Saturday’s SA Cup final in Kimberley feels less like a once-off decider and more like the next instalment in South African rugby’s latest compelling provincial rivalry, between Suzuki Griquas and the Airlink Pumas.
These two sides, who faced off in the 2022 Carling Currie Cup Premier Division final, have contested the last two SA Cup finals, split those titles one apiece, and repeatedly used their league meetings as previews of what was to come.
With kick-off set for 18:30 (SA Time) on Saturday, the pattern from the last two seasons suggests this is a contest in which recent form and home ground advantage have all proved decisive. The much-anticipated clash will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
A look back at the brief history of the competition, and specifically the previous meetings between these two teams, shows that the 2024 season established the template.
Griquas edged the Pumas 31-26 in Kimberley during the league phase, a result that put them on course to host the inaugural final, and they made full use of that advantage a few weeks later with a 46-24 victory to win the historic title.
That final was effectively decided in a devastating opening quarter, when Griquas surged into a 29-0 lead inside 25 minutes and forced the Pumas to chase the game from there. Experienced playmaker George Whitehead controlled the contest superbly, contributing 19 points, while the hosts’ attacking sharpness outweighed the Pumas’ defensive grit.
It also confirmed a trend that would matter again later: between these sides, the team that wins the key league meeting usually carries that edge into the final.
In 2025, the rivalry swung dramatically in the other direction. The men from Nelspruit beat their Kimberley rivals 39-35 in Mpumalanga during the round-robin, ending Griquas’ unbeaten SA Cup run and moving to the top of the standings at the time.
They then backed that up in the final, outplaying the defending champions 39-14 at Mbombela Stadium to claim their first SA Cup crown.
The Pumas led 19-7 at half-time in that final, stayed in control territorially and tactically and finished as deserving winners of an unbeaten campaign. Where Pieter Bergh’s side had set the tone early in 2024, it was the team of Jimmy Stonehouse who imposed themselves from the start in 2025, underlining again how much this deciding fixture is shaped by momentum and the ability to strike first.
So, what does that mean for the 2026 final? Based on the results of the previous two campaigns, there is very little to separate the teams, but playing at their Northern Cape home gives Griquas a narrow edge.
The Diamond City was the setting for the Suzuki Griquas’ 2024 league win and final triumph, and home ground advantage in this rivalry has repeatedly mattered when matters most.
Furthermore, all semi-finals and finals in the previous two editions of this competition have gone in favour of the home side.
The Airlink Pumas, though, arrive with every reason to believe they can spoil the occasion, having shown last season that they can outscore Griquas and disrupt their rhythm when they control territory and discipline.
Although Griquas managed to beat Pumas 44-34 in their league meeting this year, a tight, high-quality final is predicted – and the chance for the visitors to, once more, break the trend.
Another fascinating duel, which will be handled by referee Christopher Allison, awaits between these two arch-rivals.
Suzuki Griquas vs Airlink Pumas
Date: Saturday, 23 May
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Kick-off: 18h30
Referee: Christopher Allison
Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby