AVBOB Griquas Women buried their Pick n Pay Women's Super League 2 bogey in gutsy fashion in Nelspruit on Friday, outplaying the Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women by 31-25 in a pulsating final played at Mbombela Stadium.
The defending champions still led 17-14 at the break, but the Northern Cape team delivered a much more clinical second half performance, with their bench making a significant impact.
Griquas’ victory – their first title in the provincial women’s game – came on the back of making the most of the important moments in the match, while the Pumas will look back at the loss of their provincial crown knowing that they came close, but were beaten by a team who wanted it more.
Claudia Francke, coach of Griquas, lauded her team’s resilience in the final.
“We have been working towards this for the last three years,” said a proud Francke.
“We always knew we had the capabilities to make it all the way. Our girls are travelling from all over in the Northern Cape, and that resilience showed. They worked very hard for this.”
According to Francke, the possibility of making history acted as motivation: “The fact that we came here to make history was a good thing, it formed part of our motivation to create this special moment for Griquas Women.
“The players knew what was on the line for us and how this will impact back home, not only for us but the junior structures as well, as it is where it starts. This is a resilient team and today it showed."
BRILLIANT SOLO EFFORT
The opening five minutes were lively with both teams having early attacking probes, but both were guilty of losing possession at crucial times.
The home side scored first when No 8 Skhulile Mabuza charged through the Griquas defence and after a few rucks, fullback Alicia Mahlalela scored in the corner for a 5-0 lead.
Griquas hit back immediately. A break by fullback Inga Qogi opened the Pumas defensive line and they went off their feet trying to stop the recycled possession and they were penalised.
Griquas tapped and shortly thereafter centre Sibabalwe Jobo crashed over. Qogi converted and Griquas were in the lead, 7-5.
The Pumas came back immediately with a brilliant solo effort by their inside centre, Pauline Sianga, who took the restart, sold an outrageous dummy and ran all of 60 metres to score.
The host team’s 10-7 lead was good value as they were starting to build good attacking momentum and a try by prop and team captain Mbali Mzizi did not come as a surprise.
A good offload resulted in the third try of the match for the Pumas. The conversion was good and the lead was 17-7 after 30 minutes of rugby.
Griquas pulled one back close to the halftime whistle, with captain Jennielee van Nel finished off good supporting play after flyhalf Juanine Jacobs broke through and when Qogi converted, it was a three-point game at the break.
HISTORY MADE
Griquas started strongest in the second half and also managed to fix the poor handling that dogged their first half attack.
Hooker Lindokuhle Sinaze scored a wonderful try after a wonderful supporting line gave her some open space. She raced to the corner and Griquas were not only back in the lead, but also getting good reward when in the Pumas’ half of the field.
The try handed them a 19-17 lead and when they scored again, it became clear that this match is going down to the wire.
A Pumas high tackle handed Griquas a penalty which they tapped. The ball was kept alive through numerous phases and Van Nel scored her second try. Qogi kicked the conversion for a 26-17 lead after 55 minutes.
However, the Pumas responded like one would expect from a team defending their title. They attacked relentlessly, with good interplay between the backs and forwards and Mahlalela scored her second try with a nice inside-out dart to cut the lead to four points.
An intervention from the bench upped Griquas’ game. Replacement centre Tyrell Wilson added massive thrust with her straight running and caused some errors in the Pumas’ defence, which resulted in penalties for the visitors.
From such a tap penalty, Wilson worked her way over the line and with just over 10 minutes to go, Griquas’ lead was extended to 31-22.
The home side's ace kicker, winger Sandisile Mkhabela, cut three points off that lead with a well-taken, long range penalty goal and at 31-25 it was anyone's game with 10 minutes to play.
The last ten minutes were as dramatic as the previous 70, but in the end, their rush defence did enough damage to the Pumas attacking effort and when referee Angie Bezuidenhout called time, history was made.
SCORERS:
PUMAS 25 (17) – Tries: Mbali Mzizi, Alicia Mahlalela (2), Pauline Sianga. COnversion: Sandisile Mkhabela. Penalty goal: Mkhabela.
GRIQUAS WOMEN 31 (14) – Tries: Jennielee van Nel (2), Lindokuhle Sinaze, Sibabalwe Jobo, Tyrell Wilson. Conversions: Inga Qogi (3).