Absa Currie Cup Review – Week 5
Photo by Bruce Taylor
The MTN Golden Lions opened up a four-point lead at the top of the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division log with the halfway mark of the competition looming.
The team from Johannesburg remained the only unbeaten side in the competition after they beat the Toyota Free State Cheetahs on Saturday evening in Johannesburg, a day after the second-placed Sharks beat DHL Western Province in Cape Town.
GWK Griquas moved to third on the log thanks to DHL WP’s defeat and their victory over the Platinum Leopards, while the Vodacom Blue Bulls moved from last to sixth spot after beating the Ford Pumas in Nelspruit.
In the Absa Currie Cup First Division, the EP Kings won the top-of-the-table clash with the Regent Boland Cavaliers in Port Elizabeth on Friday, while the Border Bulldogs got their first victory of the season.
Twenty three tries were scored in eight games the past weekend, with GWK Griquas the only team to get a four-try bonus point. This is in stark contrast to the 70 tries that were scored in seven matches during week three.
Ford Pumas 12 (0) Vodacom Blue Bulls 16 (10)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls had to dig deep for their second victory of the 2011 Absa Currie Cup season when they beat the Ford Pumas by 16-12 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Friday afternoon and doubled their log points tally.
Springbok winger Bjorn Basson, playing in his first game for the Vodacom Blue Bulls, got the visitors’ only try when he broke through a Puma tackle early in the match. After that the kicking boots of Marnitz Boshoff and the home team’s Ricardo Croy took over, while the Bulls’ young replacement flyhalf, Louis Fouché, weighed in with a drop goal.
It was not the most memorable of games, but the team from Pretoria will be relieved with the victory – only their second in five matches this year. They have subsequently moved from last spot on the log to sixth, while the Ford Pumas remain seventh.
Last season the Vodacom Blue Bulls lost the corresponding fixture, the first Absa Currie Cup game at the Mbombela Stadium.
For the Ford Pumas it was heartbreak for the fifth time this season. Even though they are yet to win a game in 2011, they have accumulated five bonus points, have scored more tries than the Blue Bulls and have a better points’ difference than their neighbours from Pretoria and the Platinum Leopards.
Scorers:
Ford Pumas – Penalties: Ricardo Croy (4).
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Try: Bjorn Basson. Conversion: Marnitz Boshoff. Penalties: Boshoff (2). Drop goal: Louis Fouché.
Teams:
Ford Pumas: 15 Carl Bezuidenhout, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Tian Meyer, 11 MJ Mentz, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Christo le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (captain), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Eduan van der Walt, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn. Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Rudi Matthee, 19 RW Kember, 20 Hendrik van der Nest, 21 Tiaan Marx, 22 Johan Jackson.
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling. Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Francois Venter.
GWK Griquas 32 (20) Platinum Leopards 18 (7)
GWK Griquas moved up to third on the Absa Currie Cup log after their third consecutive victory this season. They were too good for the Platinum Leopards at GWK Park in Kimberley and won 32-18, claiming a full haul of five log points in the process.
Rugby purists would probably not have enjoyed this match, with too many errors and bad defence by both sides robbing the game of any real momentum. Compared to the way in which GWK Griquas beat The Sharks last weekend, this was not in the same league.
The home team scored two tries in each half, with Wilmaure Louw’s try at the death securing them their third try-scoring bonus point in as many weeks. With two games left in the first round of the Absa Currie Cup, GWK Griquas will look to finish the first phase of the competition amongst the top four, even though they have a potentially difficult visit to Pretoria ahead next weekend.
Scorers:
GWK Griquas – Tries: Jean Stemmet, Riaan Viljoen, Matt Rosslee, Wilmaure Louw. Conversions: Rudi Vogt (2), Monty Dumond. Penalties: Vogt (2).
Platinum Leopards – Tries: Hoffman Maritz, Morné Hanekom. Conversion: Wesley Dunlop. Penalties: Dunlop (2).
Teams:
GWK Griquas: 15 Rudi Vogt, 14 Riaan Viljoen (captain), 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Jean Botha. Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Matthew Rosslee, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Wilmaure Louw.
Platinum Leopards: 15 George Tossel, 14 Hoffman Maritz, 13 Charl Weideman, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Vainon Willis, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Theo van Wyk, 8 Morné Hanekom (captain), 7 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6 Philip de Wet, 5 Roan van Heerden, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Stephan Bezuidenhout, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 BG Uys. Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Bêrend Botha, 18 Christo van Niekerk, 19 Juan Pretorius, 20 Clayton Durand, 21 Walter Venter, 22 Jovan Bowles.
DHL Western Province 19 (3) The Sharks 21 (9)
The Sharks’ French flyhalf, Frederic Michalak, contributed all of their points with the boot as they beat DHL Western Province at a soaking wet DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Friday evening.
Michalak’s four penalty goals and three dropped goals were too much for the home team as The Sharks returned to Durban with four log points after winning a tight game by 21-19.
DHL WP’s Brok Harris (prop) scored the only try of the game as the home team fought back with their backs to the wall, and while the came close in the end, Michalak and The Sharks had just enough left in the tank to clinch victory.
Both teams defended very well in the slippery conditions, but the home team perhaps tried to attack too much at the back, while The Sharks played the more conservative rugby, better suited to the wet field.
