This Saturday, the Fidelity ADT Lions will be hosting the final match of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division for the second successive season, facing the Suzuki Griquas who will be travelling from Kimberley.
Both teams won their semi-finals matches on Saturday, 13 September, with the Lions booking their second final in a row when they set a 67-19 triumph over Sanlam Boland Kavaliers at Ellis Park.
For the Griquas, it was the first time in 27 years for a Currie Cup semi-final to be staged in Kimberley during which they defeated their neighbours, the Toyota Cheetahs, by 24-5 to secure their place in Saturday’s final.
The kick-off at Ellis Park is planned for 15:00, but the time will be confirmed.
Lions outscores Boland Kavaliers
According to the 2025 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin number 28, on springboks.rugby, the Lions established their authority early in their semi-final and held a commanding 41-5 lead over Boland Kavaliers at half-time.
Lions wing Angelo Davids led the scoring with a blistering performance which resulted in four tries, three of those scored in the first half. Henco van Wyk contributed two, while SJ Kotze, Quan Horn, and Renzo du Plessis each scored one.
The hosts were also awarded a penalty try.
Chris Smith (fly-half) was a major contributor with his boot, pulling the strings behind a dominant pack and scoring 15 points from six conversions and a penalty goal.
Boland, who won the First Division last year and emerged as the season’s surprise package with four league wins, managed to score three tries in the end through Sidney Tobias, Jayden Bantom, and Chriswill September, with James Tedder kicking two conversions.
Tedder was yellow carded late in the second half when he illegally stopped a Lions attack, which led to the hosts’ penalty try.
Griquas defeat Cheetahs to reach final
In the other semi-final, Griquas progressed to their second final in four years with a hard-fought 25-5 victory over the Cheetahs. The win was inspired by two moments of individual brilliance from wing Dylan Maart, who scored a crucial brace of tries.
The men from Kimberley led 12-5 at the halfway stage and scored two tries in the second half without conceding any points. They started the match with a quick-fire blitz of tries, which laid the foundation for a solid win in the Diamond City.
Following a scrum penalty and an attacking lineout, the ball was spread wide before Zane Bester brought it back inside, creating the space for Albert Liebenberg to score the opening try.
Almost immediately after, Maart chased down a kick and, after the ball bounced favourably, he ran two-thirds of the field to score his first try of the evening game. This double-strike saw the home side take a commanding 12-0 lead.However, the Cheetahs hit back just three minutes later, with a try from wing Prince Nkabinde after a turnover and successful offload.
The rest of the first half was an arm wrestle, with Griquas unable to capitalise on their advantage.
Early in the second half, experienced fly-half George Whitehead extended the lead with a penalty goal.
The decisive moment came in the 56th minute when Griquas worked their way into the Cheetahs’ half after a penalty and Maart received a pass from Whitehead.
With a lot of work to do, the prolific wing produced a spectacular dive to score his second try in the corner, much to the delight of his teammates and the grateful Kimberley crowd.
Whitehead converted the try and, with the final kick of the game, slotted a long-range penalty goal to seal the 25-5 victory, which has set them up for a trip to Johannesburg to face the Lions, whom they lost to in the league phase.
The Lions are in position one of the log with 26 points, and the Griquas in position two with 25 points, while Griquas’s Whitehead is listed as the top scorer with 64 points.
Scorers
Fidelity ADT Lions 67 (41), Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 19 (5)
Lions – Tries: Angelo Davids (4), Henco van Wyk (2), SJ Kotze, Quan Horn, Renzo du Plessis, Penalty try. Conversions: Chris Smith (6). Penalty goals: Smith.
Boland – Tries: Sidney Tobias, Jayden Bantom, Chriswill September. Conversions: James Tedder (2).
Suzuki Griquas 25 (12), Toyota Cheetahs 5 (5)
Griquas – Tries: Albert Liebenberg, Dylan Maart (2). Conversions: George Whitehead (2). Penalty goals: Whitehead (2).
Cheetahs – Try: Prince Nkabinde.
Griquas’ rugby heritage
For the Griquas, this final is a chance to etch their name in history and prove why Kimberley is seen as the heartbeat of South African rugby.
According to griquasrugby.co.za, Griqualand West has played a foundational role in the development of South African rugby. Kimberley was once the unofficial headquarters of the sport, hosting the first inter-town match in 1881 and the first Currie Cup tournament in 1891.
Griquas were pioneers – from touring by mule-wagon to Cape Town in 1884, to forming the SA Rugby Football Board in 1889, and scoring South Africa’s first Test try.
Over the decades, Griquas have lifted the Currie Cup three times, with famous victories in 1899, 1911, and the unforgettable 1970 win against Northern Transvaal. They have also claimed five Vodacom Cup titles and continued to make their mark in recent years. They were the Currie Cup semi-finalists in 2019 and 2021, finalists in 2022, and winners of the Airline Cup (2023) and SA Cup (2024).
- Griquas’ supporters can book a space on the bus travelling from Kimberley to Johannesburg for the Currie Cup final. It departs on Saturday morning and will return straight after the match.
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