The Naka Bulls have already set their sights on a “new Everest” in 2026 after making history when they won a third consecutive Gold Cup title.

The Blue Bulls Carlton Cup champions dominated Western Province Super League A champions Villager at the Brookside Sports Ground in Cape Town on Saturday, running in six tries in a 40-25 victory in front of one of the largest crowds ever seen at the iconic southern suburbs ground.

Naka Bulls scrumhalf Jack Hart scored a try – his eighth of the tournament – in a Man of the Match performance in which a dominant pack and 13 points from his flyhalf, Hansie Graaff, laid the platform for a historic victory.

No club has ever lifted the Gold Cup three years in succession, while Naka’s hat-trick now brings them level overall with Rustenburg Impala – the country’s best club of the 2010s – who won the Cup in 2014, 2016 and 2019.

Long-time Naka Bulls director of rugby Marinus van der Watt said it was his proudest moment in more than a decade in charge of the club.

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“This was a truly massive occasion for us and I wish to thank everyone in the club, from fans to coaching staff to management, who had a hand in our success of the past few years,” said Van der Watt.

“We are truly very humbled. Villager are a quality side and that’s why it was so special to travel down and win.

“We actually said two weeks ago already that, should it be us and Villager in the final, that would we love to go down to Cape Town because we would like to challenge ourselves, to say that we won away from home after winning on our home ground the past two times.

“All the players bought into this challenge and were very positive about it. That sums up this team: whatever the challenge, we arrive on the day and perform. I am thankful, very blessed and very humbled for us to have had the opportunity to do it three times in a row.”

VILLAGER – Tries: Raeez Salie, Nkosi Nofuma (2), Graham Thompson. Conversion: Jandre Grobler. Penalty goal: Grobler.
NAKA BULLS – Tries: JJ Motlhodi, Christo Bezuidenhout, Hansie Graaff, Eckard Boshoff, Jack Hart, penalty try. Conversions: Graaff (4).

Photo: SA Rugby