Flyhalf George Whitehead held his nerve with a last-minute penalty as Griquas edged the Lions in the Currie Cup final at Ellis Park. DYLAN JOHNSON reports.
Whitehead scored 12 points with the boot as the visitors from Kimberley won 27-25 to lift the Currie Cup for the first time in 55 years.
It was the second consecutive year that the Lions had lost the domestic decider after the hooter.
Griquas, the heavy underdogs, showed they meant business when fullback Cameron Hufke crossed in the opening minute, but the table-topping Lions – laden with URC players – responded through Chris Smith’s penalty.
Momentum swung their way as winger Kelly Mpeku finished out wide to put the hosts ahead.
Griquas hit back through flanker Lourens Oosthuizen, only for the Lions to have the final say in the first half, with centre Richard Kriel bursting through Griquas’ defensive line and give the hosts a 17-14 lead going at the break.
Richard Kriel spots the gap and he is gone
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The Lions dominated the third quarter with their forwards setting the platform at the set-piece. Centre Henco van Wyk’s well-worked try added to their lead, though Whitehead kept Griquas in touch with a penalty.
The contest shifted again in the final stages, as centre Mnombo Zwelendaba powered over to edge the visitors 24-22 ahead with 10 minutes to play.
There’s no stopping Zwelendaba from here
The Suzuki Griquas are taking this down to the wire
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 20, 2025
Former Stormers speedster Angelo Davids looked set to swing it back for the Lions, but Dylan Maart’s desperate cover tackle denied him in the corner, just inches from the line.
Even so, replacement flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela thought he had sealed a Lions win, after landing a late penalty to give the hosts a 25-24 lead with time almost up.
Yet there was one more twist.
With time up, Lions lock Ruan Delport was penalised for a deliberate knockdown, Whitehead stepped forward.
The veteran flyhalf had already contributed nine points from the tee, and his final kick sealed a dramatic triumph.
The moment George Whitehead wrote his name into #CurrieCup history
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— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 20, 2025
LIONS – Tries: Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Kelly Mpeku. Conversions: Chris Smith (2). Penalties: Smith, Lubabalo Dobela.
GRIQUAS – Tries: Lourens Oosthuizen, Mnombo Zwelendaba, Cameron Hufke. Conversions: George Whitehead (3). Penalties: Whitehead (2).
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
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