The region, which is a sub-union of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, has been granted a place in the tournament in its own rights to help foster rugby in South Africa’s far north. They join the 14 provincial unions as well as the returning Pampas XV from Argentina in the tournament, which kicks off in the second week of March and concludes in mid-May.

The Polokwane-based Limpopo team will play in the North Section of the competition, along with the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Griffons, Leopards, Pumas, Valke and Griquas, runners up in 2012. They are scheduled to play their mother body, the Blue Bulls, in Polokwane on Saturday, 20 April.

The South Section contains defending champions Western Province, as well as the Border Bulldogs, Boland Kavaliers, EP Kings, Free State XV, Sharks XV, South Western Districts and the Pampas XV.

Teams will each play seven group matches within their own section. Thereafter the top four teams from each section will progress to the quarter-final round, which will be contested across the two sections.

Not since Western Province lifted the 2001 Currie Cup has a Cape side won a senior competition. WP left it until the last play to secure Friday’s result, but the manner of victory will not worry the Capetonians. The silverware will bring a small degree of relief to a union that’s had no success in terms of winning titles over the past decade.

Province may have come into this clash unbeaten, but they were the lesser side for much of the game. Griquas were dominant at the set pieces and collisions, and bossed territory and possession for the majority of the contest. It was all WP could do to hold on and prevent Griquas from running away with the game.

As the end approached, one couldn’t help but feel that the loser would bear the tag of choker. Griquas had dominated but missed several penalty attempts in the fourth quarter, and in retrospect just one of those penalties would have been enough to win the title.

Before the decisive score, WP had botched several scoring opportunities. Five metres out from their opponents’ line, they conceded scrum turnovers on two occasions. Captain Nick Fenton-Wells turned down a kickable penalty after 67 minutes, and the decision proved flawed as WP lost the subsequent lineout.

But for all of their failings, they never gave up. The Griquas defence was superb, and there seemed to be no way through. It required no small measure of patience for WP to wear Griquas down, and when the hosts finally relented, flanker Rohan Kitshoff was the man to crash over and level the scores.

It was still down to Demetri Catrakilis to win the game, as the conversion was by no means a sitter. The WP flyhalf slotted it coolly, giving WP their first ever win in this competition.

Griquas came into this match favoured to oust a young Bulls side and delivered on that expectation, their victory built on excellent defence that featured a brutal gainline contest. The Bulls could never settle into an attacking groove with their recycle stifled and Griquas’ defensive line able to set.

Griquas will face the winner of Saturday’s other semi-final between Western Province and the Pumas in Kimberley next weekend.

Former Bulls players Rocco Jansen, Marnitz Boshoff and Francois Brummer were instrumental in their side’s win. No 8 Leon Karemaker opened the scoring for them in the 11th minute and Jansen scored 13 minutes later, Boshoff converting to go with an earlier penalty.

Sampie Mastriet pulled the Bulls back into the contest with a try just before half-time (15-5), but Brummer restored Griquas’ comfortable lead shortly after the restart with a converted five pointer.

But the Bulls rebounded well, Jan Serfontein and Daniel Adongo crossing for tries. However, Griquas regathered to score once more and close out match for a well deserved win.

In Durban, the Blue Bulls scored two late converted tries to edge the Sharks XV in a seven-try thriller.

The hosts led 19-13 at the break, thanks to the boot of fullback Gouws Prinsloo, who kicked 14 points via four penalties and a conversion.

However, the Pretoria union fought back strongly in the second stanza. Fullback Ulrich Beyers dotted down in the 78th minute and inside centre Jan Serfontein scored two minutes after the final hooter to set the platform for victory. Replacement flyhalf Tony Jantjies, who will feature for the Baby Boks in the Junior World Championship in June, slotted all the extras to clinch the impressive comeback win.

In Cape Town, WP kept their unbeaten run intact with a 24-point win over the Golden Lions. Flyhalf Kurt Coleman starred for the victors as he completed a hat-trick, while flank Rohan Kitshoff grabbed a brace.

In the semi-finals next weekend, Griquas will host the Blue Bulls in Kimberley, while WP will take on the Pumas in Cape Town.

