Pumas sound warning to their challengers
In the third round of the 2025 SA Cup, the unbeaten trio of Suzuki Griquas, Airlink Pumas, and NovaVit Griffons maintained their dominant form, while teams like the Valke and Eastern Province showed strong performances, and the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and Toyota Cheetahs suffered further setbacks.
The Airlink Pumas, in particular, had a thrilling 46-38 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs, marking another important step in their strong season.
The Pumas’ win over the Cheetahs in Nelspruit was one of the weekend’s most exciting games. The match was a high-scoring affair, with the Pumas holding a slender 26-24 lead at halftime. The first 40 minutes saw both teams exchanging tries, with the Cheetahs scoring early through Neels Volschenk and Carl Wegner, while the Pumas responded with tries from Ntsika Fisanti and Clinton Swart. As the game continued, the Cheetahs found their rhythm in the second half, thanks to tries from Louis van der Westhuizen and Michael Annies. However, the turning point came in the latter stages of the game, where the Pumas sealed the victory with additional tries from Jay Cee Nel and Ross Braude. This win kept the Pumas in second place on the log, just behind Suzuki Griquas, as both teams remained unbeaten after three rounds.
Meanwhile, the defending champions, Suzuki Griquas, made light work of Border Bulldogs, winning 118-3 in East London. The Griquas ran in 18 tries, with standout performances from Gurshwin Wehr, who scored four tries, and Dylan Maart, who added three. The match highlighted the Griquas’ relentless attacking style, as they dominated every aspect of the game, restricting the Bulldogs to just a single penalty goal in the first half.
The NovaVit Griffons also continued their fine form with a comprehensive 79-10 victory over the Leopards in Potchefstroom. The Griffons were in sensational attacking form, scoring 13 tries, including a hat trick from inside centre Jandre de Beer and multiple tries from Kyle Cyster and Thomas Ongera. The Leopards, despite a try from Sylvester Hassien, were completely outclassed, and the Griffons’ dominance in both attack and possession proved overwhelming.
Elsewhere, the Valke showed their strength with a convincing 43-26 win over the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in Kempton Park. The Valke made an impressive start, building a 26-7 lead within 25 minutes, before the Kavaliers fought back, reducing the deficit to 26-21 by halftime. However, the second half was all Valke as they capitalized on a yellow card to Kavaliers lock Michael Benadie, scoring two tries in quick succession. Valentino Wellman was the standout for the Valke, scoring twice, while flyhalf Keagan Fortune contributed with five conversions and a penalty goal. The victory lifted the Valke to fourth place on the log.
Eastern Province also picked up a much-needed win, beating the Phangela SWD Eagles 39-26 in George. The first half was evenly contested, with both teams scoring twice, but EP’s second-half performance was decisive. Despite a yellow card and a subsequent red card to CJ Velleman, EP remained composed and scored three more tries to secure the win. EP flyhalf Christian Humphries was pivotal, contributing 14 points through four conversions and two penalty goals.
After three rounds, Griquas, the Pumas, and the Griffons all remain unbeaten with 15 points each. The Griquas lead on points difference, followed by the Pumas in second and the Griffons in third. The Valke sit in fourth with 10 points, while Sanlam Boland Kavaliers are fifth on eight points, one ahead of the Toyota Cheetahs in sixth. Eastern Province and the Phangela SWD Eagles are in seventh place, with Border and the Leopards at the bottom of the standings.
Next week’s round four will feature several exciting matches, with the Griffons hosting the Griquas in Welkom, Border taking on the Leopards in East London, SWD traveling to face Boland, EP entertaining the Cheetahs, and the Valke facing the Pumas in Kempton Park.
