The road to the 2026 Carling Currie Cup crown takes a familiar turn this Sunday as the defending champion Suzuki Griquas host the Fidelity ADT Lions in a blockbuster semi-final clash at Suzuki Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 13:00 SAST.
The encounter is a high-stakes replay of last year’s dramatic showpiece, where the Griquas stunned the Lions with a 27-25 victory at Ellis Park to lift the coveted trophy. This time around, the Peacock Blues hold the ultimate trump card: home-ground advantage in the Northern Cape.
Pieter Bergh’s Griquas enter the knockout stages as the undisputed team to beat. They dominated the regular season, finishing at the summit of the standings with six wins from seven matches. Boasting both the competition’s most lethal attack (40 tries) and its stingiest defence (only 143 points conceded), the hosts carry a staggering +128-point differential into the weekend.
By contrast, the Lions had to fight until the final weekend of the regular season to secure their playoff status. A commanding 36-12 bonus-point victory over the Stormers XXIII booked their fourth-place finish on the log. While Mziwakhe Nkosi’s men wear the underdogs tag, write them off at your own peril; the Johannesburg-based outfit is hunting a third consecutive Currie Cup final appearance.
The teams have already tasted battle at Suzuki Stadium this season, with the Griquas claiming a clinical 31-19 victory in Round 4. The local faithful will be expecting a repeat performance, largely pinned on the boot of veteran flyhalf George Whitehead, who continues to orchestrate the Griquas' backline with championship composure.
However, the Lions have received timely reinforcements for the trip to Kimberley. Lock Ruan Delport returns from suspension to reclaim the captaincy, providing a massive psychological and physical boost to the tight five. In another key tactical switch, the explosive Haashim Pead earns a start at scrumhalf, forming an exciting, youthful halfback pairing with flyhalf Matt Coetzee.
The battle at the breakdown and the aerial contest will likely dictate the tempo. The Griquas will miss injured stars Keagan Blanckenberg, Gustav Erlank, Cameron Hufke, and Gurshwin Wehr, testing their squad depth against a highly motivated Lions side.
While the Lions possess the individual brilliance to break the game open, the Griquas have turned Suzuki Stadium into an absolute fortress. Combined with their tactical discipline and the championship pedigree developed over the last 12 months, the holders should have just enough edge to book their spot in the final.
Teams:
Suzuki Griquas: 15 Stefan Coetzee, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Sako Makata, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg (c), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 IG Prinsloo, 2 Tiaan Lange, 1 Leon Lyons. Replacements: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius, 20 Carel van der Merwe, 21 Jack Hart, 22 Liam Koen, 23 Connor Mahoney.
Fidelity ADT Lions: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Keagan Smith, 13 Ethan Adams, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Latica Nela, 10 Matt Coetzee, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Jarod Cairns, 7 Renzo du Plessis, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 Ruan Delport (c), 4 Siba Qoma, 3 Ruan Swart, 2 Armand Combrinck, 1 Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Siya Dube, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 JD Hattingh, 21 Asad Moos, 22 Exauce Kevani, 23 Luke Cannon.