Rugby
Markgraaff gives Currie Cup champions even more reason to celebrate─── MORGAN PIEK 08:49 Fri, 18 Sep 2026
The Suzuki Griquas players had even more reason to celebrate on Saturday evening after lifting the Currie Cup for a second year in a row, beating the Pumas in a pulsating final in Kimberley.
The victory was significant for several reasons. The Griquas became the first team in the union’s history to successfully defend the Currie Cup, they won the world’s oldest domestic rugby trophy on home soil for the first time in 56 years, and they gained revenge over their bitter rivals, the Pumas, who had beaten them in extra-time earlier this year to claim the SA Cup title.
To add to the occasion, the sensational 23-16 victory in front of a capacity crowd at Suzuki Stadium also helped bury the ghosts of four years ago, when the Pumas beat the Peacock Blues 26-19 in a Currie Cup final that left Kimberley in a sombre mood.
In 2025, the Griquas ended a 55-year wait for the Currie Cup when a late penalty from George Whitehead saw the Northern Cape side edge the Lions 27-25 at Ellis Park.
Monty Engelbrecht and André Markgraaff. Photo: Morgan Piek
Following that triumph, the celebrations in the change room were wild, with the chairman of the board and former Springbok coach André Markgraaff rewarding the players with a R500,000 bonus during an emotional and heartfelt speech.
On Saturday, Markgraaff once again put his money where his mouth is, placing another R500,000 on the table for the team following their remarkable triumph – and what he described as their most special Currie Cup since 1970.
“Pieter said everything, but this is the first time in my life that I feel as if I’ve played three rugby games. This was a typical final – one hell of a game,” said Markgraaff.
“When they scored that intercept try, the momentum changed completely. But we were on the front foot; we were getting all the ball and sticking to the plan. We kept believing that we could come back and win this game.
“Last year at Ellis Park, I told you that our vision was to win three Currie Cups in a row. I think some of you thought it was impossible, but now it’s becoming a real possibility. We’ve won two Currie Cups, we’ve got a great squad together, and we have one vision: three Currie Cups.
“That’s what makes big teams great teams. You are also one of the few teams in the history of the game to win two successive Currie Cups, so you are part of history today. You can be very proud of that.
Gaffie du Toit and André Markgraff. Photo: Morgan Piek
“How many Springboks have never won a Currie Cup? You are privileged players sitting here today.
“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your effort. Three Currie Cups remain our vision. We were fortunate to play in overseas competition, and our opportunities will come in the next 18 months. I know what lies ahead for each and every player and for us.
“You must just keep working hard and stick together, because all the great teams got it right when a core group of players stayed together. They became friends, and they loved playing for each other.
“The coaching staff – we’ve signed the coach for three years – and we’ve signed the sponsor for another three years, so everything is going for us.
“Guys, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for this, because this was a great day. You can’t believe what this means to the Northern Cape and what you have achieved today.
“So, thank you very much. And, like last year, there’s R500,000 on the table. Well done, boys!”
While the Griquas’ celebrations are expected to continue deep into the week, attention now shifts to the Tbilisi Cup in Georgia.
The Peacock Blues will, in all likelihood, use the three-match tournament in Eastern Europe to give their fringe players an opportunity, allowing the Currie Cup champions to build even greater squad depth as they look towards the next chapter of what has already been a remarkable season.
