Absa Currie Cup – Week 3 Round-up.
- Photo by Mike La Grange.
Thirty seven tries were scored during a high action weekend of Absa Currie Cup Premier Division action as DHL Western Province, The Sharks, the MTN Golden Lions and GWK Griquas all recorded bonus point victories.
Adding the 33 tries scored in the three Absa Currie Cup First Division matches on Friday, a total of 70 tries were scored across the country this weekend, amounting to an average of a staggering 10 tries per match.
In the North/South-derby at DHL Newlands, the Capetonians simply had too much fire power for the Vodacom Blue Bulls as they won this one-sided encounter by 35-7 on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday in Durban, The Sharks stunned the Toyota Free State Cheetahs with a four-try blitz in the opening 20 minutes of their encounter before the visitors launched a fight-back, but it was not enough as the KwaZulu-Natalians won 43-34.
In Johannesburg, tThe MTN Golden Lions had to dig deep against a spirited Platinum Leopards, who drew level in the second half before the home team scored three late tries to win by 53-36.
On Friday evening, GWK Griquas won their first game of the season when they defeated the Ford Pumas by 40-33 in an exciting game in Nelspruit.
Ford Pumas 33 (7) GWK Griquas 40 (34)
Five tries in the last 25 minutes of the first half were enough for GWK Griquas to put away the Ford Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, despite the home team never giving up in a thrilling match on Friday evening. The team from Kimberley won by 40-33.
In total 10 tries were scored in this match, which Griquas all but sealed before the break, when they lead by 34-7. It was a first victory of the season for the team from the Northern Cape, following their draw against DHL Western Province in the first round and heavy defeat to the MTN Golden Lions in Kimberley last weekend.
With midfielder Jean Stemmet grabbing a brace of tries, GWK Griquas showed they wanted to get their Absa Currie Cup campaign back on track. An early try by Ford Pumas flyhalf Coenie van Wyk might have had fans of the Peacock Blues frowning, but after that, the men from Kimberley blitzed their opponents.
The Ford Pumas never gave up though and got two bonus points from the game – for scoring more than four tries and for losing with seven points or less.
Scorers:
Ford Pumas – Tries: Coenie van Wyk, JW Jonker, Corné Steenkamp, Hendrik van der Nest (2). Conversions: Tiaan Marx (3), Van Wyk.
GWK Griquas – Tries: Richard Lawson, Jean Stemmet (2), Dusty Noble, Barry Geel. Conversions: Earl Rose, Rudi Vogt (2). Penalty goals: Riaan Viljoen, Vogt (2).
Teams:
Ford Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Tiaan Marx, 11 Shandré Frolick, 10 Coenie van Wyk, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Christo le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (captain), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Willem Serfontein, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn. Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Eduan van der Walt, 19 Reginald Kember, 20 Hendrik van der Nest, 21 Dewald Pretorius, 22 Carl Bezuidenhout.
GWK Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Steph Roberts. Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Jean Botha, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Burger Schoeman, 20 Warren Malgas, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Rudi Vogt.
The Sharks 43 (31) Toyota Free State Cheetahs 34 (17)
A bonus point try in the 21st minute by Springbok Sevens speedster Sibusiso Sithole gave the impression The Sharks were going to run away with their Absa Currie Cup encounter against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Mr Price Kings Park in Durban, but the Free Staters never gave up and pushed the KwaZulu-Natalians all the way as they eventually won by 43-34.
It was one of the quickest bonus points for four tries seen in Absa Currie Cup in a while and threatened to see The Sharks run away with the game, but the Cheetahs deserve credit for the way in which they kept on fighting back even though they trialled by 26-3 after the first quarter.
In this time The Sharks fed off mistakes made by the visitors, but when the Free Staters found their stride, they played much better and made the home team work hard until the final whistle, with the boot of flyhalf Fred Michalak keeping the scoreboard ticking over for the KwaZulu-Natalians with four penalty goals in the second half.
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs scored two tries in each half and got a try scoring bonus point, but missed out on a second bonus point when Michalak slotted his fourth penalty goal in the 78th minute before Sias Ebersohn missed in the final seconds.
Scorers:
The Sharks – Tries: Mark Richards, Louis Ludik, Jacques Botes (2), Sibusiso Sithole. Conversions: Fred Michalak (3). Penalty goals: Michalak (4).
Toyota FS Cheetahs – Tries: Riaan Smit, Boom Prinsloo, WP Nel, Corné Uys. Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (4). Penalty goals: Ebersohn (2).
