Griquas will travel to Florida Park in Ravensmead next Sunday to take on Western Province in the final of the inaugural SuperSport Rugby Challenge after both sides kept their winning streak intact in the semi-finals.
Griquas beat the Golden Lions 33-21 at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Sunday, and Western Province held on to beat the Blue Bulls 28-24 in the second semi-final at the same venue.
Province kept their winning streak going and remain undefeated after 10 matches in the campaign, while the Kimberley side continue to improve after losing their opening match of the campaign.
Kickoff times will be confirmed.
They were not favourites, but Griquas delivered a thrilling first-half display. They ran in three tries to take a near unassailable 27-point lead, and then closed out the game after a strong comeback by their opponents.
The Johannesburg team gave an excellent account of themselves in the second half, scoring three tries themselves. However, their fairytale comeback was not to be as Griquas closed the game out expertly to secure the victory.
The North/South affair did not disappoint either.
It was a titanic battle played at a cold and windy community stadium, with around 8 000 fans providing support.
The Bulls had the ascendancy in terms of the scrums, possession and territory, but it was the unbeaten Province team that held their nerve and scored when it was needed.
WP claimed the lead 10 minutes into the second half, but then relinquished their advantage just minutes later.
But an unconverted try by No 8 Jaco Coetzee was the difference between the sides as Province held out for the final 10 minutes as the Bulls tried in vain to find the winning score.
Points-Scorers
Griquas 33 – Tries: Ederies Arendse, Ewald van der Westhuizen, Sias Koen. Conversions: George Whitehead (3). Penalties: Whitehead (2), André Swarts (2).
Lions XV 21 – Tries: James Venter, Madosh Tambwe (2). Conversions: Shaun Reynolds (3).
Western Province 28 – Tries: Luke Stringer, Godlen Masimla, Jaco Coetzee. Conversions: Kurt Coleman (2). Penalties: Coleman (3).
Blue Bulls 24 – Tries: Dries Swanepoel, Franco Naudé, Dewald Naudé. Conversions: Joshua Stander (3). Penalty: Stander (1).