The Currie Cup champions produced a sensational second-half display on Saturday to overpower a determined and dangerous Boland Cavaliers side 59-35 in the second semi-final at Suzuki Stadium, after the teams were locked at 28-28 at half-time.

After racing into an early 14-0 lead, the Peacock Blues allowed the visitors from Wellington back into the contest by conceding 28 unanswered points. But the home side gradually wrestled back momentum towards the end of the first half before completely taking control after the break, turning the second stanza into a one-sided affair.

Sako Makata - Morgan Piek

While this will be the third consecutive year that the Griquas and Pumas battle it out in the SA Cup final, this year’s title decider carries extra significance as it will be the first-ever night final hosted in Kimberley in the competition.

The last match played under the floodlights in the Northern Cape capital was the 2025 Currie Cup semi-final, where the Griquas beat the Toyota Cheetahs 25-5 in front of a packed and electric crowd.

Griquas coach, Pieter Bergh, admitted he was relieved after the victory over Boland and told OFM Sport that playing under the lights in Kimberley always creates a unique atmosphere.

“When it’s a night game, our players really enjoy playing under the lights here in Kimberley,” said Bergh.

“It creates a completely different atmosphere. Last year’s semi-final was unbelievable - the stadium was sold out.

“The people of Kimberley also love night games, so hopefully it won’t be too cold and the supporters will come out again to back the team.

Lourens Oosthuizen - Morgan Piek

“We also had incredible support today for a match that started at one o’clock, despite other sporting events and school activities taking place in Kimberley.

“Hopefully, after all the school rugby on Saturday, everyone can come together again in the evening so that we can pack out the stadium once more.”

Reflecting on the semi-final, Bergh conceded that he had concerns heading into the clash following their 32-31 defeat to the Toyota Cheetahs the previous week. However, despite trailing 28-14 during the first half, he said it was crucial for his side to remain calm and gradually wear the Cavaliers down — something they executed to perfection.

“The other thing for us as a team is that we believe we’re an incredibly difficult team to play against,” Bergh added.

“When we get on the front foot, we’ve developed the ability over the last few years to suffocate and strangle teams, and that’s exactly what we did in the second half.

“We strangled Boland. We got maul dominance, scrum dominance and started to take control. On the counterattack, when they kicked the ball, our back three came alive and backed themselves. We put them under pressure.

Leon Lyons - Morgan Piek

“I think we did the same in Wellington when we played them there. It all started at the set-piece. The moment we gained dominance there, it became like slow poison for us because we just kept breaking them down minute by minute.”

The kick-off time for Saturday’s SA Cup final between the Griquas and the Pumas at Suzuki Stadium is yet to be confirmed.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport