Lions and Griquas set for high-stakes Currie Cup final showdown

The 2025 Currie Cup reaches its climax on Saturday when the Fidelity ADT Lions host Suzuki Griquas in the Premier Division final at Ellis Park. 

Both teams have fought hard and deserve to be in the final, and will turn up with a point to prove, and with history reminding them that finals rarely follow the script.

Griquas chasing history

For Kimberley’s Griquas, the occasion is another chance to end a 55-year wait for the trophy. They came close in 2022, losing at home to the Pumas, but coach Pieter Bergh insists his team knows how to test the Lions.

“It’s a final, so you always stand a chance,” Bergh said. “The Lions folded under the pressure a bit in last year’s final [against the Sharks]. We need to ensure that we’re good enough to put them under pressure, and consistent pressure.

“If we start well and put them under pressure early, with a bit of luck here and there, we’re in with a chance. Anything can happen in a final.”

Bergh added that Griquas will stick to the brand of rugby that brought them this far. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for us. We just need to ensure that we don’t go into our shell. We need to play according to our strengths and not be afraid to put them under pressure.”

Lions warned to stay clinical

For the Lions, the challenge is about learning from past mistakes. Last year they looked set to beat the Sharks at Ellis Park, only to concede possession late on and see Jordan Hendrikse’s long-range penalty snatch the title.

Club stalwart Willem Alberts, who retired in 2024 after more than 80 appearances for the union, believes discipline will decide the outcome.

“It’s important to be clinical. In the competition so far, they’ve played beautiful, flowing rugby. It helped that they have been allowed to play that way,” Alberts said.

“If you’re not clinical and too loose in the way you play, you’re giving your opponent a chance in a final where every point is vital. Against a team like Griquas – who’ve shown so far this season that they’re not standing back for anyone – you can’t afford to be loose. You must be clinical and place your opponent under pressure.”

Alberts added: “The Lions mustn’t lose their heads like they did against the Sharks last year. If the Lions remain clinical, they’ll starve Griquas of loose balls they thrive on, and that’ll stifle their attacking power.”

Rivalry in focus

The hosts are chasing their first Currie Cup title since 2015, while Griquas are eyeing a drought-breaking triumph. Their recent encounters underline how competitive the fixture has become.

• 6 Sept 2025: Lions 37–7 Griquas
• 4 Aug 2024: Griquas 28–36 Lions
• 19 Jul 2024: Lions 25–13 Griquas
• 10 May 2023: Lions 18–25 Griquas
• 14 Apr 2022: Lions 17–23 Griquas

With both sides carrying lessons from finals lost and opportunities missed, Ellis Park is set for a contest defined by pressure, precision, and the hunger for silverware.