Griquas coach Pieter Bergh will be cheering for the Pumas to prevail over the Cheetahs to keep alive his hopes of matching the class of 1970 by winning the Currie Cup in Kimberley.
Griqualand West famously beat Northern Transvaal 11-9 in Kimberley 52 years ago to clinch the title and, on Friday night, Bergh’s men became the first from Griquas to reach the final since 1970 when flyhalf George Whitehead scored a try and kicked 13 points to beat the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
Griquas scored 24 points in the second half as the visitors shocked the defending champions 30-19.
Speaking post-match, Bergh said: “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, it’s special. For many years, Griquas have talked about 1970. I’ve been involved as assistant coach with Griquas from 2012 to 2018, and every year in that time we never made a semi-final, with very good teams.
“There was always the talk of winning the Currie Cup, and talking about 1970. In 2019, they made the semi-finals … 2021 they made the semi-finals, and they couldn’t take that next step.
“So, I’m incredibly proud of these guys, and I said to them in the pre-match team talk, ‘There’s a reason why the Guinness Book of World Records gets rewritten every year’. And I was sick and tired of talking about 1970.
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“We haven’t won the final yet, but I’m incredibly proud of these players.”
He added: “The last few weeks we’ve leaked a few tries and had to come from behind. They asked a lot of questions of us on defence in the first half and we kept them out. In the second half, as soon as we were in front we dominated, and then the scoreboard pressure started to tell and we played some good rugby.”
The Griquas boss also praised Whitehead, the flyhalf making a statement as an early substitution for the injured Ashlon Davids.
Bergh said: “George didn’t have a point to prove, we all know what he can do. He was picked with the purpose that if we needed points at the end, he would go for poles, similar to what Morne Steyn used to do for the Bulls and Springboks.
“We’ll see next week who we play to see if he plays off the bench again or has a start.”
Griquas await the winners of the clash between the Free State Cheetahs and Pumas in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon, an optimistic Bergh saying: “We’re used to this knockout rugby now, and feel we’re well prepared for the final.
“I must say, we’ll be shouting for the Pumas because that will mean a home final for us and that will be very special for Kimberley.”
