Champions Gardens will collide with Kruisfontein United in what promises to be a dream Score Energy Drink EPRU Grand Challenge Top 12 club rugby final on Saturday.
The finalists were decided after Gardens needed extra time to edge Progress 28-23 and Kruisfontein emerged narrow 26-24 winners over Harlequins in Saturday’s semifinal duels.
Both games went down to the wire and kept capacity crowds at the Central Field in Kariega and the Sports Complex in Humansdorp on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
If the final lives up to the nerve-jangling rugby delivered in the semifinals, a thrilling conclusion to the season is on the cards.
Gardens will be hunting for back-to-back titles after beating the same opponents in the 2023 final at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Kariega derby is ranked as arguably the biggest on the SA club rugby calendar, and Saturday’s clash lived up to the high standards shown in previous contests between these two proud clubs.
A neutral venue for the final is expected to be named by EP rugby bosses early this week.
Though NMB Stadium would be the first choice, Despatch’s De Wet Stadium and Gqeberha’s Adcock Stadium may also be considered to host the final.
After it ended all square at 23-23 after normal time in Kariega, Progress and Gardens played out an additional seven minutes of extra time before Gardens broke the deadlock with a spectacular try in the corner.
Organisers decided ahead of kickoff that it would sudden death in the extra time with the first team to score being declared winners.
In a letter to clubs under the heading of a winner in the knockout rounds they said:
9.1 Knockout games will be over a one-round basis.
9.2 Extra time will be played. It will be sudden death immediately. It will be immediately two equal halves of 10 minutes. Game to be stopped when there is a winner.
9.3 If still equal after 9.2, nett average points difference will be considered, if still equal.
9.4 The winner will be decided by a toss of a coin.
Gardens coach Julian Daniels had urged his team to do the basics correctly in the semifinal, and his players followed his instructions to the letter.
Daniels said his team had lost concentration and showed poor discipline in a Gold Cup clash against Hamiltons. He vowed they would not make the same mistakes against Progress.
Progress president Kosie Basson said: “What a titanic game. Well done, Gardens!”
Progress coach Elroy Ligman instructed his players to empty their tanks in the semi and despite their best efforts, they could not get over the try line against a fired-up Gardens outfit.
In the other semifinal, 79km away in Humansdorp, Kruisfontein were pushed all the way by a strong Harlequins side.
In a ding-dong battle, with Kruisfontein’s army of Purple Force supporters backing them, the home team had to pull out all the stops to get over the line.
Kruisfontein flyhalf Darren Domingo was named his team’s man of the match after a deadly display of kicking with his left boot.
In a statement after the game Kruisfontein said: “After a hard-fought battle, until l the very end, our Kruisfontein United lions manage to book their place in this year’s grand final.
“Thank you Harlequins for what was a proper knockout match.”
EP Rugby acting president George Malgas sent a message to clubs on Friday saying that Saturday’s scheduled Middle 12 semifinal between Jeffreys Bay and United Barbarians had been postponed until Wednesday.
It is believed the delay involves an appeal which could affect the final standings on the Middle Division log.
In the other Middle 12 semifinal, Kwanobuhle’s Star of Hope beat Kirkwood 42-15.
In the Bottom 12 semifinals, Orlando Eagles beat Police Crusaders 19-17 and African Bombers defeated Kareedouw Tigers 38-14.
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