Absa Currie Cup Review – Week 6
- Photo by Andrew Schoeman/ Rugby15
The Vodacom Blue Bulls scored their first bonus point victory of the Absa Currie Cup season when they emphatically beat GWK Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on Friday afternoon.
After that, DHL Western Province ended the MTN Golden Lions’ winning streak at DHL Newlands, but The Sharks struggled to put the Platinum Leopards away in Durban.
On Saturday, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs scored a huge victory over the Ford Pumas in Bloemfontein.
The first round of the Absa Currie Cup First Division ended with the EP Kings and Regent Boland Cavaliers opening up a gap between them and the rest of the teams, as the Tasol Solar Griffons watched as they were consigned to the bottom of the log without even playing this weekend.
Vodacom Blue Bulls 44 (32) GWK Griquas 20 (3)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls’ first half performance in this Absa Currie Cup encounter on Friday was probably their best 40 minutes thus far this season as they scored four tries before the break, eventually running out comfortable winners by 44-20 against GWK Griquas at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar would’ve been a happy man after the game as his team finally put together good passages of play against a very difficult opponent. Before Friday’s game, GWK Griquas scored three bonus point victories on the trot, but they could not contain the Bulls as the home team ran in six tries.
Young Blue Bulls pivot Louis Fouche played well in his first start in the light blue jersey and scored 19 points, which included a try, while the Pretoria team’s new scrumhalf, Jano Vermaak, also added some much-needed zip at the back. The home team led by 32-3 after the first half, with the bonus point secured by that time.
The visitors though never gave up and scored three tries after the break, through nippy scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, their captain and loose forward Jonathan Mokuena and tighthead prop Jacobie Adriaanse.
Scorers:
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Jano Vermaak, Juandre Kruger, Bjorn Basson, Akona Ndungane, Flip van der Merwe, Louis Fouché. Conversions: Fouché (4). Penalties: Fouché (2).
GWK Griquas – Tries: Sarel Pretorius, Jonathan Mokuena, Jacobie Adriaanse. Conversion: Monty Dumond. Penalty: Dumond
Teams:
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Arno Botha, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Dean Greyling. Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.
GWK Griquas: 15 Monty Dumond, 14 Riaan Viljoen, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Matthew Rosslee, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 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 Marnus Hugo, 21 Barry Geel, 22 Wilmaure Louw.
DHL Western Province 28 (9) MTN Golden Lions 26 (17)
Demetri Catrakilis continued his remarkable Absa Currie Cup season by kicking 23 points as DHL Western Province ended the MTN Golden Lions’ unbeaten run at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Friday evening.
DHL WP won by 28-26 and were outscored by two tries to one in a game where defence featured strongly, but Catrakilis’ flawless kicking display – he was successful with all seven his kicks at goal and added a dropped goal – gave the home side a much-needed victory.
It was the team from Cape Town’s first victory in their last three Absa Currie Cup games, while the MTN Golden Lions lost their first game of the season after five successive wins.
Elton Jantjies, the Golden Lions’ flyhalf, was just as secure with the boot, scoring 16 points but his last kick of the match, a penalty from more than 50m out after the hooter had sounded, fell short.
It was a ding-dong affair as the lead changed hands a few times in the second half, but in the end it came down to the kickers and that’s where DHL Western Province had the upper hand, thanks to their young UCT pivot, who has now closed the gap between him and The Sharks’ Fred Michalak at the top of the points’ scorers list. Catrakilis is on 91 points, only five behind the French international on 96.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province – Try: Johann Sadie. Conversion: Demetri Catrakilis. Penalties: Catrakilis (6). Dropped goal: Catrakilis.
MTN Golden Lions – Tries: Alwyn Hollenbach, Lionel Mapoe. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Jantjies (3). Dropped goal: Jantjies.
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 Pieter Louw, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells, 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 Quinn Roux, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Gio Aplon.
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 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Johan Snyman, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Jannie Boshoff.
The Sharks 23 (6) Platinum Leopards 3 (0)
The Sharks won a scrappy game at Mr Price Kings Park in Durban on Friday, but failed to score a bonus point as they beat the Platinum Leopards by 23-3.
Odwa Ndungane crossed twice and Stefan Terblanche once, late in the game, for the home team, but the Sharks made too many errors to build any form of momentum in one of their worst performances of the Absa Currie Cup season.
Furthermore, referee Lourens van der Merwe dished out three yellow cards as both teams’ discipline let them down. The Leopards first lost lock Brendon Snyman to the sin bin for foul play in the 15th minute, and in the 59th minute centre Joubert Engelbrecht was also sent to cool down. Late in the match the Sharks’ regular captain, Keegan Daniel, was yellow carded for a tip tackle.
The Sharks travel to Johannesburg next weekend and could overtake the MTN Golden Lions at the top of the Absa Currie Cup log if they can end the first round with another victory. They will have to lift their game though.
Scorers:
The Sharks – Tries: Odwa Ndungane (2), Stefan Terblanche. Conversion: Fred Michalak. Penalties: Michalak (2).
Platinum Leopards – Penalty: Wesley Dunlop.
Teams:
The Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Fred Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick. Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Stefan Terblanche.
