SA Cup Final - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: Familiar foes Griquas and Pumas will face off for the third consecutive time in the SA Cup Final when these teams lock horns at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley on Saturday.

Both teams boast one title each, with Griquas having won the inaugural championship and the defending champions, Pumas, claiming it last season.

These two sides also faced off in the 2022 Currie Cup Final and repeatedly used their league meetings as previews of what was to come.

With kick-off set for 18.30 (SAST) on Saturday, the pattern from the last two seasons suggests this is a contest in which recent form and home ground advantage have all proved decisive.

Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh explained his approach in the build-up to this weekend’s Final on home soil.

“We are lucky enough, and the same with the Pumas, to be involved in a lot of Finals over the last few years.

“For most of this group and the coaching staff, it’s not a new thing to be involved in a Final.

“We’re trying not to do things much differently than we did throughout the season, and we took those lessons.

“It’s been a good week, the guys are looking forward to the match and are excited for the challenge.

“It’s been a good week of preparation. We’ve put in some good, hard sessions, which we felt was needed and also going enough to keep them mentally sharp for the Final.”

Bergh outlined the key threats the Pumas possess that Griquas will have to combat in their quest to dethrone the reigning SA Cup Champions.

“When you play [against] the Pumas…everyone always says it starts at the set-piece, which is true,” Bergh told Rugby365.

“But there are other elements that make the Pumas dangerous, such as the gainline [battle].

“Everyone always talks about the Pumas’ big forwards, but they also possess big backs such as Wian van Niekerk, [Sango] Xamlashe, Jay-Cee Nel and Clinton Swart who attacks flat on the gainline.

“If you don’t win the gainline battle against them and they get momentum, you’ll end up on the backfoot then it becomes incredibly difficult to play against them.

“They also possess big boots at No.15, No.10 and No.9, which can turn you around.

“I think that’s the biggest challenge for us this week – we need to control the territory and get into the right areas and win the kicking battle, which will be a big part of the game.”

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Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse said Griquas are the favourite for the Final, but that the result will come down to one key element on the day.

“We’re very much looking forward to the match. It’s our third consecutive SA Cup Final where these two unions face off,” Stonehouse told Rugby365.

“Griquas are the outright favourites, having won the Currie Cup [last season] and would love to claim the SA Cup as well.

“And it’s a home match for them, and we’ve all seen historically that home advantage makes a big difference.

“But the spirit in the camp is good, and I believe that discipline will be of utmost importance on the day.”

Prediction

Rugby365: Griquas by five points

Teams

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Sako Makata, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg (captain), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 IG Prinsloo, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Leon Lyons
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Lange, 17 Corne Lavanga, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius , 20 Carel van der Merwe, 21 Caleb Abrahams, 22 Liam Koen, 23 Connor Mahoney

Pumas: 15 Jaycee Nel, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Tino Swanepoel, 10 Clinton Swart, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Ruwald van der Merwe, 6 Ntsika Fisanti, 5 Tiaan de Klerk, 4 JJ Scheepers, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Gustav de Rand, 1 Kudzwai Dube.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Junior Banda, 19 Miyelanie Ngobeni, 20 De Wet Marais, 21 Conor van Eden, 22 Nevaldo Fleurs, 23 Qamani Kota

Date: Saturday, May 23
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Kick-off: 18.30 SAST (16.30 GMT)
Referee: Christopher Allison
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby, Hanru van Rooyen
TMO: Egon Seconds