Griquas in Pumas’ way of Pick n Pay WSL 2 title defence

Few will disagree that these two outfits were the best sides in the 2026 edition of the competitions and are deserving finalists. In fact, the Pumas won all seven of their league matches, while the Griquas only lost one – to the Pumas in the opening round of the competition.

On that day though, a considerable number of Griquas players were unavailable as they were representing Sol Plaatjie University in the USSA tournament, and the Pumas won 67-29. Once the students returned, the Kimberley side upped the ante and won six on the trot.

The Pumas won their seven matches with an average score of 48-13, while Griquas’ margin was 38-25. It is also no co-incidence that the leading try scorers in the tournament are from these two teams. Three of the five top try scorers – Megan Guambe (10), Alicia Mahlalela (9) and Pauline Sianga (8) – hail from Mpumalanga, while Maserati Bangaza (8) is the leading try scorer for the visitors.

To top that, Pumas wing Sandisile Mkhabela is the leading points scorer in the competition as well, with 57 points.

Given their massive impact on the attacking stats of the hosts and the fact that Griquas leaked 25 points per match this year, the favourites tag must tilt towards the defending champions.

In the cutthroat realities of play-off rugby last week though, Griquas restricted a very attack-minded SWD Eagirls to 10 points only, while Pumas could only score 7 points against Griffons in the first half of their match.

**Match information: Pick n Pay WSL 2 Final**

**Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women v AVBOB Griquas Women**
**Date:** Friday, 28 August 2026
**Venue:** Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
**Kick-off:** 15h30
**Referee:** Angie Bezuidenhout
**TV:** SuperSport
**Livestream:** SA Rugby YouTube channel

The second half was all Griffons though. They scored three unanswered tries for a 31-21 lead. Mtshweni closed the gap to 31-28 with a try that Tinoota converted. 

A crucial call for Griffons, to kick for poles when awarded a penalty, proved the difference in the end as scrumhalf Pinkie Touto's kick was successful and edged them into a 34-28 lead. Mtshweni then scored her third, but her team came up short with the missed conversion.

Griquas scored 46 points in the second half of their match against the visiting Limpopo for a massive 73-15 win, their first of the season. In all, they scored 12 tries, with wing Maserati Bangaza bagging four and prop Nicole van Wyk getting a rare hat-trick.  

Bangaza opened the scoring four minutes in and Van Wyk dotted down five minutes later. Another try, by centre Jennielee van Nel, had the home side cruising at 15-0 after 11 minutes. Limpopo recovered slightly, with Seetja Mmotong getting a try, before Bangaza added a second for a 27-5 halftime lead. 

Then followed the 30-minutes of rugby the Suzuki Park crowd had seen from the Griquas Women in recent  times. 

They scored at regular intervals to stack up their biggest score in a while. Limpopo did score the last try of the match for some consolation, but their season now seems to be heading to a disaster after three consecutive defeats.

**Scorers:** 

**Leopards Women 22 (15), Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 44 (34)**
**Leopards** - Tries: Portia Mariquele, Onie Sihlobo, Amzolele Gqola. Conversions: Gqola (2). Penalty goal: Gqola.
**Pumas** - Tries: Megan Guambe (2), Pauline Sianga (3), Alicia Mahlalela (2), Jibrine Dube. Conversions: Mahlalela (2).

**AVBOB Griquas Women 73 (27), Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 15 (5)**
**Griquas** - Tries: Nicole van Wyk (3), Siziphiwe Dubulamanzi, Donishea Cloete, Maserati Bangaza (4), Tyrell Wilson, Jennielee Van Nel, Forgiveness Mashele (2). Conversions: Jean-Marie Owies, Van Nel (3).
**Limpopo** - Tries: Seetja Mmotong, Mapula Matsimela, Amaka Mabosi.

**Valke Women 33 (21), Griffons Women 34 (12)**
**Valke** - Tries: Aviva Kaduka, Lucia Yalezwa Xosana, Noyulanda Mtshweni (3). Conversions: Kaduka (3), Evidence Tinoota.
**Griffons** - Tries: Tshepiso Mantelile, Thato Rantai (2), Mmadjadji Mohalali, Line Viviers. Conversions: Pinkie Touto (3). Penalty goal: Touto.

Source: Original report at SA Rugby.