Although the Currie Cup may no longer boast the fanfare and star power it once did, it should not be forgotten that the final of South Africa’s oldest domestic rugby competition will kick off on Saturday.
Four years after the Pumas stunned Griquas in the 2022 final on the same ground to secure their first Currie Cup title, the two sides meet again to contest the famous trophy.
The big match starts at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
ALL TO PLAY FOR AS CURRIE CUP FINAL APPROACHES KICK OFF
For Pieter Bergh’s Griquas, the mission is clear: defend the title they captured in dramatic fashion against the Lions in Johannesburg last year, and strengthen their claim as the current benchmark in South African provincial rugby.
For Jimmy Stonehouse’s Pumas, it is a chance to add a second Currie Cup crown and underline that their remarkable rise over the past decade remains one of the competition’s great success stories.
Griquas have set the standard throughout the 2026 competition. After losing their opening match to the Stormers XXIII in Cape Town, they produced six consecutive league victories to finish top of the table with a competition-leading 271 points and 40 tries scored, and the best defensive record in the tournament, leaking only 20 tries in their 143 points conceded.
Their points differential of +128 underlined a team capable of suffocating opponents and punishing mistakes. By contrast, the Pumas scored 201 points in the regular season and conceded 195, for a points difference of +6, scoring 29 tries and conceding 28 in the process.
Although the Pumas have had the edge in this fixture over the last five matches, the most recent result suggests a slight advantage for Griquas, who beat the Pumas 38-14 during the league phase in Kimberley to snap a four-match losing streak to the team from Nelspruit and enter the final on a seven-match winning streak.
However, dismissing the Pumas would be dangerous. Their decisive victory over the Cheetahs in the final league round and subsequent gritty away semi-final triumph showed a squad peaking at exactly the right moment.
Expect a compelling contest in the 2026 Currie Cup Premier Division final on Saturday in Kimberley, where the big occasion will be refereed by Morné Ferreira.
Match information
Suzuki Griquas vs Airlink Pumas
Date: Saturday, 12 September
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Morné Ferreira
TV: SuperSport