Platinum Leopards: 15 George Tossel, 14 Hoffman Maritz, 13 Jovan Bowles, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Vainon Willis, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Theo van Wyk, 8 Morné Hanekom, 7 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6 Victor Joubert, 5 Brad Mockford, 4 Brendan Snyman, 3 Stefan Bezuidenhout, 2 Jacques Moller, 1 Bennie Uys. Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 John-Roy Jenkins, 19 Christo van Niekerk, 20 Spanner Pretorius, 21 Johan Laker, 22 Hennie Skorbinski.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs 80 (28) Ford Pumas 16 (6)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs scored a point a minute as they demolished the Ford Pumas by 80-16 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
The home team scored 11 tries, all of which were converted by Sias Ebersohn and Johan Goosen, while the Ford Pumas, who are still winless this season, only scored two tries in the second half.
Springbok Sevens star Boom Prinsloo, back from an injury lay-off, scored three tries for the home team and helped set the tone in a game where they never took the foot off the pedal against the hapless Pumas.
The Ford Pumas, so close to beating the MTN Golden Lions, The Sharks and the Vodacom Blue Bulls, just could not fill all the gaps and got their biggest hammering of the season against a Free State side where some of their younger players, like Prinsloo (loose forward), Marcel van der Merwe (prop), Pieter Labuschagne (loose forward) and Goosen (replacement flyhalf) put up their hands.
Apart from the 11 tries, Goosen wowed the crowd with a massive 55 metre dropped goal.
Scorers:
Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Tries: Philip Snyman, Boom Prinsloo (3), WP Nel, Tewis de Bruyn, Corné Uys, Riaan Smit, Pieter Labuschagne, Marcel Van der Merwe (2). Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (6), Johan Goosen (5). Dropped goal: Goosen.
Ford Pumas – Tries: Jaco Bouwer, Deon Scholtz. Penalties: Ricardo Croy (2).
Teams:
Toyota Free State Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Smit, 14 Philip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Corné Uys, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen. Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Ockert van Zyl, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Johan Goosen, 22 Philip Burger.
Ford Pumas: 15 Carl Bezuidenhout, 14 Johan Jackson, 13 JW Jonker (captain), 12 Tiaan Marx, 11 MJ Mentz, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Doppies le Roux, 7 RW Kember, 6 Jaco Bouwer, 5 Eduan van der Walt, 4 Rudi Matthee, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Dee-Jay Terblanche. Replacements: 16 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 17 Dawie Steyn, 18 Willem Serfontein, 19 JP Mostert, 20 Hendrik van der Nest, 21 Siviwe Magaba, 22 Deon Scholtz.
Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Log
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BPts | Pts |
| 1 | MTN Golden Lions | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 212 | 139 | 73 | 25 | 14 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | The Sharks | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 167 | 137 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| 3 | DHL Western Province | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 177 | 117 | 60 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 18 |
| 4 | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 222 | 143 | 79 | 26 | 14 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 | GWK Griquas | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 172 | 192 | -20 | 19 | 24 | 3 | 17 |
| 6 | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 143 | 168 | -25 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 13 |
| 7 | Ford Pumas | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 125 | 217 | -92 | 13 | 25 | 5 | 5 |
| 8 | Platinum Leopards | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 105 | 210 | -105 | 12 | 28 | 1 | 5 |
Absa Currie Cup First Division
The Absa Currie Cup First Division is a two horse race at the moment, with the EP Kings and Regent Boland Cavaliers leading the pack at the end of the first round.
The EP Kings, still unbeaten this season, had a bye this week, but the Cavaliers closed the gap at the top of the standings by beating third-placed SWD Eagles by 49-24 at the Boland Stadium in Wellington on Friday afternoon.
Boland scored eight tries on a cold and wet afternoon, with Junior Bester getting a hattrick and Willie le Roux adding a brace.
At the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, Reg Muller scored three of the Valke’s nine as they beat the Border Bulldogs by 57-42 in an entertaining and high scoring match.
The Bulldogs got a bonus point for four tries, which saw them move to six log points, one more than bottom placed Tasol Solar Griffons, who also had a bye this weekend.
Weekend scorers:
Valke 57 (36) Border Bulldogs 42 (19)
Valke – Tries: Coert Cronje, John-Wessel Bell, Reg Muller (3), Zander de Kock, Kyle Hendricks, Chanley Williams, Martin Thomsen. Conversions: Hendricks (1), Williams (3), Thomsen (2).
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Shane Spring, Vuyo Mboto, Byron Mcguigan, Ntabeni Dukisa. Conversions: Dukisa (2). Penalties: Dukisa (6).
Regent Boland Cavaliers 49 (34) SWD Eagles 24 (10)
Regent Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Junior Bester (3), Cornal Hendricks, Zandre Jordaan, Willie le Roux (2), Bolla Conradie. Conversions: Elgar Watts (3). Penalty: Watts.
SWD Eagles – Tries: Howard Noble, Jeff Taljard (2). Conversions: Elric van Vuuren (3). Penalty: Van Vuuren.
Absa Currie Cup First Division Log
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BPts | Pts |
| 1 | Eastern Province Kings | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 98 | 118 | 30 | 12 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Regent Boland Cavaliers | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 233 | 76 | 157 | 31 | 9 | 5 | 21 |
| 3 | SWD Eagles | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 162 | 172 | -10 | 20 | 21 | 2 | 14 |
| 4 | Valke | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 140 | 181 | -41 | 21 | 24 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Border Bulldogs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 130 | 255 | -125 | 15 | 35 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Tasol Solar Griffons | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 126 | 225 | -99 | 17 | 33 | 5 | 5 |
Related Posts
« The Rugby Program for Paul Roos Gymnasium vs Grey College today in Stellenbosch Lambie, Steyn cleared for selection »
