An extra time penalty goal by Danrich Visagie was the difference in a tense SA Cup final between Suzuki Griquas and the Airlink Pumas, as the visitors secured a 38-35 victory to successfully defend their crown at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley on Saturday evening.
The Airlink Pumas went into the break with a commanding 28-7 lead after outscoring the hosts by four tries to one. Griquas were also forced to play 20 minutes with 14 men after Dylan Maart was red carded for a dangerous tackle.
However, the Northern Cape side fought back brilliantly in the second stanza, scoring three unanswered tries to level the scores at 28-28 and force the game into extra time – validating their position as log leaders during the league phase.
The visitors from Mpumalanga regained the ascendancy to lead by 10 points at the halfway stage of extra time. Although Griquas hit back with a maul try to come within three points, the visitors from Nelspruit held on for a famous win.
The team from Mpumalanga set the tone early when flanker Ntsika Fisanti finished off a fine movement, with the conversion by Nevaldo Fleurs giving them a 7-0 lead.
Griquas showed their clinical nature with ball in hand when fullback Cameron Hufke took a sharp offload to score under the posts. The successful conversion levelled the scores at 7-7.
An intense 10-minute arm-wrestle followed before Jaycee Nel broke the deadlock, latching onto a Willie Engelbrecht pass to score the Pumas’ second try. Two more tries followed in quick succession for Jimmy Stonehouse’s team via Wian van Niekerk and a second for Nel, stretching their lead to 21 points.
During this period, Maart was red carded after misjudging a high ball contest, resulting in a dangerous landing for his opposite number and leaving Pieter Bergh’s side a man down.
To their credit, the Peacock Blues – champions two seasons ago – utilised their powerful pack to claw back into the contest. They mauled their way toward the tryline for hooker Janco Uys to dot down. Momentum shifted further when Pumas' Fisanti was yellow carded for repeated team infringements.
The home side capitalised on the numerical parity; following a dominant scrum, replacement scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams pounced on the loose ball to dive over. The conversion made it a seven-point game at 28-21.
With under 10 minutes remaining, Griquas’ replacement hooker Tiaan Lange benefited from another clinical maul to level the scores at 28-28, sending the final into overtime.
Early in extra time, Visagie, the Pumas’ replacement flyhalf, exploited slack defence to ghost through for his side's fifth try, which he converted himself.
Visagie then slotted a crucial close-range penalty goal after Griquas strayed offside at a breakdown on their 22m-line, extending the lead to 38-28.
After the turnaround, Lange crossed for his second maul try of the afternoon. George Whitehead added a difficult conversion to bring the hosts within three points at 38-35, but the Pumas’ defence held firm under immense pressure until the final whistle, when replacement back Conor van Heerden found touch to ensure the visitors became the first team to win back-to-back SA Cup titles.
Scorers:
Suzuki Griquas 35 (7) – Tries: Tiaan Lange (2), Cameron Hufke, Janco Uys, Caleb Abrahams. Conversions: George Whitehead (5).
Airlink Pumas 38 (28) – Tries: Jaycee Nel (2), Ntsika Fisanti, Wian van Niekerk, Danrich Visagie. Conversions: Nevaldo Fleurs (4), Visagie. Penalty goal: Visagie.