Fullback Gouws Prinsloo kicked a late penalty as Griquas beat the Pumas 15-14 in their Vodacom Cup semi-final in Nelspruit on Friday.

The Pumas, who were unbeaten in the competition going into this match, held a 14-12 lead with just two minutes to go, before being penalised for collapsing a maul from a lineout.

In a scrappy first half, two Prinsloo penalties sandwiched one from Pumas No 10 JC Roos, and a drop goal from Francois Brummer late in the half gave the visitors some breathing space at 9-3.

Roos and Prinsloo traded penalty kicks again, before Pumas captain and flank Corné Steenkamp crossed the line in the corner for the only try of the match. Roos missed the conversion, but he made up for it shortly after with another three-pointer as the Pumas hit the front for the first time.

With five minutes to go, the Pumas decided to close up shop and defend, but Griquas fought hard to gain a favourable position.

Griquas will face the Blue Bulls or Golden Lions in the final on 17 May.

Pumas – Try: Corné Steenkamp. Penalties: JC Roos (3).
Griquas – Penalties: Gouws Prinsloo (4). Drop goal: Francois Brummer.

Pumas – 15 Coenie van Wyk, 14 JW Bell, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Hennie Skorbinski, 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 JC Roos, 9 Sinovuyo Nvoka, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Corné Steenkamp, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 3 De-Jay Terblanche, 2 Jacques Momberg, 1 Vincent Koch.
Subs: 16 Frank Herne, 17 Sabelo Nhlapo, 18 RW Kember, 19 Jaco Bouwer, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Dewald Pretorius, 22 Marcello Sampson.

Griquas – 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Wayne Stevens (c), 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Jaco Nepgen, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hilton Lobberts, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts. 
Subs: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Janro van Niekerk, 18 Stephan Greeff, 19 RJ Liebenberg, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Howard Mnisi, 22 Danie Dames.

Photo: Louis Botha/Gallo Images