Much about Griquas and the region they represent is trapped beneath the dust of time.
Kimberley owes its existence to a deep dig which caked its surrounds in a layer of dirt and much the same applies to the Griquas rugby team that is desperate to rise from the ashes and write a new chapter in its history.
A whopping 52 years have passed since they last contested the Currie Cup final and that result has been etched in rugby followers' conciousness as the most defining moment in the union's existence.
On Saturday they get the opportunity to lift the trophy for the fourth time when they meet the Pumas who are on the hunt for their first success in SA's oldest competition.
They are arguably the two most unfancied finalists in the competition's history.
The visitors would have arrived in Kimberley as underdogs but they are by no means the long shots Griquas were when Northern Transvaal rolled into town in 1970.
Mannetjies Roux's team downed Piet Uys' more illustrious Ligbloues 11-9 at the De Beers Stadium but the wait has been long for another shot at glory.
Though they made it to the final, the Griquas and Pumas got there the hard way, having finished third and fourth on the points table. Both had to record away wins against the heavily favoured Bulls and Cheetahs respectively.
Those wins would have imbued both sides with confidence but it is the home team that perhaps has more reason to approach kickoff chest-out. They beat the Pumas twice this season winning 41-20 in the third round in Kimberley in February, and 45-44 in Nelspruit two weeks ago.
The Griquas will however be without regular captain Neil Otto, with the armband now in the possession of Sango Xamlashe who captained the University of Pretoria to the Varsity Cup title last this year.
Stefan Ungerer, who gained valuable experience at the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship is back at scrumhalf, while the vastly experienced kicking ace George Whitehead will slot in at fullback in the place of Ashlon Davids.
It will be Ungerer's last game for the Griquas before moving to the Stormers.
The Pumas are unchanged from the team that won in Bloemfontein but the Griquas will be spurred on by a capacity 12,000 crowd.
The Pumas are in search of history, while the Griquas are desperate to finally bury theirs.
TEAMS
Griquas — George Whitehead; Munier Hartzenberg, Sango Xamlashe (captain), Rynhardt Jonker, Luther Obi; Alex-Zander du Plessis, Stefan Ungerer; Sibabalo Qoma, Hanru Sirgel, Werner Gouws; Derik Pretorius, Cameron Lindsay; Janu Botha, Janco Uys, Kudzwai Dube.Substitutes: Simon Westraadt, Eddie Davids, Andries Schutte, Johan Retief, Michael Amiras, Johan Mulder, Theo Boshoff, Christopher Hollis.
Pumas — Devon Williams; Tapiwa Mafura, Sebastian de Klerk, Eddie Fouche, Jade Stighling; Tinus de Beer, Chriswill September; Andre Fouche, Willie Engelbrecht (captain), Daniel Maartens; Shane Kirkwood, Deon Slabbert; Ignatius Prinsloo, Eduan Swart, Corne Fourie. Substitutes: Llewellyn Classen, Dewald Maritz, Simon Raw, Kwanda Dimaza, Francois Kleinhans, Giovan Snyman, Ali Mgijima, Alwayno Visagie.
Kickoff: 3.00pm
Referee: Cwengile Jadesweni
TMO: Quinton Immelman
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A Currie Cup final for ages and aged
Griquas desperate to bury the past, while Pumas are happy to break new ground
Image: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Much about Griquas and the region they represent is trapped beneath the dust of time.
Kimberley owes its existence to a deep dig which caked its surrounds in a layer of dirt and much the same applies to the Griquas rugby team that is desperate to rise from the ashes and write a new chapter in its history.
A whopping 52 years have passed since they last contested the Currie Cup final and that result has been etched in rugby followers' conciousness as the most defining moment in the union's existence.
On Saturday they get the opportunity to lift the trophy for the fourth time when they meet the Pumas who are on the hunt for their first success in SA's oldest competition.
They are arguably the two most unfancied finalists in the competition's history.
The visitors would have arrived in Kimberley as underdogs but they are by no means the long shots Griquas were when Northern Transvaal rolled into town in 1970.
Mannetjies Roux's team downed Piet Uys' more illustrious Ligbloues 11-9 at the De Beers Stadium but the wait has been long for another shot at glory.
Though they made it to the final, the Griquas and Pumas got there the hard way, having finished third and fourth on the points table. Both had to record away wins against the heavily favoured Bulls and Cheetahs respectively.
Those wins would have imbued both sides with confidence but it is the home team that perhaps has more reason to approach kickoff chest-out. They beat the Pumas twice this season winning 41-20 in the third round in Kimberley in February, and 45-44 in Nelspruit two weeks ago.
The Griquas will however be without regular captain Neil Otto, with the armband now in the possession of Sango Xamlashe who captained the University of Pretoria to the Varsity Cup title last this year.
Stefan Ungerer, who gained valuable experience at the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship is back at scrumhalf, while the vastly experienced kicking ace George Whitehead will slot in at fullback in the place of Ashlon Davids.
It will be Ungerer's last game for the Griquas before moving to the Stormers.
The Pumas are unchanged from the team that won in Bloemfontein but the Griquas will be spurred on by a capacity 12,000 crowd.
The Pumas are in search of history, while the Griquas are desperate to finally bury theirs.
TEAMS
Griquas — George Whitehead; Munier Hartzenberg, Sango Xamlashe (captain), Rynhardt Jonker, Luther Obi; Alex-Zander du Plessis, Stefan Ungerer; Sibabalo Qoma, Hanru Sirgel, Werner Gouws; Derik Pretorius, Cameron Lindsay; Janu Botha, Janco Uys, Kudzwai Dube.Substitutes: Simon Westraadt, Eddie Davids, Andries Schutte, Johan Retief, Michael Amiras, Johan Mulder, Theo Boshoff, Christopher Hollis.
Pumas — Devon Williams; Tapiwa Mafura, Sebastian de Klerk, Eddie Fouche, Jade Stighling; Tinus de Beer, Chriswill September; Andre Fouche, Willie Engelbrecht (captain), Daniel Maartens; Shane Kirkwood, Deon Slabbert; Ignatius Prinsloo, Eduan Swart, Corne Fourie. Substitutes: Llewellyn Classen, Dewald Maritz, Simon Raw, Kwanda Dimaza, Francois Kleinhans, Giovan Snyman, Ali Mgijima, Alwayno Visagie.
Kickoff: 3.00pm
Referee: Cwengile Jadesweni
TMO: Quinton Immelman
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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