatjies, 1 Siya Nzuzo
Replacements: 16 Masikane Mazwi, 17 Arno Gustafson, 18 Andile Ngonyama, 19 Johannes Huisamen, 20 Laken Gray, 21 Wayne Ngubane, 22 Aya Oliphant, 23 Layron Milborrow

Boland: 15 James Tedder, 14 Riaan Louw, 13 Erik Lambrecht, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Thurlow Marsh, 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Gift Dlamini, 5 Michael Benadie, 4 Khwezi Mafu, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Wayrin Losper
Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Lamla Nunu, 18 Dian Heunis, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Ludio Williams, 21 Sauliegh Arendse, 22 Godlen Masimla, 22 Domenic Smit

Referee: Jonathan Lottering

Falcons 72-28 Border Bulldogs

The scorers:

For Falcons:
Tries: Wellman 4, April 2, Jonker 2, Stamper, Kloosman, Stalmeester, Joubert
Cons: Kloosman 2, Stalmeester 2, Payi 2

For Border:
Tries: Dingile 2, Nkonki, Mdledle
Cons: Zono 4

Teams:

Falcons: 15 Mbembe Payi, 14 Adrian Joubert, 13 Musa Tshabalala, 12 Waqar Solaan, 11 Valentino Wellman, 10 Sergio Stalmeester, 9 Liam Kloosman, 8 Zingisa April, 7 Tiaan April, 6 Kelvin Kanenungo, 5 Eddie Evans (captain), 4 Mihlali Stamper, 3 Blaine Golden, 2 Pierre Rabie,1 Lindokuhle Seteni
Replacements: 16 Pierre Rabie, 17 Kayden Kiewit, 18 Thabo Ntunja, 19 Philip Apea-Adu, 20 Zander van der Merwe, 21 Wernich Aucamp, 22 Zeilinga Strydom, 23 Mosolwa Mafuma

Border: 15 Mbasa Nkonki, 14 Zenande Mdledle, 13 Awonke Sondishe, 12 Hlumelo Zitha, 11 Sakhekile Dingile, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Abdur Ismail, 8 Soso Xhakalashe, 7 Hlomla Payi, 6 Oyisa Balekile, 5 Caleb Radcliffe, 4 Camagu Dusani, 3 Hlumelo Ndongana, 2 Kamya Fatyela, 1 Sibusiso Lali Koza
Replacements: 16 Mangaliso Zixesha, 17 Luxolo Koza, 18 Siphetho Manakaza, 19 Ayabonga Nomboyo, 20 Ntokozo Vidima, 21 Jayden Shaw, 22 Ryan Maree, 23 Simthembile Ntleki

Referee: Paul Mente

Pumas 48-7 Griffons

The scorers:

For Pumas:
Tries: Swart 2, Osuagwu, Swanepoel, Msenge, Fisanti, Deichmann, Swart
Cons: Swart 2, Visagie 2

For Griffons:
Try: Kruger
Con: Kota

Teams:

Griffons: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Christiaan Nel, 13 Aphiwe Stemela, 12 Chris Hollis, 11 Qamani Kota, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Richman Gora, 8 Calla Pienaar, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Jared Kruger, 5 Matt Gray, 4 Rian Olivier, 3 Edwin Nxumalo, 2 Willem van den Hever, 1 Xolani Jacobs.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Buhle Nojekwa, 19 Joshua Paris, 20 Lungi Mbiko, 21 Mingo Piti, 22 Kyle Cyster/Ulrich Stander, 23 Quan Eymann.

Pumas: TBC

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

Griquas 31-29 Cheetahs

The scorers:

For Griquas:
Tries: Hufke, Maart, Alexander, Wehr, Bester
Cons: Whitehead 3

For Cheetahs:
Tries: Swanepoel, Coetzee, Volschenk, Verity-Amm, Nel
Cons: Swanepoel, Jasper

Teams:

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Gurwin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead (captain), 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Gustav Erlank, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Corne Lavanga.
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Athenkosi Khethani, 20 Stephan Smit, 21 Bobby Alexander, 22 Tylor Sefoor, 23 Zane Bester.

Cheetahs: 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 12 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Jandre Nel, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Pierre Uys, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Hencus van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Sisonke Vumazonke, 20 Neels Volschenk, 21 Tiaan Swanepoel, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Franco Smith.

Referee: Morne Ferreira

Leopards 47-35 SWD Eagles

The scorers:

For Leopards:
Tries: Tshontsyi 2, Keevy 2, Jaarts 2, Van der Walt
Cons: Baxter 6

SWD:
Tries: Van Wyk 3, Leonard, Zana
Cons: Toring 2
Pens: Abrahams 2

Teams:

Leopards: 15 Luan van der Walt, 14 Sino Tshontyi, 13 Brandon Keevy, 12 Bryan Breda, 11 Naiden Jaarts, 10 Shaun Baxter, 9 Chadd Adams, 8 Gcino Mdletshe, 7 Ghudian van Reenen, 6 Ricardo Fourie, 5 Stephan Krugel, 4 Uzile Tele, 3 Ig Prinsloo (captain), 2 Jason Alexander, 1 Jason Jansen.
Replacements: 16 Liyema Mgwigwi, 17 Tatenda Chayayi, 18 Werner Geldenhuys, 19 Hanro Potgieter, 20 Eben Verster, 21 Sanele Zungu, 22 Indiphile Tyeda, 23 Clyde Lewis.

Eagles: 15 Roshwin Abrahams, 14 Rosco Syster, 13 Clive Kruger, 12 JP Duvenhage (co-captain), 11 Mpho Ntsane, 10 Eric Zana, 9 Sachin Toring, 8 Leighton van Wyk, 7 Dian Basson, 6 Wayne Khan, 5 Mncedisi Dlwengu (co-captain), 4 Azola Mati, 3 Hlomla Zondani, 2 Marco Fuhri, 1 Tandolwetu Matolengwe.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Leonard, 17 Cole Haggard, 18 Christo Swanepoel, 19 Ethan Stuurman, 20 Gawywin Smith, 21 Marlo Weich, 22 Edwin Sass, 23 Quaid Langeveldt.

Referee: Hernus Coetzee