Michalak is still the top points scorer for 2011 with 88 points thus far in the competition (through two tries, nine conversions, 17 penalty goals and three dropped goals). He is followed by Catrakilis on 68 points.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province – Try: Brok Harris. Conversion: Demetri Catrakilis. Penalties: Catrakilis (3). Drop goal: Catrakilis.
The Sharks – Penalties: Frederick Michalak (4). Drop goals: Michalak (3).
Teams:
DHL Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nick Köster, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie (captain), 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Adriaan Fondse, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Berton Klaasen, 22 Marcel Brache.
The Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Patrick Lambie, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frédéric Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Eugene van Staden, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick. Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jan Andre Marais, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Conrad Hoffmann, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Marius Joubert.
MTN Golden Lions 17 (8) Toyota Free State Cheetahs 10 (3)
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies contributed 12 points with the boot as the MTN Golden Lions entrenched themselves in first position on the Absa Currie Cup log with a 17-10 victory over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Saturday evening.
But even though the Free Staters were trailing by 17-3 with less than 10 minutes left on the clock, they never gave up and scored their only try, by replacement scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn, late in the match to make for an exciting final few minutes. Unfortunately they could not replicate last weekend’s come-from-behind victory over DHL Western Province as the Golden Lions held out.
The MTN Golden Lions also scored only one try, in the first half by fullback Michael Killian, but Jantjies’ boot saw the scoreboard tick over regularly in the second half to keep the home team in front of the Cheetahs.
With the halfway stage of the competition a few weeks away, the Golden Lions are looking in solid form, even though they still have to play DHL WP (Friday 19 August in Cape Town) and The Sharks (Saturday 27 August in Johannesburg) in the first round.
Scorers:
MTN Golden Lions – Try: Michael Killian. Penalties: Elton Jantjies (4).
Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Try: Tewis de Bruyn. Conversion: Riaan Smit. Penalty: Sias Ebersohn.
Teams:
MTN Golden Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Josh Strauss (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Johan Snyman, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Rudi Paige, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Jannie Boshoff.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Smit, 14 Phillip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Corné Uys, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen. Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Nico Scheepers, 22 Philip Burger.
Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Log
| 1 | MTN Golden Lions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 186 | 111 | 75 | 23 | 13 | 2 | 22 |
| 2 | The Sharks | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 144 | 134 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 18 |
| 3 | GWK Griquas | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 152 | 148 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 17 |
| 4 | DHL Western Province | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 149 | 91 | 58 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| 5 | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 142 | 127 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 99 | 148 | -49 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | Ford Pumas | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 109 | 137 | -28 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| 8 | Platinum Leopards | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 102 | 187 | -85 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 5 |
Absa Currie Cup First Division
Five from five for the only unbeaten team in the Absa Currie Cup First Division – that is the story of the EP Kings’ season thus far as they are still well on track to defend their title.
The EP Kings beat the second placed team on the log, the Regent Boland Cavaliers, by 23-17 in Port Elizabeth on Friday evening to open up a gap at the top of the standings, even though the team from Wellington have a game in hand.
SWD Eagles, who beat the Valke by 24-15 in George on Friday, are third on the log and also have played only four games thus far. These three teams are currently comfortably in the lead in the top half of the Absa Currie Cup First Division log.
In the bottom half, the Border Bulldogs remain in last place even though they beat the Tasol Solar Griffons by 26-21 in East London on Friday. It was the Bulldogs’ first victory for 2011. The Valke and Griffons, like Border on five league points, are higher on the log thanks to a better points’ difference.
Weekend scorers:
EP Kings 23 (20) Regent Boland Cavaliers 17 (11)
EP Kings – Tries: Luke Watson, Clint Newland. Conversions: Louis Strydom (2). Penalties: Strydom (2). Drop goal: Strydom.
Regent Boland Cavaliers – Try: Cornal Hendricks. Penalties: Elgar Watts (4).
Border Bulldogs 26 (23) Tasol Solar Griffons 21 (9)
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Shane Spring, Luvuyo Mhlobiso, Chumani Booi. Conversion: Dale Sabbagh. Penalties: Sabbagh, Ntabeni Dukisa.
Tasol Solar Griffons – Tries: Martin Sithole, Joubert Horn. Conversion: Tiaan van Wyk. Penalties: Van Wyk (3).
SWD Eagles 24 (21) Valke 15 (3)
SWD Eagles – Tries: Lubabalo Mtyanda, Kempie Rautenbach, Jeff Taljard. Conversions: Elric van Vuuren (3). Penalty: Van Vuuren.
Valke – Tries: Johann de Bruin, John-Wessel Bell. Conversion: Chanley Williams. Penalty: Kyle Hendricks.
Absa Currie Cup First Division Log
| 1 | Eastern Province Kings | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 98 | 118 | 30 | 12 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Regent Boland Cavaliers | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 184 | 52 | 132 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 16 |
| 3 | SWD Eagles | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 138 | 123 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 14 |
| 4 | Valke | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | 139 | -56 | 12 | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Tasol Solar Griffons | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 126 | 225 | -99 | 17 | 33 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Border Bulldogs | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 88 | 198 | -110 | 11 | 26 | 1 |
5 |
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