The Griquas produced a statement performance of ruthless attacking rugby to obliterate the Lions 52-12 in brutal Kimberley conditions and book their place in the Currie Cup Final. On a wet and cold afternoon at Griquas Park, the home side were utterly dominant from the opening whistle to the final hooter, running in seven tries in a scintillating display that left the Johannesburg outfit shell-shocked.
Lightning start sets the tone
The Griquas wasted no time stamping their authority on proceedings. Just five minutes in, Lourens Oosthuizen crossed for the opening try through sublime interplay that carved open the Lions defence with surgical precision. The conversion made it 7-0, and the floodgates were about to open.
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Six minutes later, Marco de Witt extended the lead with a try that epitomised Griquas’ attacking philosophy. Following broken play, the home side launched wave after wave of penetrating runs that punished the Lions’ fragmented defensive line. De Witt’s perfect support line saw him cross untouched, and at 14-0 after just 11 minutes, the Lions were already reeling.
The visitors finally found a response through Armand Combrink on 18 minutes, the forward powering over from a strong driving maul that briefly offered hope. The try highlighted the contrasting styles on displa, the Lions looking to grind through phases and exploit their setpiece dominance, whilst Griquas were determined to keep the ball alive and stretch the visitors at every opportunity.
Griquas twist the knife
Any thoughts of a Lions fightback were emphatically crushed before the half-hour mark. Inside centre Mnombo Zwelendaba produced a moment of brute force, busting straight through the front door from a rolling maul. The powerful crash ball specialist showed exactly why he’s such a weapon in the Griquas arsenal, extending the lead to 21-5 on 29 minutes.
Three minutes later, the Griquas showcased their full attacking repertoire. George Whitehead, arguably the most underrated flyhalf in South African rugby, delivered a perfectly weighted grubber that sat up beautifully for fullback Stefan Coetzee to gather and score. At 28-5, the Griquas were playing with an intensity and tempo that the Lions simply couldn’t match.
The final act of a devastating first half came on the stroke of halftime. From a ferocious maul, hooker Tiaan Lange muscled his way over to extend both his team’s lead and his own remarkable personal tally. The competition’s leading try scorer had struck again, and the 35-5 halftime scoreline painted a brutal picture of Griquas dominance.
No mercy after the break
If the Lions harboured any hopes of an unlikely second-half comeback, Oosthuizen extinguished them within a minute of the restart. The backrower grabbed his brace on 46 minutes to make it 42-5, leaving the visitors staring at a mountain impossible to climb.
The Lions’ misery compounded two minutes later when they were reduced to 14 men following a yellow card. Their discipline was crumbling alongside their defensive structure.
To their credit, the Lions kept fighting. On 64 minutes, Ethan Adams, nicknamed “The Tank” for obvious reasons, showed precisely why. Following a brilliant kick through, Adams got on the end of it and powered his way over the tryline. When the big man builds a head of steam, there’s simply no stopping him. The try made it 42-12 and gave the travelling support something to cheer about.
Hart breaks Lions hearts
The final say belonged to Griquas scrumhalf Jack Hart, who sniffed out space around a scrum with 71 minutes on the clock. The replacement number nine sniped around the fringes to dot down try number seven for the rampant home side, making it 49-12. A penalty stretched the final margin to 52-12, a comprehensive demolition that perfectly reflected the balance of play.
Tactical triumph
This victory was built on the Griquas’ unwavering commitment to an expansive, high-tempo game plan that the Lions had no answer for. Whilst the visitors tried to slow things down and utilise their forward pack, Griquas consistently found ways to inject pace and width into their attacks.
Whitehead was exceptional in the pivot role, controlling the tempo and mixing his game beautifully between penetrating runs, pinpoint kicks, and swift distribution. His understanding with Coetzee at fullback was particularly evident, the pair combining brilliantly throughout.
Up front, Lange’s performance underlined why he’s the competition’s leading try scorer—an extraordinary achievement for a hooker. His work at the coalface and over the gainline was immense, whilst the Griquas pack collectively delivered quality front-foot ball for their backs to exploit.
On a wet and cold afternoon in the Northern Cape, the Griquas produced scorching hot rugby that has booked them a date with destiny in the Currie Cup Final.