Vodacom Cup quarter-final results (5 May):

Sharks XV 36 (19) – Tries: Chris Jordaan, Francois Kleinhans, Sibusiso Sithole. Conversions: Gouws Prinsloo (3). Penalties: Prinsloo (5).
Blue Bulls 37 (13) – Tries: Courtnall Skosan, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Jan Serfontein, Ulrich Beyers. Conversions: Wesley Dunlop (2), Tony Jantjies (2). Penalties: Dunlop (2). Drop goal: Beyers.

WP 58 (27) – Tries: Kurt Coleman (3), Rohan Kitshoff (2), Hilton Lobberts, Nick Fenton-Wells, Quinn Roux, Tyrone Holmes. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (5). Penalty: Catrakilis.
Golden Lions 34 (20) - Tries: Francois du Toit, Garth April, JR Esterhuizen, Robert de Bruyn. Conversions: Guy Cronje (4). Penalties: Cronje (2).

Fullback Rudi Vogt scored 21 points in Griquas’ 26-18 win against the Pampas XV. The men from Kimberley led 23-6 after 50 minutes, but were made to fight for the victory in the last half hour as the Argentineans enjoyed a late surge.

Meanwhile, the Pumas beat the Eastern Province Kings 30-19 at the Mbombela Stadium. The hosts were always in control, and managed to put four tries past the Kings’ defence.

Griquas will play the winner of the Sharks XV vs Blues Bulls quarter-final, while the Pumas will tackle the victor of Saturday’s showdown between Western Province and the Lions.

Vodacom Cup quarter-final results:

Griquas 26 (17) – Try: Ligtoring Landman. Penalties: Rudi Vogt (7).
Pampas XV 18 (6) – Try: Gabriel Ascarate. Benjamin Madero. Conversion: Madero. Penalties: Madero (2).

Pumas 30 (17) – Tries: Ashley Buys, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Jaco Bouwer, Corne Fourie. Conversions: JC Roos (2). Penalties: Roos (2).
EP Kings 19 (9) – Try: SP Marais. Conversion: Justin van Staden. Penalties: Justin van Staden (4).

WP flyhalf Kurt Coleman scored a try and kicked three conversions in his team’s 29-14 bonus-point win over SWD in Oudtshoorn. Scrumhalf Nick Groom, and flankers Rohan Kitshoff and Tyrone Holmes also crossed the chalk. The result gives WP a commanding lead on the south section log.

The Pampas XV thrashed Free State XV 40-20 in Bloemfontein, mainly thanks to flyhalf Santiago Iglesias who scored a try and kicked 20 points via three penalties, a drop goal and four conversions.

The Pumas shocked the Golden Lions 37-33 at Ellis Park as they scored four tries to the hosts’ three. The Lions led 20-17 at the break, but the visitors ran in two converted tries in the second half to seal the win.

The Pumas now hold second position on the north section log, as Griquas grabbed top spot after their 42-40 victory over the Leopards.

Vodacom Cup results:
Golden Lions 33 Pumas 37
SWD Eagles 14 WP 29
Leopards 40 Griquas 42
Sharks XV 28 EP Kings 18
Free State XV 20 Pampas XV 40
Boland 45 Border 40
Valke 33 Griffons 38

The Sharks XV led 16-8 at the break, but the second half belonged to the Kavaliers. Flyhalf Ricardo Croy reduced the deficit with a cool goal-kicking display before Brendan April scored a cracking individual try.

Results from the weekend see the Blue Bulls topping the North section while a win over the Pampas XV has ensured WP lead the South section.

Vodacom Cup results:
SWD Eagles 25 EP Kings 27
Griffons 19 Leopards 30
Blue Bulls 49 Valke 8
Boland 21 Sharks XV 19
Griquas 30 Golden Lions 35
Free State XV 36 Border 28
WP 20 Pampas XV 16

The Lions led 24-6 at the break before hitting their stride in the second stanza. They eventually finished with eleven tries in all.

Results from the weekend see Griquas topping the North Section log while Western Province are in pole position in the South Section.

VODACOM CUP RESULTS

EP Kings 36 Cheetahs 22
Sharks XV 38 SWD 20
Pampas XV 30 Boland 27
Leopards 15 Blue Bulls 28
Pumas 20 Griquas 21
Border 7 Western Province 31
Golden Lions 71 Griffons 25

After opening triumphs over Boland (51-22) and the Sharks XV (17-15), WP had to overcome a 19-11 half-time deficit to down the EP Kings in Cape Town. Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis starred with the boot in the comeback win as he kicked six penalties and added one conversion for a personal tally of 20 points.

