Gardens displayed nerves of steel when they marched into the quarterfinals of the national Pick n Pay Gold club rugby tournament with a thrilling 29-25 win over Kruisfontein United in Kariega on Saturday.
After beating Kruisfontein twice in the EPRU Grand Challenge competition, Gardens chalked up a memorable hat-trick of wins over the never-say-die Humansdorp side in front of a capacity crowd at the Central Field.
Thanks to their hard-earned victory, Gardens progressed to the last eight in SA's premier club rugby competition to consolidate their reputation of being EP's top-ranked club team.
The success-hungry Kariega side's next assignment is a tough trip to Cape Town, where they will face the crack Western Province outfit Villager in the next round on Saturday.
High-stakes match-ups between Gardens and Kruisfontein have become commonplace in recent years and they were on opposing sides in the 2023 and 2024 EPRU Grand Challenge finals.
Saturday's clash lived up to the pre-match hype, and a big crowd at the Central Field were treated to an absorbing encounter.
Rugby fever reached fever pitch in Kariega ahead of the match when the coveted Gold Cup was displayed for fans to view at the Pick n Pay store at the Penford Shopping Centre in the town centre.
Kruisfontein came flying out of the blocks and raced into an 8-3 lead after 20 minutes thanks to a try from flyhalf Aldrin Pieterse and a penalty booted by fullback Jayren Draghoender.
Gardens, however, fought back and led 24-15 at halftime thanks to tries from fullback Adriano Martin, loose forward Sesuthu Gans and scrumhalf Marvin Kampher.
The second half proved to be an arm wrestle, and a 74th-minute try for Gardens by Claude Jantjies proved to be crucial for the home side.
Kruisfontein kept fighting until the bitter end and were rewarded for their efforts when wing Breyton Wentzel scored a late try.
However, it proved to be too little too late, and Gardens advanced to the next round.
The 2025 Gold Cup celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of club rugby in SA with the inclusion of 2009 national champions, Cape Town-based Hamilton, founded in 1875 and the club responsible for producing the first-ever Springbok.
This year’s tournament also marks another historic milestone, which is the 50th anniversary of the inaugural national club championship, when Maties beat Durban Collegians in the 1975 final.
No fewer than seven current or former champions were among the 32-strong field this year, including Villager, who won the Western Province Grand Challenge Cup for the first time in 25 years.
The Claremont-based club, who turn 150 next year, will be looking for their first national title in almost half a century, when former Springbok captain and 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning team manager, Morné du Plessis, lifted the trophy in 1980.
The teams are divided geographically into northern and southern sections, with the last team standing from each section contesting the grand final on 25 October.
“A love of knockout rugby is an integral part of who we are as a rugby nation and I’m sure that do-or-die spirit will infuse teams with an intensity on the field and an atmosphere of festivity in the stands,” SA Rugby chief executive, Rian Oberholzer, said.
Scorers:
Gardens 29: Tries: Adriano Martin, Sesethu Gans, Marvin Kampher, Claude Jantjies. Conversions: Luciandre Theodore (3). Penalty: Theodore.
Kruisfontein United 25: Tries: Aldrin Pieterse (2), Breyton Wentzel. Conversions: Jayren Draghoender (2). Penalties: Draghoender (2).
Other results: College Rovers 19 Northwood Crusaders 3, Robertson 52 Worcester Villagers 33, Villager 27 Hamilton-SP 14, Naka Bulls 88 Louis Trichard 19, Northam Wolves 53 Raiders 30, Northam Rhinos 31 Centurion 19, Harlequins 34 Vereeniging 22.
Saturday's quarterfinals and venues:
South Section: Robertson v College Rovers (Robertson), Villager v Gardens (Cape Town).
North Section: Naka Bulls v Northam Wolves (Pretoria), Northam Rhinos v Harlequins (Setaria).
The Herald
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