SA Cup semifinals - teams and predictions

Riveting action is expected on Friday when the Pumas host the Boland Cavaliers in the first SA Cup semifinal in Nelspruit.

The defending champions, Griquas, face the Cheetahs in Kimberley on Saturday as the competition winds to a thrilling finish.

With the four sides having secured qualification for the Currie Cup Premier Division following the completion of the league phase, attention now shifts to the weekend’s two play-off games to see who will fight it out next week in the Final of the SA Cup.

The Pumas have swept aside all before them so far in the league, including a deserving win over last year’s champions, and the Cavaliers will know Jimmy Stonehouse’s side is always a tough nut to crack at home in Mpumalanga.

They defeated Boland by two points a fortnight ago in Wellington in a game where the hosts’ determination secured two crucial bonus points to set them up for qualification for the Currie Cup Premier Division action for the first time since 2016.

Under the guidance of Hawies Fourie, the Bolanders, who are First Division winners in 2023 and 2024  have been building steadily towards their return to the Premier Division.

Their progress can be gauged from the fact that when these two sides last met in Nelspruit last year, the Pumas whitewashed the men from Wellington 49-0 in the Round Eight clash of the inaugural SA Cup.

Two weeks ago, when they met again in Wellington, it was a different story as the visitors from Mpumalanga edged a close-fought clash 34-32 against the determined Cavaliers.

The Pumas recently handed Griquas their first defeat in the SA Cup after they were unbeaten in 2023, in a show of strength and their ambition to add silverware to their trophy cabinet in Nelspruit.

On Friday, another tight battle is expected between the Pumas and Boland. The host team’s supporters will be hoping that home ground advantage at the Mbombela Stadium will tilt the scales in their favour.

In Saturday’s second semifinal in Kimberley, Griquas go into their play-off with two SA Cup victories against the Cheetahs.

While the 2023 result was a comfortable 39-17 win in Bloemfontein, last week’s final league encounter between the two central South African sides finished in a 31-29 win for the hosts in the Diamond City, thanks to two late tries.

Cheetahs Director of Rugby Frans Steyn said that they would go all out if the opportunity presents itself

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“The biggest thing for me is that I don’t feel it helps us to kick at goal when we have a penalty just to get two or four points ahead.

“We saw what they can do on the weekend. We need to get ahead by 14, and even then, we wouldn’t be safe.”

Steyn also confirmed that utility back Clayton Blommetjies has been ruled out with injury for the do-or-die fixture.

Cheetahs captain Chucky van der Westhuizen said that he feels confident to lead his team and have the peace of mind to draw on the experience of the other leaders in the side.

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“It’s not difficult [to be captain], because we have quite a few leaders in the team. It’s also been a new [experience] for me this season,” Van der Westhuizen told @rugby365com.

“I’ve been learning from Vic [Victor Sekekete] a lot, and we have a few leaders in the team who help me in difficult situations.

“I don’t have to psyche the guys up, which makes it easy for me. If you’re not psyched up for a semifinal in Kimberley, then you’re at the wrong place.”

Meanwhile, Pieter Bergh’s Griquas team will feel confident of a repeat against their close rivals, while Frans Steyn’s rebuilt Cheetahs side will be determined to go one step better and reach their first SA Cup Final, dethroning the defending champions in the process.

The winners of the weekend’s two semifinals will contest next weekend’s SA Cup Final.

Friday, May 16

Pumas v Boland Cavaliers
(Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit – Kick-off 19.00; 17.00 GMT)

Prediction:

@rugby365com: Pumas by three points

Teams: 

Pumas: 15 Tino Swanepoel, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Darren Adonis, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Ruwald van der Merwe (captain), 6 Ntsika Fisanti, 5 Jeandre Leonard, 4 Heinz Bertram, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Darnell Osuagwu, 1 Etienne Janeke.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Stephan de Jager, 18 Deward Maritz, 19 Kwanda Dimaza, 20 Marvellous Mashimbyi, 21 Carlton Banies, 22 Jaycee Nel, 23 Stefan Coetzee.

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 (captain), 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 Sauliegh Arendse, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Darian Hock, 22 Domenic Smit.

Referee: Sean Muller

Saturday, May 17

Griquas v Cheetahs
(Griqua Park, Kimberley- Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)

Prediction:

@rugby365com: Cheetahs by five points

Teams:

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Gurwin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead (captain), 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Gustav Erlank, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Eddie Davids.
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Junior Banda, 19 Athenkosi Khethani, 20 Phumzile Maqondwana, 21 Bobby Alexander, 22 Tylor Sefoor, 23 Tom Nel.

Cheetahs: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Ali Migijima, 11 Michael Annies, 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 (captain), 1 Hencus van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Sisonke Vumazonke, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Raegan Oranje, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Cohen Jasper.

Referee: Dylen November