The race for the four places in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division got off to a cracking start during the opening round of the 2025 SA Cup, with five encounters staged over the weekend.
Three of the five matches ended in away wins, with only the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and Valke able to gain home victories.
In one of the main clashes of the first round, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers got the better of the Toyota Cheetahs when the side coached by Hawies Fourie defeated Frans Steyn’s Free Staters by 45-29 in Wellington. This entertaining fixture produced 10 tries and the Bloemfontein visitors played their part by matching the home side’s tally of five tries.
Defending champions Suzuki Griquas got their campaign off to a flying start by overwhelming the Leopards 64-7 in Potchefstroom in one of four Saturday fixtures.
The NovaVit Griffons produced a powerful second half display to defeat hosts Border 55-32 in their clash in East London, while Valke prevailed 41-30 over a gallant Eastern Province in their home game at Kempton Park.
Meanwhile, Airlink Pumas opened their account with a 75-7 romp over the Phangela SWD Eagles on Friday afternoon in George.
Pumas outgun Eagles in Mpumalanga
The Phangela SWD Eagles scored first against the Airlink Pumas, but then leaked 11 tries as the side from Mpumalanga raced to a comprehensive 75-7 victory in the opening game of the SA Cup played afternoon Friday at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. The hosts led 26-7 at halftime.
Sango Xamlashe (inside centre), Wian van Niekerk (outside centre), Eddie Swart (replacement prop) as well as Ntsika Fisanti (loose forward) all scored two tries each for the Airlink Pumas. Kickers Danrich Visagie and Clinton Swart slotted ten conversions between the two of them. Sachin Toring grabbed the solo try for the team from George.
Scorers:
Airlink Pumas 75 (26) – Tries: Sango Xamlashe (2), Darren Adonis, Wian van Niekerk (2), Eddie Swart (2), Ntsika Fisanti (2), Llewellyn Classen, Clinton Swart. Conversions: Swart (6), Danrich Visagie (4).
Phangela SWD Eagles 7 (7) – Try: Sachin Toring. Conversion: Braam Abrahams.
Boland stake early claim against Cheetahs
The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers defeated Toyota Cheetahs by 45-29 in Wellington on Saturday to open their SA Cup with a convincing bonus-point win after leading 19-12 in the break.
In an entertaining encounter played in front of an enthusiastic crowd, both sides scored five tries apiece, however, it was the Kavaliers’ kickers, Ashlon Davids (flyhalf) and his replacement Gart April, who punished the Free Staters for their propensity to commit numerous offenses.
Davids was an instrumental figure throughout as he pulled the strings in a good tactical display, and he also kept the scoreboard ticking over by slotting three conversions and two penalty goals. April kept in tune when he came on as replacement by adding a conversion and two penalty goals.
Boland left wing Lunathi Nxele scored three tries. Replacement flyhalf Jandre Nel made a good impact for the Free Staters by crossing over twice, while starting pivot George Lourens converted his own try before making way for Nel.
Scorers:
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 45 (19) – Tries: Lunathi Nxele (3), Sidney Tobias, Duren Hoffman. Conversions: Ashlon Davids (3), Garth April. Penalty goals: Davids (2), April (2).
Toyota Cheetahs 29 (12) – Tries: Jandre Nel (2), Prince Nkabinde, George Lourens, Pierre-Raymond Uys. Conversions: Lourens, Cohen Jasper.
Griffons pull away from Border in second half
The NovaVit Griffons produced the goods in the second half to gain a good solid 55-32 away victory over the Border Bulldogs at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London on Saturday afternoon. The hosts made home ground advantage count as they scored three of their four tries in the opening half to lead 25-19.
The men from Welkom found their rhythm after the break and outscored the Bulldogs by four tries to one to register a comfortable win in the end, only allowing their hosts to score again after normal playing time had lapsed.
No 8 Soso Xakalashe was one of the standout performers for the Bulldogs as he crossed over for two tries, while flyhalf Maxwell Klaasen kicked three successful conversions and two penalty goals.
Griffons left wing Andrew Kota also had a fine individual game as he added six conversions and a penalty goal to his try for a personal tally of 20 points.
Hooker Simon Westraadt helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as the NovaVit Griffons’ rolling maul created havoc in the second half, while inside centre Chris Hollis went over for a brace of tries.
Scorers:
Border Bulldogs 32 (25) – Tries: Soso Xakalashe (2), Sakhe Dingile, Larry Nkonki. Conversions: Maxwell Klaasen (3). Penalty goals: Klaasen (2).
NovaVit Griffons 55 (19) – Tries: Simon Westraadt (3), Chris Hollis (2), Ulrich Stander, Quan Eymann, Andrew Kota. Conversions: Kota (6), Penalty goal: Kota.
Defending champs Griquas too strong for Leopards
Suzuki Griquas got the defence of their SA Cup title off to a flying start by beating Leopards 64-7 in their opening-round fixture in Potchefstroom.
The men from Kimberley were lethal in the first half and scored 31 unanswered points before adding a further 33 points in the second period, while restricting the Leopards to just one converted effort during that time.
Loose forward Carl Els and left wing Connor Mahoney each scored twice for the champions. Former Junior Springbok flyhalf Tylor Sefoor added four conversions. Arminn Posthumus scored Leopards’ consolation try in the second half.
Scorers:
Leopards 7 (0) – Try: Arminn Posthumus. Conversion: Shaun-Christian Baxter.
Suzuki Griquas 64 (31) – Tries: Connor Mahoney (2), Carl Els (2), Tertius Kruger, Cameron Hufke, George Whitehead, Mnombo Zwelendaba, Marco de Witt, Gustav du Rand. Conversions: Tylor Sefoor (4), Whitehead (3).
Valke fight back to down plucky EP
Valke overturned a halftime deficit of 14-22 to beat a plucky Eastern Province by 41-30 in their SA Cup opener in Kempton Park.
The visitors – who were 14-0 down before scoring three first-half tries – had a fine opening spell and deservedly led by eight points at the halfway stage.
However, the Valke tightened up their defence and took better advantage of their scoring opportunities in the second stanza to clinch a hard-fought victory. Flyhalf Keagan Fortune kept the East Randers in the hunt with his accurate boot as he succeeded with all five conversions in addition to two well-taken penalty goals.
Right wing Rodney Damons dotted down twice for EP and pivot Christian Humphries hit the mark with two conversions and two penalty goals, however, they could not match the strong finish of the hosts, who scored 10 points in the final 10 minutes to pull away.
Scorers:
Valke 41 (14) – Tries: Valentino Wellman, Sergio Stalmeester, Mbembe Payi, Zander van der Merwe, Wernich Aucamp. Conversions: Keagan Fortune (5). Penalty goals: Fortune (2).
Eastern Province 30 (22) – Tries: Rodney Damons (2), Troy Delport, Jayden Bantom. Conversions: Christian Humphries (2). Penalty goals: Humphries (2).
Good William
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Pompeii Unicorn
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