Defending champions, the Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women, will host the Griffons Women, while AVBOB Griquas will entertain SWD Eagirls in the semi-finals of the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2 next weekend after the top four were confirmed in the final round of fixtures on Saturday, which resulted in Leopards Women getting knocked out of the play-offs.
In the final round, Griquas overcame the Griffons 43-17, while the SWD’s 60-12 win over Limpopo Blue Bulls in Geroge secured them third place and a trip to Kimberley.
The Leopards, runners up last year, ran into a resurgent Valke Women at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, where the hosts won 60-10. The result pushed the Valke into fifth place on the log, with Leopards dropping to sixth.
The Pumas, who had a bye and did not play in the final, go into the playoffs undefeated and finished top of the log (30 points), followed by Griquas (26), SWD (17) and the Griffons (14).
The Valke Women – who lost the corresponding fixture last season in Potchefstroom by a massive 105-5 in – totally outplayed their North West visitors this time around and in doing so, handed last year’s losing finalists their worst log standing in many seasons.
The hosts started brilliantly, scoring three quick fire tries in the opening 10 minutes to jump into a 21-0 lead. The Leopards pulled one back with 19-year-old wing Kiarra Langeveldt dotting down, but that was a fake dawn for the visitors as three more Valke tries pushed their halftime lead to 36-5.
Langeveldt scored early in the second half, but again, after that there was only one team on the scoresheet. Four more tries were added, including one on the final buzzer to Valke centre Noluyanda Mtshweni, her fourth of the afternoon.
AVBOB Griquas Women outplayed their hosts at the Down Touch Investments Stadium in Welkom, the Griffons Women, by 43-17, with the result dropping the Northern Free Staters to fourth on the log, which was enough to secure them a spot in the playoffs.
A try by Griquas’ main strike weapon, Maserati Bangaza, in the fifth minute laid out the challenge to the hosts and although they responded with tries in the 16th and 20th minutes, Bangaza bagged a second within the half hour mark as the Northern Cape side started to force them dominance on the match, leading 19-10 at the break.
Both sides scored early second half tries, but the last 20 minutes belonged to Griquas, who added two more, including a third by Bangaza as they picked up good momentum towards next weekend’s showdown.
It was a 10-try rout in George where the SWD Eagirls – champions in 2024 – found their rhythym and confidence at just the right time, with the 60-12 win over the Limpopo Blue Bulls Women showing why they had already secured yet another semi-final on the Garden Route before the final round.
The Outeniqua Park faithful were treated by an array of skills by their players, with tries scored from first phase, counter-attack and flowing backline moves. Wing Chante Jonck bagged at hat-trick from sweeping attacks.
In all, seven different players scored tries as the Eagirls, potentially playing their last match at home this season, saved their best for last.
Fair play to Limpopo though, who just could not get going in a tough year. They tried to stay in the fight, but on the day, the ambitions of the two sides proved the difference.
Scorers:
Valke Women 60 (36), Leopards Women 10 (5)
Valke – Tries: Moleboheng Miyo, Megan Mboweni, Evidence Tinoota (3), Noluyanda Mtshweni (4), Noluthando Nkosi. Conversions: Londeka Ntanzi (3), Aviwe Kaduka (2).
Leopards – Tries: Kiarra Langeveldt (2).
Griffons Women 17 (10), AVBOB Griquas Women 43 (19)
Griffons – Tries: Tshepiso Matelile, Sebabatso Mochudi, Thato Rantai. Conversion: Pinky Touto.
Griquas – Tries: Maserati Bangaza (3), Juanine Jacobs (2), Adaora Philemina, Malwanda Maswangany. Conversions: Inga Qogi (3), Jacobs.
SWD Eagirls 60 (24), Limpopo Blue Bulls 12 (7)
SWD – Tries: Prelene Pegram, Leceta Cornelius, Ashley-Ann Williams, Mia-Lee Matiwane, Antoneica Hannies, Chante Jonck (3), Euphinia Fillis, Ceceilia Swarts. Conversions: Hannies (5).
Limpopo – Tries: Kgopotso Ramawela, Mahlatse Lekola. Conversion: Tebogo Semanya.
Tweety Bun Bun
Rugby first appeared at the Olympics 1900 – Interestingly, rugby first appeared as an Olympic sport in 1900 when the games were held in Paris. Since then, it’s appeared intermittently until its formal reintroduction at the Rio De Janeiro Games 2016, with both a male and female 7’s tournament played. At those games, Fiji won the men’s tournament winning their first ever Olympic medal in the country’s history.