Underdogs Griquas won the South African Currie Cup for the first time since 1970 when fly-half George Whitehead kicked a post-hooter penalty for a 27-25 win over the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Lions not only enjoyed home advantage in the final at Ellis Park stadium, but also the psychological edge having hammered the Griguas by 30 points in the league phase two weeks ago.
It was the second consecutive final in which the Lions surrendered the lead at home in added time as the Sharks triumphed last year by converting a long-range penalty.
Griquas ended a 55-year wait to lift the premier domestic trophy again when Lions lock Ruan Delport committed a deliberate knock-on and Whitehead slotted the penalty from close to the posts.
“We are a band of brothers and this victory is the culmination of three years of hard work,” said Griquas captain and tighthead prop Cebolenkosi Dlamini.
The new champions from northern Cape city Kimberley are one of the cinderella teams in South Africa, and regularly lose their stars to the ‘big four’ — the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks.
Scorers
Griquas: Tries – Cameroon Hufke, Lourens Oosthuizen, Mnombo Zwelendaba; conversions – George Whitehead (3); penalties – Whitehead (2)
Lions: Tries – Kelly Mpeku, Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk; conversions – Chris Smith (2); penalties – Smith, Lubabalo Dobela
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