Unbeaten Pumas to host SA Cup Final rematch

SEMIFINAL WRAP: The Pumas will host the 2025 SA Cup Final next weekend in Nelspruit against Griquas following their dramatic 31-29 win over Boland Cavaliers at Mbombela Stadium.

Defending champions Griquas managed to edge the Cheetahs 41-38 in their drama-filled semifinal in Kimberley.

After an incident-packed first half, Griquas and Cheetahs were locked at 24-all in the Diamond City.

The teams were level three times, twice in the second half, and the men from Kimberley booked their Final spot thanks to a late penalty goal by ace kicker and captain George Whitehead.

Loose forward Gideon van der Merwe went over for the Free Staters to give them a 7-3 lead, which was quickly increased to 12-3 when hooker and captain Louis van der Westhuizen dotted down for an unconverted try.

Jaco Uys then scored Griquas’ first try when he was mauled over from a line-out, reducing the score to 12-10, and he was followed over the line by Gurshwin Wehr when the BlitzBok speedster slid through the defence.

Uys received another maul try eight minutes before the halfway stage, taking the score to 24-12. However, two tries from Ali Mgijima and Michael Annies allowed them to level matters at the break by 24-all.

The two teams continued their tit-for-tat on the scoreboard after the resumption, with Ali Mgijima and Cameron Hufke each going over for a converted try to level the scores once more at 31-all.

Dylan Maart then danced his way through the defence to give the home side the lead once more at 38-31. However, that lead was unsurprisingly short-lived as Michael Annies stepped his way to the try line to pull the sides level once more at 38-38.

George Whitehead then hit the target with a long-range penalty to hand his side the advantage at 41-38 with just over ten minutes remaining.

With the clock running down, the Cheetahs piled on the pressure and made the Griquas defend for dear life.

The title holders displayed amazing courage in defending their line, eventually managing to hold up a Cheetah forward over the try line, forcing the turnover and ending an extraordinary game in the most dramatic way.

Playing at home in Nelspruit, the Pumas were at one stage reduced to 12 men following three yellow cards, and they had to do it the hard way with a late penalty by flyhalf Danrich Visagie.

The nail-biting, two-point win means the Pumas are still on course to finish the season unbeaten, should they manage to win next weekend’s home Final in Nelspruit.

The Pumas and Cavaliers observed a minute’s silence in remembrance of Boland’s former Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks, who died of a heart attack on Wednesday at his home in Wellington.

After kick-off, the determined Cavaliers enjoyed the most territory in the first half, but they trailed 20-10 at the halfway stage as the home team made the most of their scoring opportunities.

Danrich Visagie and James Tedder traded penalty goals early in the first half. Darnell Osuagwu then scored the first of the Pumas’ three tries when he went over. Boland responded through a Sydney Tobias converted try, which was their only one of the first period.

Another successful penalty goal by Visagie, who also converted Ross Braude’s try a few minutes later, put the Lowvelders in the driving seat at the break. The Pumas extended their lead to 15 points after half-time when Lundi Msenge also went over.

The Pumas then had three men sent to the sin bin, in the 55th, 57th, and 58th minutes, as they were suddenly reduced to just 12 men.

Boland made their numerical advantage count when they forced a penalty try to pull back within two points of the home side. Three minutes later, the Cavaliers were 29-25 in front via Xavier Mitchell’s unconverted try.

However, the pressure was too big for the Bolanders as they conceded the first of two late penalties, which Visagie slotted to make the score 29-28.

With just eight minutes to go in this tense affair, Visagie landed the winning penalty goal kick to send the Pumas to their second successive SA Cup Final.

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Griquas 41-38 Cheetahs

Scorers:

For Griquas
Tries: Hufke, Uys 2, Wehr 2
Cons: Whitehead 5
Pens: Whitehead 2

For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Annies 2, Mgijima, Nkabinde, Van der Merwe, Van der Westhuizen
Cons: Swanepoel 3, Jasper

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

Pumas 31-29 Boland Cavaliers

Scorers:

For the Pumas:
Tries: Braude, Osuagwu, Msenge
Cons: Visagie 2
Pens: Visagie 4

For Boland Cavaliers:
Tries: Tobias, Mitchell, Marsh, Penalty try does not require a conversion
Cons: Tedder 2
Pen: Tedder

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

*Picture credit: Johan Orton media