Lions coach Mziwakhe Nkosi cut a heartbroken figure after his side’s latest Currie Cup setback, admitting he thought they had done enough to lift the trophy.

Griquas flyhalf George Whitehead calmly slotted an 83rd-minute penalty to condemn the star-studded Lions to their second successive Currie Cup home final defeat.

Last year, Jordan Hendrickse did the same for the Sharks.

Heartbreak for the Lions 💔🦁

Twice in a row, in identical fashion, with the exact same time on the clock 😲

• Jordan Hendrikse in the 83rd minute
• George Whitehead in the 83rd minute

Both at Ellis Park to win the #CurrieCup trophy 🏆

Rugby, what a sport 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/ixA5GHPVDg

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 21, 2025

Nkosi praised his players’ fight and commitment, insisting they “left everything out there” and controlled large parts of the clash. But the mentor conceded that costly errors and missed chances under pressure ultimately proved decisive.

“We believed we’d done enough, but those critical moments slipped,” Nkosi said. “I can’t fault the effort – the boys showed immense courage. It’s just gutting to fall short again.”

BERGH: No asterisk behind Griquas win

The coach added that he was proud of how the Lions kept pushing despite adversity, stressing that the response from his squad spoke volumes about their character.

The Lions had fielded several Vodacom URC players in the final few rounds of the Currie Cup, and after a big win over Griquas earlier this month, they were heavy favourites to clinch the title.

WHITEHEAD: Biggest win for me and Griquas

Asked about whether complacency set in, Nkosi came aggressively to his team’s defence.

“To say we were complacent is a bit harsh to say on guys who’ve given their bodies. To sit here and say guys were complacent after guys defended their hearts out, would be a spit in the face of them.”

The Lions now travel to Cardiff for their first match of the 2025-26 URC season on Saturday.

2025-26 URC PREVIEW: Lions

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images