In Pretoria, the Blue Blues delivered a strong second-half performance to thrash the Golden Lions 49-10. The hosts ran in six tries. Flyhalf Tony Jantjies (younger brother of Lions pivot Elton Janjies) scored 24 points via one try, five conversions and three penalties.

The Sharks XV won big in Bloemfontein as they thumped Free State 51-38, while there were also wins for Boland, the Pumas, defending champions Pampas XV and the Valke.

Vodacom Cup results (round three):

WP 30 (11) – Tries: Ederies Arendse, JP du Plessis. Conversion: Demetri Catrakilis. Penalties: Catrakilis (6).
EP Kings 25 (19) – Tries: Andile Witbooi, Scott van Breda. Penalties: Justin van Staden, Van Breda. Drop goal: Van Breda.

Blue Bulls 49 (18) – Tries: Basil Short, Jurgen Visser, Ruan Snyman, Tony Jantjies, Ulrich Beyers, Vincent Koch. Conversions: Jantjies (5). Penalties: Jantjies (3).
Golden Lions 10 (3) – Try: Anthony Volmink. Conversion: Marais Schmidt. Penalty: Schmidt.

Free State 38 (17) – Tries: Francois Uys, Kholo Ramashala, Leroy Bitterhout (2), Marcel van der Merwe. Conversions: Riaan Smit (5). Penalty: Smit.
Sharks XV 51 (25) – Tries: Chris Cloete, Gouws Prinsloo, Jean Deysel, Sibusiso Sithole, Wandile Mjekevu. Conversions: Gouws (4). Penalties: Gouws (6).

SWD Eagles 26 (16) – Tries: Elric van Vuuren, Lyndon Hartnick, Michael Vermaak (2). Conversions: Van Vuuren (2).
Boland 46 (20) – Tries: Penalty Try, Brendon April, Franzel September, Jonathan Francke, Nolan Clark, PJ van Zyl, Zandre Jordaan. Conversions: Elgar Watts (4). Penalty: Watts.

Griffons 12 (5) – Tries: Nicky Steyn (2). Conversion: Reinhardt Erwee.
Pumas 43 (22) – Tries: Coenie van Wyk, Deon Scholtz, Jaco Bouwer (2), JW Jonker, Wilhelm Loock. Conversions: JC Roos (5). Penalty: Roos.

Border 20 (20) – Tries: Logan Basson, Gareth Krause. Conversions: Louis Kruger (2). Penalties: Kruger (2).
Pampas XV 46 (15) – Tries: Bruno Postiglioni, Javier Rojas (3), Mariano Galarza, Rodrigo Bruno. Conversions: Benjamin Madero (5). Penalties: Madero (2).

Valke 31 (12) – Tries: Anrich Richter, Bradley Fortuin, Kyle Hendricks, Marco Kotze, Sino Ganto. Conversions: Juan Kotze (3).
Leopards 28 (14) – Tries: Adriaan Engelbrecht (3), Berty Visser. Conversions: Andre Pretorius (4).

There was also a disappointing draw for the Bulls against against the Pumas in Witbank. In Friday’s match, the EP Kings downed Border 40-23.

In Durban, Demetri Catrakilis and Gouws Prinsloo battled with their boots but it was ultimately a second half try from Reuben Johannes separated the sides.

Boland Kavaliers fullback Jacquin Jansen kicked a 50m penalty after the full-time hooter to give his side a 32-30 win over the Cheetahs, and in Paarl two tries in four minutes for the Pampas XV killed off the Eagles’ challenge.

The Lions were locked at 21-all with the Valke at half-time but scored six tries in the second half to pull away.

Vodacom Cup results (Round 2):

Sharks XV 15 – Penalties: Gouws Prinsloo (5).
Western Province 17 – Try: Reuben Johannes. Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (3). Drop goal: Catrakilis.

EP Kings – Tries: Hannes Franklin, Scott van Breda, Danie Fassen, Kieran Goss Conversions: Falie Oelschig (2), Justin van Staden (2) Penalties: Falie Oelschig (2), Justin van Staden (2).
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Clinton Koen Penalties: Ntabeni Dukisa (5), Logan Basson.

Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Jacquin Jansen (2), Jonathan Francke, Zandre Jordaan. Conversions: Elgar Watts (3) Penalties: Watts, Jansen.
Free State – Tries: Marcel van der Merwe, Ockie van Zyl, Kholo Ramashala, Mauritz Henderson. Conversions: Marco Mason (2) Penalties: Mason (2).

Pumas - Try: Renaldo Bothma. Conversion: JC Roos. Penalties: Roos (4).
Blue Bulls - Try: Ulrich Beyers Conversion: Wesley Dunlop Penalties: Dunlop (4).

Golden Lions - Tries: Andries Coetzee, Paul Willemse, Ruan Combrinck (2), Michael Killian, Anthony Volmink (2), Stephan de Wit, Francois du Toit Conversions: Coetzee (5), Marais Schmidt (2).
Falcons - Tries: Kyle Hendricks, Juan Kotze, Jaco Snyman Conversion: Kotze. Penalties: Kotze (4).

The Kings trailed the Pampas 20-8 after 24 minutes in Stellenbosch before fighting back to lead 21-20 at half-time. Luke Watson’s side then scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to claim the bonus-point win.

In East London, the Sharks XV ran in six tries to thrash the Border Bulldogs 42-0, Western Province scored five in their 51-22 thrashing of the Boland Kavaliers at Newlands, and the Leopards claimed a comfortable 23-8 win against the Golden Lions in Potchefstroom.

In the final match of the weekend, Griquas beat the Blue Bulls 36-17 at Loftus, with right wing Jannie Boshoff scoring two of his side’s six tries.

There were also wins for the Free State XV against the SWD Eagles, and the Pumas against the Valke.

Vodacom Cup results (Round 1):

Pampas XV 26 (20) – Tries: Ramiro Moyano, Lisandro Gomez Lopez. Conversions: Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias (2). Penalties: Iglesias (4).
EP Kings 34 (21) – Tries: Boetie Brits (2), Jacques Engelbrecht, Shane Gates. Conversions: Falie Oelschig. Penalties: Oelschig (4).

Border Bulldogs 0
Sharks XV 42 (14) – Tries: Jandre Marais (2), Gouws Prinsloo, Lubabalo Mtembu, Brynard Stander, Pieter-Steph du Toit. Conversions: Prinsloo (6).

Leopards 23 (16) – Tries: Hoffmann Maritz, Wian Fourie, Berty Visser. Conversions: George Tossel. Penalties: Andre Pretorius, Tossel.
Golden Lions 16 (6) – Try: Marais Schmidt. Conversion: Schmidt. Penalties: Schmidt (3).

Free State XV 34 (12) – Tries: Barry Geel, Ockert van Zyl, Philip Burger (2), Siphosethu Tom. Conversions: Marco Mason (2), Burger. Penalty: Mason.
SWD Eagles 30 (17) – Tries: Wentsley Scott, Giant Mtyanda, Elric van Vuuren. Conversions: Van Vuuren (3). Penalties: Van Vuuren (3).

Valke 30 (24) – Tries: Johan de Bruin, Willie Odendaal, Coert Cronje. Conversions: Juan Kotzé (3). Penalties: Kotzé (3).
Pumas 55 (29) – Tries: WIlhelm Loock (2), Coenie van Wyk (2), Dewald Pretorius, JW Jonker, Renaldo Bothma, Faf de Klerk. Conversions: JC Roos (6). Penalty: Roos.

Western Province 51 (28) – Tries: Mike Ledwidge, Ederies Arendse, Reuben Johannes, Michael van der Spuy, Pieter Stemmet. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (3), Kurt Coleman. Penalties: Catrakilis (6).
Boland Kavaliers 22 (19) – Tries: Franzel September. Conversion: Ricardo Croy. Penalties: Croy (5).

Blue Bulls 17 (10) – Tries: Clayton Blommetjies, Sampie Mastriet. Conversions: Wesley Dunlop, Jurgen Visser. Penalty: Dunlop.
Griquas 36 (19) – Tries: Jannie Boshoff (2), Mathew Rosslee, Jacques Coetzee, Ligtoring Landman, Rudi Vogt. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (3).