Avbob Griquas Women buried their Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2 bogey in gutsy fashion, outplaying the Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women by 31-25 in a pulsating final at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Friday, 28 August 2026.
The defending champions led 17-14 at the break, but the Northern Cape team delivered a much more clinical second-half performance, with their bench making a significant impact.
Griquas’ victory, their first title in the provincial women’s game, came on the back of making the most of the important moments in the match, while the Pumas will look back at the loss of their provincial crown knowing that they came close, but were beaten by a team who wanted it more.
“We have been working towards this for the last three years.”
Avbob Griquas Women Head Coach, Claudia Francke
“We always knew we had the capabilities to make it all the way,” said a proud Claudia Francke, the Griquas coach, as she lauded her team’s resilience in the final. “Our girls are travelling from all over in the Northern Cape, and that resilience showed. They worked very hard for this.”
According to Francke, the possibility of making history acted as motivation: “The fact that we came here to make history was a good thing, it formed part of our motivation to create this special moment for Griquas Women.
“The players knew what was on the line for us and how this will impact back home, not only for us but the junior structures as well, as it is where it starts. This is a resilient team and today it showed.”
The opening five minutes were lively with both teams having early attacking probes, but both were guilty of losing possession at crucial times.
The home side scored first when No 8 Skhulile Mabuza charged through the Griquas defence and after a few rucks, fullback Alicia Mahlalela scored in the corner for a 5-0 lead.
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Griquas hit back immediately. A break by fullback Inga Qogi opened the Pumas defensive line and they went off their feet trying to stop the recycled possession and they were penalised. Griquas tapped and shortly thereafter centre Sibabalwe Jobo crashed over. Qogi converted and Griquas were in the lead, 7-5.
The Pumas came back immediately with a brilliant solo effort by their inside centre, Pauline Sianga, who took the restart, sold an outrageous dummy and ran all of 60 metres to score.
The host team’s 10-7 lead was good value as they were starting to build good attacking momentum and a try by prop and team captain Mbali Mzizi did not come as a surprise. A good offload resulted in the third try of the match for the Pumas. The conversion was good and the lead was 17-7 after 30 minutes of rugby.
Griquas pulled one back close to the halftime whistle, with captain Jennielee van Nel finishing off good supporting play after flyhalf Juanine Jacobs broke through and when Qogi converted, it was a three-point game at the break.
Griquas started strongest in the second half and also managed to fix the poor handling that dogged their first-half attack. Hooker Lindokuhle Sinaze scored a wonderful try after a wonderful supporting line gave her some open space. She raced to the corner and Griquas were not only back in the lead, but also getting good reward when in the Pumas’ half of the field.
The try handed them a 19-17 lead and when they scored again, it became clear that this match was going down to the wire.
A Pumas high tackle handed Griquas a penalty which they tapped. The ball was kept alive through numerous phases and Van Nel scored her second try. Qogi kicked the conversion for a 26-17 lead after 55 minutes.
However, the Pumas responded like one would expect from a team defending their title. They attacked relentlessly, with good interplay between the backs and forwards and Mahlalela scored her second try with a nice inside-out dart to cut the lead to four points.
An intervention from the bench upped Griquas’ game. Replacement centre Tyrell Wilson added massive thrust with her straight running and caused some errors in the Pumas’ defence, which resulted in penalties for the visitors.
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From such a tap penalty, Wilson worked her way over the line and with just over 10 minutes to go, Griquas’ lead was extended to 31-22.
The home side’s ace kicker, winger Sandisile Mkhabela, cut three points off that lead with a well-taken, long range penalty goal and at 31-25 it was anyone’s game with 10 minutes to play.
The last 10 minutes were as dramatic as the previous 70, but in the end, Griquas’ rush defence did enough damage to the Pumas attacking effort and when referee Angie Bezuidenhout called time, history was made.
2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2 Final
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 25 (17) – 31 (14) Avbob Griquas Women
Pumas 25 (17) Tries: Mbali Mzizi, Alicia Mahlalela (2), Pauline Sianga
Conversion: Sandisile Mkhabela
Penalty goal: Mkhabela
Griquas 31 (14) Tries: Jennielee van Nel (2), Lindokuhle Sinaze, Sibabalwe Jobo, Tyrell Wilson
Conversions: Inga Qogi (3)
2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2 Road to the Final
Round 1, Saturday, 4 July 2026
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 67 vs. Avbob Griquas Women 29
Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 19 vs. Leopards Women 57, Polokwane
Valke Women 12 vs. SWD Eagirls 37, Kempton Park
Bye: Griffons Women
Round 2, Saturday, 11 July 2026
Griffons Women 13 vs. Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 65, Welkom
SWD Eagirls 17 vs. Leopards Women 26, George
Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 36 vs. Valke Women 37, Polokwane
Bye: Avbob Griquas Women
Round 3, Saturday, 18 July 2026
Leopards Women 22 vs. Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 44, Potchefstroom
Avbob Griquas Women 73 vs. Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 15, Kimberley
Valke Women 33 vs. Griffons Women 34, Kempton Park
Bye: SWD Eagirls
Round 4, Saturday, 25 July 2026
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 50 vs. Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 0, Nelspruit
Avbob Griquas Women 41 vs. Valke Women 26, Kimberley
Griffons Women 19 vs. SWD Eagirls 50, Welkom
Bye: Leopards Women
Round 5, Saturday, 1 August 2026
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 44 vs. SWD Eagirls 17, Nelspruit
Leopards Women 19 vs. Avbob Griquas Women 24, Potchefstroom
Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 21 vs. Griffons Women 50, Polokwane
Bye: Valke Women
Round 6, Saturday, 8 August 2026
SWD Eagirls 26 vs. Avbob Griquas Women 29, Groot-Brakrivier
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 32 vs. Valke Women 5, White River
Leopards Women 10 vs. Griffons Women 19, Potchefstroom
Bye: Limpopo Blue Bulls Women
Round 7, Saturday, 15 August 2026
Valke Women 60 vs. Leopards Women 10, Kempton Park
SWD Eagirls 60 vs. Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 12, George
Griffons Women 17 vs. Avbob Griquas Women 43, Welkom
Bye: Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women
Semi-Finals, Saturday, 22 August 2026
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 34 (7) – 7 (0) Griffons Women (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
Pumas: Tries: Sam Ngcobo, Pauline Sianga, Sandisile Mkhabela, Alicia Mahlalela (2), Skhulile Mabuza
Conversions: Mkhabela (2)
Griffons: Try: Lemohang Maduna
Conversion: Pinky Touto
Avbob Griquas Women 27 (19) – 10 (0) SWD Eagirls (Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley)
Griquas: Tries: Nonkosi Ngema, Jennielee van Nel, Sibabalwe Jobo, Nicole van Wyk
Conversions: Juanine Jacobs (2)
Penalty goal: Inga Qogi
SWD: Tries: Mia-Lee Matiwane, Antoneica Hannies
Original Copy: SA Rugby Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Avbob Griquas Women won their first Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2 title with a 31-25 victory over the Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women in the final at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Friday, 28 August 2026. All Photos: SA Rugby / Gallo Images
Photo 2 Caption: Jennielee van Nel captained the Avbob Griquas Women to their first title with two tries in the 31-25 win over the Pumas in Nelspruit.
