The Suzuki Griquas capped off a perfect campaign by clinching the South Africa Cup with a commanding 46-24 victory over arch-rivals, the Airlink Pumas, in a thrilling final at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon.
This triumph marks their first major trophy in a decade.
From the onset, Pieter Bergh’s side dominated, surging to a 29-0 lead within the first 25 minutes, setting the tone for a memorable final in front of a packed crowd at their home ground, the Diamond City.
The Peacock Blues, donning white jerseys for the occasion, delivered a masterclass in the first half, effectively securing the game early on.
Suzuki Griquas led 29-14 at halftime, with the Airlink Pumas showing resilience in their attempt to stage a comeback. However, the home team’s defense held firm, repelling multiple forward assaults from Jimmy Stonehouse’s gritty team from Mpumalanga.
Despite the pressure, the Griquas thwarted two significant scoring opportunities, holding up the visiting ball carrier and preventing them from crossing the try line.
As the second half progressed, the Griquas soaked up the pressure and found another gear, scoring two quick tries in the final six minutes to seal the victory.
Experienced flyhalf George Whitehead was instrumental, scoring a try, four conversions, and two penalty goals, contributing 19 points to the team’s tally.
The Northern Cape team started strong, with left wing Sako Makata scoring a converted try in the sixth minute, followed by a penalty goal from Whitehead after a high tackle saw right wing Stefan Coetzee sent to the sin bin. A penalty try ensued when the Airlink Pumas pulled down a driving maul.
With two opponents in the sin bin, the Griquas capitalized, and fullback Cameron Hufke crossed in the corner to make it 22-0. Whitehead then exploited a gap in the Pumas’ defense, collecting his own grubber kick to score under the posts, stretching the lead to 29-0.
The Airlink Pumas mounted a fightback, narrowing the deficit to 15 points by halftime with a penalty try and a counter-attacking try by replacement flyhalf Gene Willemse.
Discipline issues plagued both teams, with four yellow cards issued in the first half alone.
After the break, both teams improved their discipline, leading to an intense battle for possession and territory. Whitehead extended the Griquas’ lead with a second penalty goal early in the second half.
The Pumas, however, refused to relent, with replacement hooker Darnell Osuagwu and wing Lundi Msenge both scoring tries to cut the lead to 32-24 with ten minutes remaining.
But the Griquas responded decisively, with late tries from replacements Gustav du Rand and Bobby Alexander, sealing the fate of the visitors and sparking wild celebrations among the home team and their supporters.
The Suzuki Griquas’ unbeaten run and dominant performance throughout the competition underscore their prowess and mark a significant milestone in the team’s history.
