Valke fall to in-form Griquas in home SA Cup fixture
Despite a competitive first half, the hosts were outplayed as Griquas claimed a 52–15 victory.
The Valke played their first home game of the SA Cup when they hosted the Suzuki Griquas in Round Two at Barnard Stadium on March 14.
Supporters from both sides created a lively atmosphere, with Griquas fans travelling from Kimberley to back their team, while local supporters came out in numbers to support the Valke.
The 2025 Carling Currie Cup Premier Division champions entered the match in strong form after a commanding 104-7 victory over the Leopards in Round One. They continued their winning momentum with a 52-15 victory over the Valke.
Despite the result, the hosts fought throughout the match after a slow start in the first half, hoping to make an impact after the break.
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Suzuki Griquas coach Pieter Bergh said he was pleased with his side’s performance, especially under challenging conditions.
“It feels good to be back in action after a five-and-a-half-month break following last year’s Currie Cup win. We had a good start last week and a good game today, so I am very happy with where we are as a team.
“The big difference between last week’s game and this week’s game is the field. It is very heavy, the grass is thick.
“We are from Kimberley and not used to this. The guys were struggling in the later stages of both halves, but I am very proud of the effort they put in,” Bergh said.
He added that it was important for his side to secure the full five points against a strong opponent.
“The guys played against a much better team, a team that also wants to qualify for the Currie Cup, so it was important for us to get the five points today. It is always hard to improve. I think we made some crucial errors in the first half and could have been further ahead at half time, but overall I am happy with the performance,” he said.
Valke coach JP Immelman admitted the defeat was disappointing but said his team had shown positive moments.
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“It’s a bad loss. Nobody likes to lose like that. We were in the game for big parts but not accurate enough in getting points on the board. We do not necessarily need to make changes but rather be more accurate.
“When you play against the Currie Cup champions, you need to be sharp and make quicker adjustments. If you make the same mistake five times, they will punish you five times. If you make a mistake once, you need to fix it so it does not happen again,” Immelman said.
He added that his side needed to spend more time with the ball.
“We did a lot of good things and we never stopped trying, but our execution needs to be better. We need the ball in hand and we need to keep the ball. If we spend most of the game defending, the scoreboard will reflect that,” he said.
Tylor Sefoor made his Valke debut in the match, facing his former team after joining the Valke on loan from the Griquas for the 2026 season.
At half time, the visitors held a 21-10 lead as both sides looked to improve their performances in the second half.
The Valke struggled to gain momentum after the break, managing to add only one more try to their tally. The Griquas, however, continued to dominate and capitalised on the hosts’ difficulties.
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Griquas captain Albert Liebenberg said the conditions made the match challenging but praised his team’s effort.
“We did well today in tough conditions. We are not used to a field like this, it is very heavy and we could feel it in our legs, but I think we fought until the end. Our set pieces worked well, especially the scrums. When your set piece works, you know you are going to dominate,” he said.
Liebenberg added that his side had adapted as the match progressed.
“Maybe in the first 20 minutes we could have been more in control, but we adapted well after that. Thank you to the Valke for the game. The tournament is still long and it can go either way. We know they are also fighting for the Currie Cup, so we wish them well for the matches ahead,” he said.
Despite their efforts, the Valke could not add another try, while the visitors continued to take advantage of opportunities in the second half.
At full time, the Griquas secured another five points with a 52-15 victory.
The Suzuki Griquas remain at the top of the SA Cup table with 10 points, while the Valke drop to seventh place with five points.
Valke captain Mihlali Stamper said the team had shown promise, particularly in the opening half.
“I think we played well, especially in the first half. We really took the game to them and put them under pressure with the plan we had. In the second half, we did not take all the chances that we had. Last week our second half was more clinical.
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“Today they pinned us in our half and we were defending most of the time. We just could not get going with the processes we set out.
“We did not get a bonus point and we want to push for bonus points and more wins going forward. Playing in the right areas of the field would have given us a better outcome,” Stamper said.
