The Pumas broke Griquas’ unbeaten run in the 2025 SA Cup, while there were key wins for the Cheetahs, Boland Kavaliers and Griffons in round 7 of the competition.
Griquas won last year’s league encounter against the Pumas and were also victorious in the inaugural final, but Jimmy Stonehouse’s men exacted revenge on Friday in Nelspruit – their 39-35 win also moving them to the top of the standings.
The Cheetahs solidified third place on the log with a 59-17 victory over the Valke in Bloemfontein on Saturday. In Wellington, the Kavaliers were in rampant mood as they thrashed Leopards 80-0.
The Griffons ensured they also stayed in the hunt for playoff qualification with a 57-27 win against the SWD Eagles 57-27 in Welkom, while Eastern Province triumphed 41-15 in their Friday afternoon Eastern Cape derby with the Border Bulldogs.
With just two regulation rounds left before the playoffs, the Pumas lead with 35 points, three more than the defending champions from Kimberley.
They are followed by the Cheetahs, whose five wins takes their points tally to 27, which is two more than the Kavaliers (fourth) and the Griffons (fifth), with the Bolanders in that crucial fourth spot courtesy of better points’ differential.
The Valke are just outside the top five with 20 points, followed by EP (17 pts), the Eagles (7 pts), Leopards (4 pts) and Border (2 pts).
Next week will feature the penultimate round of league fixtures. The action kicks off on Friday in George, where the SWD Eagles host Griquas.
On Saturday, the Kavaliers will face a stern test at home in Wellington against the Pumas, the Leopards welcome the Valke to Potchefstroom, the Cheetahs go up against Border in Bloem, while EP will tackle the Griffons in Gqeberha.
Round 7 results and scorers:
Cheetahs 59-17 Valke
Cheetahs – Tries: Michael Annies (3), Marko Janse Van Rensburg (2), Cohen Jasper (2), Louis van der Westhuizen, Prince Nkabinde. Conversions: Jasper (7).
Valke – Tries: Abulele Ndabambi, Musa Tshabalala. Conversions: Sergio Stalmeester (2). Penalty: Stalmeester.
Boland Kavaliers 80-0 Leopards
Kavaliers – Tries: Xavier Mitchell (3), Godlen Masimla (2), HP van Schoor, James Tedder, Khwezi Mafu, Sidney Tobias, Lunathi Nxele, Domenic Smit, Jurick Lewis. Conversions: Tedder (6), Ashlon Davids (4).
Griffons 57-27 SWD Eagles
Griffons – Tries: Andrew Kota (2), Mingo Piti (2), Chris Hollis, Rian Olivier, Buhle Nojekwa, Calla Pienaar, Willem van den Hever. Conversions: Andrew Kota (6).
Eagles – Tries: Sachin Toring, Mpho Ntsane, Roshwin Abrahams, Clive Kruger. Conversions: Toring (2), Abrahams (2).
Pumas 39-34 Griquas
Pumas – Tries: Sango Xamlashe (2), Lundi Msenge (2), Clinton Swart. Conversions: Swart (4). Penalties: Swart (2).
Griquas – Tries: Cameron Hufke (2), Dylan Maart, George Whitehead, Janco Uys. Conversions: Whitehead (3). Penalty: Whitehead.
Border Bulldogs 15-41 Eastern Province
Border – Tries: Sakhe Dingile, Hlumelo Zitha. Conversion: Maxwell Klaasen. Penalty: Klaasen.
EP – Tries: Rodney Damons (3), Diego Williams (2), Wayne Ngubane, Deon Plaatjies. Conversions: Jayden Bantom (2), Chadwin November.
Photo: Johan Orton/Gallo Images
