Cheetahs out to dethrone Griquas

With Currie Cup qualification confirmed, attention shifts to this weekend’s SA Cup semi-finals in Nelspruit and Kimberley.

The Pumas host the Boland Kavaliers at Mbombela Stadium at 7pm on Friday, with defending champions Griquas taking on the Cheetahs at 3pm on Saturday.

The Pumas won all nine of their league-stage matches, including a 34-32 victory against Boland in Wellington two weeks ago. The two bonus points picked up in that narrow defeat helped Boland return to the Currie Cup Premier Division for the first time since 2016.

Under the guidance of Hawies Fourie, coupled with vital investments from their corporate partner, the Bolanders – Currie Cup First Division champions 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 won 49-0.

Griquas go into their semi-final with two SA Cup victories against the Cheetahs over the past two seasons.

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

MORE: Steyn tells Griquas the Cheetahs are hungry for tries

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

Photo: @CheetahsRugby/X