The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers shrugged off an ill-disciplined performance to secure their second win of the 2026 SA Cup campaign by beating the Griffons 56-23 in Round Two of the 2026 SA Cup competition.
Coach Hawies Fourie’s side scored eight tries to two, beating the Griffons by 56-23 at Boland Stadium in Wellington on Sunday after enjoying a narrow five-point, 21-16, lead at the halftime break.
Despite a game that saw referee Sean Muller brandish eight yellow cards and three red cards, Kavaliers' left winger Xavier Mitchell made sure he stole the show on a hot Sunday in Wellington after scoring four tries.
The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers made a slow start to their first home game of the SA Cup campaign after trailing by 0-10 after the Griffons’ Keegan Schaefer slotted an early penalty goal. The visitors were also awarded a penalty try after the home side were adjudged to have illegally brought down a rolling maul.
The Kavaliers also lost Dayan van der Westhuizen and Sauliegh Arendse to the sin bin during this period.
It did, however, kick-start the home side into action as flanker Khwezi Mafu crashed over for Boland’s opening try. From a powerful rolling maul, Sidney Tobias then scored the Kavas’ second try to take the lead in the 26th minute.
A second successful penalty goal by Schaefer saw Boland’s lead shrink to just one point before Mitchell scored his first of the game after some brilliant tactical kicking by experienced scrumhalf Louis Schreuder.
Schreuder spotted space at the back of the Griffons’ defence and kicked a neatly placed kick for winger Xavier Mitchell to chase and dot down for the home side’s third try of the afternoon.
Before the halftime break, Boland suffered another setback as lock Marlyn Williams received his yellow card marching orders for a professional foul with the Griffons hot on the attack.
Schaefer stepped forward to slot his third penalty goal as the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers had to settle for a 21-16 lead at the break.
BOLAND DOMINANT
Boland then asserted their dominance in the second half with Tobias scoring his second five-pointer from a rolling maul.
The game then turned into the ‘Xavier Mitchell Show’ as the winger and Schreuder again combined for his second try. Schreuder offloaded neatly to Mitchell, who glided past three would-be Griffons’ defenders to dot down under the poles.
And just before the game’s hour mark, Mitchell completed his hat-trick with another fantastic run, before scoring his fourth, giving the Griffons no chance of a comeback.
Following this, the game turned into a bit of an ill-tempered affair as more players on both sides got sent off
Replacement hooker Chyle van Zyl scored the Griffons’ second as referee Muller brandished more cards as two Kavas got red-carded. Lunathi Nxele, who scored the game’s final try, also saw yellow for a bust-up with a Griffons player near the end.
The win sees Boland consolidate their third place on the SA Cup log, after opening their campaign with a win against the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
SCORERS:
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 56 (21) – Tries: Kwhezi Mafu, Sidney Tobias (2), Xavier Mitchell (4), Lunathi Nxele Conversions: Juan Mostert (7), Thurlon Williams
Griffons 23 (16) – Tries: Penalty try, Chyle van Zyl Conversion: Dehovine Johannes Penalties: Keegan Schaefer (3)
SANLAM BOLAND KAVALIERS: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Lunathi Nxele, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (capt), 7 Khwezi Mafu, 6 Sauliegh Arendse, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Jeandre Leonard, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, Dewald Maritz
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Joshua Eras, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Andrew Beerwinkel, 19 Michael Benadie, 20 Michael Mutombo, 21 Chriswill September, 22 Erik Lambrecht, 23 Thurlon Williams
GRIFFONS: 15 Dehovine Johannes, 14 Chadrack Tshimanga, 13 Chris Hollis, 12 Jandre de Beer, 11 Izzy Novuka, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Keegan Shaefer, 8 Calla Pienaar, 7 Jared Kruger, 6 Mingo Piti, 5 Sergio Moreira, 4 Wikus Nieuwenhuis, 3 Hlumza Nondonga, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Xolani Jacobs
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Chyle van Zyl, 17 Justin Forwood, 18 Cassie Botes, 19 Rian Olivier, 20 Neels Louwrens, 21 Daylon Myners, 22 Clive Kruger, 23 Quan Eymann