Suzuki Griquas and the Airlink Pumas will battle it out for the 2026 Carling Currie Cup Premier Division title in Kimberley on Saturday after coming through contrasting semi-final victories this past Sunday.

Griquas produced a ruthless seven-try performance to crush the Fidelity ADT Lions 52-12 at Suzuki Stadium, while the Pumas had to dig deep to edge the Toyota Cheetahs 27-24 in a thrilling encounter in Bloemfontein.

The final will kick off at 15:00 at Suzuki Stadium, with Griquas earning home-ground advantage after their emphatic semi-final win.

It will also be a repeat of the 2022 Currie Cup final, when the Pumas stunned Griquas to win the competition for the first – and so far only – time in their history.

Griquas run riot in Kimberley

Playing in freezing conditions, Griquas made their intentions clear from the opening minutes.

Flanker Lourens Oosthuizen crossed for the first try in the fifth minute after a slick attacking move, before lock Marco de Witt finished off a rapid counter-attack six minutes later to put the hosts 14-0 ahead.

The Lions briefly fought back through hooker Armand Combrinck, who scored from a rolling maul, but Griquas quickly regained control.

Inside centre Mnombo Zwelendaba powered over before George Whitehead produced a clever grubber kick for fullback Stefan Coetzee to collect and score.

Hooker Tiaan Lange added a fifth try on the stroke of half-time as Griquas raced into a commanding 35-5 lead.

Any hopes of a Lions comeback were extinguished early in the second half when Oosthuizen grabbed his second try of the match.

The Lions were then reduced to 14 men following a yellow card, although Junior Bok midfielder Ethan Adams managed to score a consolation try.

Griquas, however, were not finished.

Substitute scrumhalf Jack Hart added their seventh try before Whitehead kicked a late penalty to complete the 52-12 demolition.

Pumas hold their nerve in Bloemfontein thriller

The second semi-final was a far tighter affair, with the Pumas overturning a seven-point half-time deficit before holding their nerve in the closing stages.

The Cheetahs dominated the opening half and led 10-3 at the break after flanker Ramon Uys scored, while flyhalf Jaco van der Walt added a conversion and penalty.

Birthday boy Clinton Swart’s penalty was the Pumas’ only first-half score. But the visitors emerged with renewed energy after the break.

Darren Adonis scored in the corner shortly after half-time, with Swart converting to level the scores at 10-10.

Flanker Andre Goedhals then crossed as the Pumas took a 17-10 lead, only for the Cheetahs to hit back through hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg from a rolling maul.

With the scores locked at 17-17, replacement hooker Gustav du Rand scored from another powerful Pumas maul. Swart added the conversion to put the visitors 24-17 ahead.

The drama was far from over. Carel-Jan Coetzee broke through in midfield to score under the posts for the Cheetahs, with Van der Walt’s conversion levelling the scores at 24-24 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Swart then punished a Cheetahs offside infringement with a penalty to put the Pumas back in front.

The home side had one final opportunity to force extra time but turned down a kickable penalty in favour of an attacking lineout.

The Pumas defence stood firm, stopping the ensuing maul and winning the turnover to seal a 27-24 victory.

The result sends the men from Mpumalanga back to Kimberley for a shot at their second Currie Cup title – and a rematch of the 2022 final against a Griquas side that will head into Saturday’s showdown full of confidence after their seven-try semi-final masterclass.