Arch-rivals Harlequins and Kruisfontein United will face off in a winner-takes-all duel for the right to be crowned EPRU Grand Challenge Top 12 club rugby champions after they emerged victorious from hotly contested semifinals on Saturday.
Harlequins qualified for the showpiece match of the season when they beat Trying Stars 18-10 at the Adcock Stadium and Kruisfontein United downed champions Gardens 21-12 at the Sports Complex in Humansdorp.
Ecstatic Kruisfontein coach Frank Domingo said beating defending champions Gardens had been a massive achievement and the club were now looking forward with confidence to Saturday’s final.
Despite wet weather conditions, both semifinal clashes were attended by big crowds who were treated to entertaining rugby on the penultimate weekend of the EP club season.
Harlequins have been the form team this season, and their win over Trying Stars enabled them to stretch their unbeaten run at the Adcock Stadium in the Grand Challenge this season.
They finished the league stage of the competition on top of the log and will be regarded by many as favourites to lift the trophy when they face Kruisfontein,
Harlequins try scorers against Trying Stars were Damian le Vack and Kerwin Ceaser.
Though Gardens will be desperately disappointed that they exited at the semifinal stage, there may be a silver lining to what was a disappointing afternoon for the Kariega side.
Because they will not be involved in Saturday’s final, they will have a welcome weekend off to prepare for their opening game in the national Gold Cup competition.
Gardens face crack Bloemfontein outfit Collegians at the Derrick Ferreira Stadium in Kariega on September 26.
Harlequins, because of their involvement in the final, will not have the luxury of a breather ahead of a trip to the City of Roses to face Bloemfontein Police only seven days after the Top 12 final.
In the 2025 Grand Challenge final, Gardens pipped Harlequins 11-9 in a thrilling match that was played at a neutral venue in Humansdorp (the Sports Complex).
It has not been decided where the final will be played, but EP rugby bosses may opt to play the showpiece match at the NMU Madibaz Stadium, which would be a neutral venue for both teams.
Officials pulled a surprise move in 2025 when they opted to play the final between Gardens and Harlequins at the Sports Complex in Humansdorp.
That meant that fans of the teams had to travel some distance to watch their teams playing in the biggest match of the season.
Gardens had to dig deep before they were able to subdue Gardens on Saturday, and Domingo praised his players.
“If you look at Kruisfontein’s journey to the final, the recipe for our success has really been hard work, belief and togetherness,” he said.
“From the beginning of the season we said we wanted to build something special.
“It was not always easy, and we had our challenges along the way.
“The important thing was the players continued to believe in one another and what the club were trying to achieve.
“Kruisfontein have got a very committed group of players, and the biggest thing is that they are playing for one another.
“This has carried us through some difficult games.
“Now we know we have one game left, and that will probably be the biggest challenge ahead of us.”
The surprise package in the tournament was the Alexandria outfit Trying Stars, who clinched their berth in the last four by beating Gqeberha outfit Park 24-16 last week.
However, their adventure ended despite a brave showing against Harlequins.
Semifinal results:
Top 12: Harlequins 18 Trying Stars 10, Kruisfontein United 21 Gardens 12
Middle 12: African Bombers 21 Kwaru 8, Spring Rose 21 Motherwell 19.
Bottom 12: Klipfontein United 49 Orlando Eagles 19, Excelsior Middelburg 22 Middelburg Eagles 18.
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