Currie Cup champions Griquas go back-to-back as George Whitehead stars in Kimberley thriller
Veteran flyhalf George Whitehead kicked 13 points on his 150th appearance to guide Griquas to a 23-16 victory over the Pumas, securing back-to-back Currie Cup titles in Kimberley.
The Griquas and Pumas are vying for local domination in the 2026 Currie Cup title, set to clash in the final at Griqua Park on Saturday afternoon. Since 2022, either team has participated in three of the four Currie Cup finals, with both teams meeting in every SA Cup final since its inception in 2023. This remarkable achievement has propelled them past the Cheetahs as the top team in the country, apart from the four SA United Rugby Championship franchises - Bulls, Lions, Sharks, and Stormers.
The final resembles the 2022 encounter, where the Griquas hosted but lost 26-19 to the Pumas, who secured their first and only Currie Cup trophy. In 2023, the Pumas tried to defend their title but were defeated by the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. The following year, the Sharks overcame the Lions at Ellis Park, while in 2025, the Griquas upset the odds against the Lions in Johannesburg, securing their fourth Currie Cup title.
Now, both the Griquas and Pumas aim to add another title to their collection. The Kimberley-based Griquas are favorites, with the team having lost only one game in the competition this season. They won their next seven straight games after their opener against the Stormers in Cape Town and dominated the Pumas 38-14 in Mbombela and 52-12 in the semifinal against the Lions. However, the Pumas should not be underestimated, as they triumphed against the odds in 2022, and have shown improvement recently.
The Cheetahs were the second-best team behind the Griquas during the pool phase, but the Pumas outperformed them 52-26 in their final pool game in Mbombela and then recovered from a 10-3 halftime deficit to defeat the central side 27-24 in their semifinal in Bloemfontein. Thus, two formidable teams will face off in a grandstand Currie Cup final in Kimberley.
The Pumas take heart from having edged the Griquas 38-35 in the SA Cup competition final earlier this year, clinching their second title, while the home team seeks revenge.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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