The Griffons were crowned Absa Currie Cup First Division champions on Friday evening following a pulsating 31-26 victory over the Impala Leopards at Profert Olen Park in Potchefstroom.

Griffons fullback Cecil Afrika scored two tries and wing Howard Noble ran, kicked and chased virtually the full length of the field for a third to take the visitors to their first title since claiming the Vodacom Shield in 2001.

Flyhalf Kennedy Tsimba kicked two conversions and four penalties for a personal haul of 16 points as he maintained his ‘lucky charm’ status with a seventh successive victory since joining the Griffons in mid-August.

Tsimba put his side ahead with a succession of penalties and a conversion of Noble’s try to give his side a 16-3 lead at one point in the first half.

The Leopards fought back to eventually level the scores at 26-26 just after the hour when flank Jaco Bouwer scored the third of his team’s tries, adding to scores by RW Kember and Riaan Swanepoel.

However Leopards flyhalf Clayton Durand – who kicked three penalties and one conversion – could not add the extra points and Afrika’s second try, nine minutes from full time, proved decisive.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday when the Griffons visit Boland and the Platinum Leopards travel to take on the Valke in the first leg matches in the Absa Currie Cup promotion and relegation matches.

The Griffons’ victory completed a double for the Welkom-based province as they also claimed the Absa Under-19 B section title with an emphatic 69-15 victory over Griquas.

In the Under-21 B Section final Griquas beat Valke 42-37.

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