George Whitehead boots Griquas to back-to-back Currie Cup titles

Veteran Griquas flyhalf George Whitehead was the difference maker once again as he booted his side to a second successive Currie Cup title with a 23-16 win over the Pumas in the final at Griqua Park in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon.

Whitehead slotted a penalty after the fulltime hooter last year to help the Griquas snatch an upset win over the Lions at Ellis Park, but this year it was his dependable boot both at goal and in play that led the home team to thrilling win over their biggest rivals the Pumas.

It capped a superb season for the Griquas, as they won six of their seven pool games to comfortably finish top of the log, followed by a thumping semifinal win over the Lions, to setup a repeat of the 2022 final against the Pumas, but this time they held their nerve to deservedly come out on top.

The Pumas can be very proud of their efforts, after they needed a win over the Cheetahs to confirm their place in the knockouts in their final pool game, they then upset the central side in Bloemfontein in their semifinal and pushed the Griquas all the way in the final to fall just short.

Good start

In the match the Griquas got off to a good start, and their positive play was rewarded in the ninth minute, after a breakdown penalty gave Whitehead an easy three points to open the scoring.

But the Pumas hit back against the run of play five minutes later, as fullback Jay-Cee Nel snaffled an intercept near the halfway and raced away, with him eventually hauled in, but wing Darren Adonis was on his shoulder to receive the offload and go in untouched for the converted try.

In the 20^th minute the Griquas responded with some good play in the visitors 22m, a loose pass was tapped back by a Pumas player, but inside centre Mnombo Zwelendaba was first to the ball, stepped a couple of defenders and went over for the converted score and a 10-7 lead.

Although the Griquas were shading the contest, the Pumas were staying well in the fight, and two penalties in the 25^th and 33^rd minutes were confidently slotted by flyhalf Clinton Swart to put them into a 13-10 lead.

A frenetic finish to the half saw both sides butcher opportunities, as first Griquas wing Sako Makata was tackled just short and then knocked on as he tried to ground the ball over the line, followed by Pumas lock JJ Scheepers knocking on with the tryline at his mercy after the halftime hooter.

The start of the second half belonged to the Griquas as they relentlessly pressured the Pumas, but the visitors continued thwarting the hosts with great defence and some top breakdown work to keep them ahead.

Level scores

Finally in the 58^th minute the Griquas managed to level the scores after earning a penalty dead in front which Whitehead popped over.

But straight from the kick-off the Pumas ripped the ball back and attacked, and almost scored, but were held up over the line by the Griquas, leaving the scores level going into the final 20 minutes.

The Griquas retook the lead for the first time since the 25th minute just seconds before the final 10, after a scrum penalty from just in their own half was hoofed over by Whitehead to put them ahead.

But their lead was short lived as straight from the kick-off the Pumas earned their own penalty in front and Swart levelled proceedings again with the score 13-all.

Whitehead then made the killer play in the 73^rd minute as he kicked a monster 50-22 from his own 22m, the second time he had done it in the game, which gave them a lineout in the visitors 22m.

They secured the lineout and set a monster maul, rumbling close for replacement hooker Janco Uys to break off and be driven over by a couple of teammates for the winning try, which was fittingly converted by Whitehead to give them a seven point lead, which they held onto over the final few minutes.

Scorers

Griquas: Tries – Mnombo Zwelendaba, Janco Uys; Conversions – George Whitehead (2); Penalties – Whitehead (3)

Pumas: Try – Darren Adonis; Conversion – Clinton Swart; Penalties – Swart (3)