Pumas v Griquas - teams and prediction

PREVIEW: The 2025 edition of the Currie Cup kicks off with two teams that have built quite a rivalry in recent years.

The two teams faced each other in the 2025 SA Cup Final, which the Pumas won in an unbeaten season and dethroned the 2024 winners, Griquas.

The visitors, having lost key players such as Sako Makata, Marcqiewn Titus, Junior Banda and Dylan Sjoblom, the Kimberley-based side are up against the hosts who went unbeaten in the SA Cup.

However, they have made some recruitments since, with the likes of Tiaan Lange, Malembe Mpofu, Johan Louw, Ntobeko Shezi, Izzy Novuka, Ebune Ngundue and former Puma Ig Prinsloo.

The Pumas retained the bulk of their regular players and welcomed the return of their 2022 Currie Cup-winning captain Willie Engelbrecht from the Stormers, who provides ample experience and leadership.

Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh, however, doesn’t hammer too much on the SA Cup Final, stating that they took their lessons from it and they’re looking forward to the Currie Cup season.

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“It’s important that we leave the past in the past.

“We looked at the [SA Cup] Final we played against the Pumas, and where we’ve gotten [some] things wrong and where we need to be better this week.

“We’ve had six weeks’ preparation since our break after the SA Cup.

“The chat has not just been around preparing for the Pumas, but preparing for all teams in this competition.

“We shifted the focus this past week solely to the Pumas match.

“We understand where we need to be better, and we’ve learnt from the two losses [to the Pumas] in the SA Cup.

“The [SA Cup] Final was a bit of an anticlimax with the red card [to Cebo Dlamani] in the eighth minute, which didn’t go our way.

“We’ve got good plans for this week and preparation going into this match. We are well prepared and the guys are confident.

“We’ve got some new players in, like Malembe Mpofu, who didn’t play in the SA Cup. They’ll bring a bit of energy and excitement, which is always good.

“We’re looking forward to not just the game but the whole season, and hopefully we can get off to a good start.”

New Griquas captain Cebo Dlamini added: “We need a good start in this campaign. To go back to Nelspruit and rewrite the story is a good opportunity for us.

“Everyone’s excited, our minds are just focussed on having a good performance on Friday evening.”

Bergh highlighted the importance of having a good start in the single-round Currie Cup competition, having three home games after their away trip to Nelspruit.

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“If you get a good start by winning your first three games, you’re one foot into a semifinal and vice versa.

“In the past, you had the opportunity to climb your way back into the competition if you hit your momentum at the right time and find yourself in a semifinal.

“It’s not all about the first match. We play the first match away, followed by three home games.

“If we can win three of our first four matches and hopefully even all four of them, we know that we had a good start and finish the competition with three away games.

“It is incredibly important for us to start well with our draw.

“If we are under pressure in our opening four matches, followed by three away games, it will he difficult for us to build momentum.”

Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse said that he opted for consistency in his squad, and he’s looking forward to seeing what the two debutant locks can bring.

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“We selected the team more or less to the side that played in the SA Cup Final.

“Apart from JC Nel and Tiaan de Klerk, who had to stay behind with Namibia following their [World Cup qualifying] loss to Namibia.

“It’s the start of the Currie Cup season and we’re looking forward to what the guys can bring.

“The locks JJ [Scheepers] and Russwill [Fredericks] are making their debuts in the Currie Cup.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what this team can bring.

“The Griquas got a well-coached side, and they’ll want to set the record straight in Mbombela.

“It’s always a tough fixture facing them at home, but we’re looking forward to the Currie Cup season.”

Prediction:

@rugby365com: Pumas by eight points

Teams:

Pumas: 15 Tino Swanepoel, 14 Lindi Msenge, 13 Sango Xamlashle, 12 Clinton Swart (vice-captain), 11 Darren Adonis, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Kwanda Dimaza, 6 Ntsika Fisante, 5 Jeandré Leonard, 4 Heinz Bertram, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Etienne Janeke
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwau, 17 Stephan de Jager, 18 Dewald Maritz, 19 JJ Scheepers, 20 Andre Fouché, 21 Russwell Fredericks, 22 Wian van Niekerk, 23 Stephan Coetzee

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Gurswin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Caleb Abrahams, 8 Gustav Erlank, 7 Carl Els, Jac van der Walt, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Tiaan Lange, 1 Leon Lyons
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Randt, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius, 20 Marco de Witt, 21 Thomas Bursey, 2w Taylor Sefoor, 23 Connor Mahoney

Date: Friday, July 25
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 19h00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Maruis van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Hernus Coetzee (South Africa), Phumzile Mbewu (South Africa)
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni