They saved the best for last. Griquas produced a stunning second-half comeback to overhaul the Pumas 43-29 in a pulsating encounter on day two of the U18 FNB Craven Week 2026, sealing victory with a try on the final hooter at Grey High School.
Early fireworks, brutal physicality, momentum swings, and a grandstand finish left the crowd breathless. The Pumas dominated the opening exchanges and held a slender 22-21 halftime lead, but Griquas found another gear after the break to run out deserved winners in a 14-try spectacular.
The Northern Cape side scored 22 unanswered second-half points to turn a one-point deficit into a commanding position, before holding off a gutsy Pumas fightback to claim a famous victory. When the hooter sounded, Griquas had one final say, crossing for a 43-29 final score that flattered neither side in what was an absolute belter.
Pumas explode out the blocks
The Mpumalanga outfit came out firing on all cylinders. Within the first minute, they’d crossed the whitewash to lead 5-0, serving immediate notice of their intentions. Griquas were shell-shocked.
But champions respond, and Griquas did exactly that. A minute later, they struck back with precision, getting in under the posts and adding the conversion to snatch a 7-5 lead. Game on.
The Pumas weren’t rattled. In the 10th minute, they bust through tackles with brute force to cross again, reclaiming the lead at 10-7. Five minutes later, they extended their advantage to 15-7, and suddenly Griquas were on the ropes.
The 20th minute brought more misery for the Northern Cape side as the Pumas scored again to push the lead to 22-7. They were taking control, and Griquas needed a response.
Griquas claw their way back
The response came in the 28th minute. Showing patience in the Pumas’ 22, Griquas built pressure through big forward carries, bashing away at the defensive line until something gave. They crashed over to make it 22-12, and suddenly there was hope.
Four minutes later, they struck again. Coming through the middle with pace and purpose, the Griquas fullback showed brilliant support play to dot down and cut the deficit to just one point at 22-21. The momentum had swung dramatically, and the halftime whistle blew with the Pumas clinging to their 22-21 lead by the skin of their teeth.
Griquas take control
Whatever was said in the Griquas changing room at halftime worked. They emerged transformed, and just four minutes after the restart, they grabbed the lead with a superbly worked maul try. At 26-22, Griquas were in front for the first time since the second minute.
Nine minutes later, they extended their advantage with a clinical finish after cutting the line to score and make it 33-22. The Pumas had a try disallowed, a crucial moment that could have brought them back into the contest, but the Northern Cape side were in full control.
Pumas refuse to surrender
In a massively physical encounter that left bodies strewn across Kolisi Field, the Pumas showed their character. Twelve minutes from time, they scored a vital try to cut the deficit to 33-29. Game on again? Griquas had four points in it with time running out.
But the Northern Cape outfit had learned their lessons. In the 68th minute, they produced a moment of brilliance from the set piece, giving the ball some air and scoring out wide to extend the lead to 38-29. That should have been that, but there was still time for one final twist.
As the clock ticked into the red, Griquas attacked with purpose. When the final hooter sounded, they had one last chance. They took it, crossing the whitewash as time expired to confirm a 43-29 final score and spark wild celebrations.
This was a tale of two halves. The Pumas dominated the opening 35 minutes, racing to a 22-7 lead and looking every bit the superior side. Their early intensity, powerful carries, and clinical finishing had Griquas rattled.
But credit to the Northern Cape boys, they absorbed the pressure, stayed patient, and worked their way back into the contest. The 28th-minute try proved crucial, giving them belief heading into halftime at just one point down.
The second half belonged to Griquas. Their set-piece was good, their forward carries gained dominance, and their ability to find space through the middle caused the Pumas defence problems. Scoring 22 unanswered points from the 41st to the 68th minute showed championship mentality.
But there’s no shame in this defeat for the Mpumalanga side. They scored five tries, dominated for long periods, and refused to surrender even when trailing by nine points late in the match. In a massively physical encounter, they gave as good as they got.
