SA Cup semi-finals: Pumas primed, but Boland can't be counted out
SA Cup 2025
The unbeaten Airlink Pumas, coached by Jimmy Stonehouse, will host the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in the second SA Cup semi-final on Saturday — and while the defending champions are clear favourites, they’ll be wary of a Boland side that has made a habit of upsetting expectations.
Image: Gerhard Duraan, BackpagePix
The unbeaten Airlink Pumas will host the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in the second SA Cup semi-final on Saturday — and while the defending champions are clear favourites, they’ll be wary of a Boland side that has made a habit of upsetting expectations.
Playing at home in Mbombela, the Pumas will be brimming with confidence after cruising through the round-robin stage with nine straight wins. They’ve racked up a massive 545 points while conceding just 192 — an imposing points difference of 353 that reflects their lethal attack and rock-solid defence.
In contrast, Boland scraped into the final four with a gritty 36-22 win over Eastern Province in the last round, finishing fourth with 32 points. But underestimate them at your peril. The Kavaliers have shown flashes of brilliance this season, and will relish the opportunity to spoil the party in Mbombela.
The Pumas will back their firepower and consistency, but in knockout rugby, pressure can do strange things. Boland, with nothing to lose, could prove a trickier opponent than the log table suggests.