If the advice of Vodacom Bulls coach Gert Smal is taken and the Carling Currie Cup trophy finds itself placed in a museum, Windhoek Draught Griquas could end up bookending the history of the oldest provincial competition in world rugby.
It is hard to see the Currie Cup continuing in its current format now that the four top franchises are committed to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and the Champions Cup/Challenge Cup, which will demand pretty much a full season focus. The smart move would be to let the other 10 provincial unions compete for the domestic trophy, with the winner advancing to the Challenge Cup the following season.
That would promote the integrity of the competition. At the moment it is undermined a bit by having the second or third string teams, and in some cases even the under-21 teams, of the major unions playing in it. Letting it be a stand-alone for the other unions to compete for could also uplift rugby in the country areas and, of course, somewhere like the Eastern Cape, which remains a fertile breeding ground for top players in this country but is currently on the outer.
But while that makes sense, should the new competition still be known as the Currie Cup? Without the provinces that have the most engravings on the famous trophy, that is debatable.
It is all speculation at present, of course, but nonetheless if Saturday's final between Griquas and Airlink Pumas in Kimberley does prove the end of an era, a Griquas win could prove a fitting completion of a circle that started 131 years ago, back in 1891. That was the year that the British Isles first toured South Africa, and they donated a golden trophy that the owner of the Union Castle shipping line, Sir Donald Currie, had presented them with. They gave it to the team they felt had been most competitive against them during their tour. That team was Griquas, who lost 3-0 in Kimberley.
Griquas then donated the trophy to the national body and it has been played for by the provinces on an annual basis ever since.
BOTH TEAMS LOOKING TO COMPLETE A FAIRYTALE
The modern version of Griquas won’t be satisfied with a loss in this final, but neither will the Pumas, who have as much of a fairytale beckoning for them as Griquas do if they win. Even their coach Jimmy Stonehouse admits that Griquas will start as favourites on the basis that they won both their league games against his side.
“Griquas are the favourites to win. They beat us by 21 points when we played them in Kimberley. They came to Mbombela Stadium in the last league game and fought back from 20 points down to win,” Stonehouse told the Lowvelder.
The charismatic Pumas coach though is convinced his team can make it third time lucky as his men have learned from their games against Griquas. A key will be for them to cut off the Griquas possession at source so they struggle to launch the fluid attacking game, with forwards and back synchronising impressively, that buried the Toyota Cheetahs the last time they played at home in Kimberley.
“We have to win the set pieces and stop their continuity. We are ready to bring the Currie Cup home,” said Stonehouse.
GRIQUAS LOSE THEIR CAPTAIN
His team will be captained again by the Stormers bound Willie Engelbrecht, but Griquas have had to change their captain in the buildup week due to the concussion sustained in their semifinal win over the Bulls by regular leader Neil Otto. Centre Sango Xamlashe will take over the captaincy reins due to Otto’s misfortune.
Griquas have made a clutch of changes to the side that beat the Bulls, with Cameron Lindsay in at lock and Johan Retief reverting to the bench and Werner Gouws making a similar swop with Michael Amiras on the flank. Stefan Ungerer, another player in this game who will be playing his last game for his team before heading to the Stormers, is back as starting scrumhalf and will have a key role to play with his tactical game.
So will George Whitehead, who was man of the match playing off the bench at Loftus but is now starting at fullback due to the injury to Ashlon Davids.
COULD BE DRAMATIC AND SPECTACULAR
This is the first final to feature a team or teams outside of the usual anticipated top echelon since Natal won their way into the 1984 final in Cape Town from the B Section of the Currie Cup, but it could well be the most dramatic and spectacular in recent memory given the record of the two protagonists.
Just recently Griquas have made a habit of coming from behind, quite substantially behind, to win games, but then so have the Pumas, who had to score twice in the dying minutes in Bloemfontein last week to get to the final. The fact that win came just 160 kilometres by road from Kimberley should inspire the visitors and it is a reason for them not to be written off.
With stadiums now allowed to accommodate 100% capacity crowds again, the stadium should be heaving just like De Beers Stadium was 52 years ago when Griquas hosted the Bulls in their last final and won. This is one weekend where all rugby roads do appear to lead to Kimberley.
Teams
Windhoek Draught Griquas: George Whitehead, Munier Hartzenberg, Sango Xamlashe (captain), Rynhardt Jonker, Luther Obi, Alex-Zander du Plessis, Stefan Ungerer, Sibabalo Qoma, Hanru Sirgel, Werner Gouws, Derik Pretorius, Cameron Lindsay, Janu Botha, Janco Uys, Kudzwai Dube. Replacements: Simon Westraadt, Eddie Davids, Andries Schutte, Johan Retief, Michael Amiras, Johan Mulder, Theo Boshoff, Christopher Hollis.
Airlink Pumas: Devon Williams, Tapiwa Mafura, Sebastian de Klerk, Eddie Fouche, Jade Stighling, Tinus de Beer, Chriswill September, Andre Fouche, Willie Engelbrecht (captain), Daniel Maartens, Shane Kirkwood, Deon Slabbert, Ig Prinsloo, Eduan Swart, Corne Fourie. Replacements: Llewellyn Claassen, Dewald Maritz, Simon Raw, Kwanda Dimaza, Francois Kleinhans, Globan Snyman, Ali Mgijima, Alwayno Visagie.
Kick-off: 15.00
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Prediction: Griquas to win by 12