Teams:
The Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Mark Richards, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick. Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Jan Andre Marais, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 20 Jacobus Reinach, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Marius Joubert.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 1 Marcel van der Merwe. Replacements: 16 Herkie Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Philip Burger.
MTN Golden Lions 53 (29) Platinum Leopards 36 (15)
With 10 minutes to go in this Absa Currie Cup encounter at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg, the scores were tied at 36-36. But then the MTN Golden Lions cut loose and scored 17 unanswered points to win comfortably in the end, by 53-36.
The MTN Golden Lions stared strongly and lead by 29-15 at the break, but the Platinum Leopards deserve credit for never giving up in this cat-fight between two neighbouring unions north of the Vaal River.
In the end the Lions just asked too many questions of the Leopards’ defence and ended up crossing the visitors’ try line eight times, while conceding five tries to stay at the top of the Absa Currie Cup log.
Scorers:
MTN Golden Lions – Tries: Jano Vermaak, Dylan Des Fountain, Deon van Rensburg (2), Cobus Grobbelaar, Wikus van Heerden, Jacobie Adriaanse, Michael Rhodes. Conversions: Burton Francis (4). Penalty goal: Francis.
Platinum Leopards – Tries: Philip de Wet (2), Vainon Willis, Danie Dames, Whestley Moolman. Conversions: Clayton Durand, Wesley Dunlop (3). Penalty goal: Durand.
Teams:
MTN Golden Lions: 15 Michael Killian, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Dylan Des Fountain, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Jano Vermaak, 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 Patric Cilliers. Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Johan Snyman, 19 Michael Rhodes, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Hein Cronje, 22 Jannie Boshoff.
Platinum Leopards: 15 George Tossel, 14 Danie Dames, 13 Charl Weideman, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Vainon Willis, 10 Clayton Durand (captain), 9 Whestley Moolman, 8 Morné Hanekom, 7 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6 Philip de Wet, 5 Brendon Snyman, 4 Roelof van Heerden, 3 Stephan Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenhage, 1 Bennie Uys. Replacements: 16 Bêrend Botha, 17 Gavin Williamson, 18 Christo van Niekerk, 19 Juan Pretorius, 20 Theo van Wyk, 21 Wesley Dunlop, 22 Walter Venter.
DHL Western Province 35 (21) Vodacom Blue Bulls 7 (7)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls were comprehensively beaten by 35-7 by DHL Western Province at DHL Newlands on Saturday evening and were the only team in the third round of Absa Currie Cup that did not collect a try-scoring bonus point.
The home team were simply too good and physical up front as they raced to a 21-7 lead at the break, thanks to fine tries by their captain Tiaan Liebenberg (hooker) and Danie Poolman (wing). They did not loosen their grip in the second half, with Nick Koster (No Eight) and Dewaldt Duvenage (scrumhalf) adding tries for DHL WP.
It was a performance the Blue Bulls would like to forget as quickly as possible as they slumped to their second defeat in three matches, having already taken on 2010’s Absa Currie Cup finalists in away matches.
It was a second successive bonus point victory for DHL WP after they drew in the first round with GWK Griquas. They occupy third position on the Absa Currie Cup log behind the MTN Golden Lions and The Sharks.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province – Tries: Tiaan Liebenberg, Danie Poolman, Nick Koster, Dewaldt Duvenage. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (3). Penalty goals: Catrakilis (3).
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Try: Stefan Watermeyer. Conversion: Francois Brummer.
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 Koster, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (captain), 1 Wicus Blaauw. Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Adriaan Fondse, 19 Nick Fenton-Wells, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Berton Klaasen, 22 Marcel Brache.
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Dustin Jinka, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Corné Fourie. Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Warwick Tecklenburg, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.
Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Log
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BPts | Pts |
| 1 | MTN Golden Lions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 133 | 74 | 59 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 | The Sharks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 101 | 72 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | DHL Western Province | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 108 | 42 | 66 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| 4 | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 104 | 88 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | GWK Griquas | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 77 | 108 | -31 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | Ford Pumas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 82 | 94 | -12 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 7 | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 100 | -44 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | Platinum Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 57 | 140 | -83 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
Absa Currie Cup First Division
The Absa Currie Cup First Division is essentially still a two horse race as the Regent Boland Cavaliers and EP Kings stamped their authority on the competition with two more big wins.
After struggling in the first half against the Valke at the Boland Stadium in Wellington on Friday afternoon, the Cavaliers raced away in the second 40 minutes, turning a 13-3 lead at half time into a comfortable victory by 52-10. They scored seven tries in the process.
On Friday evening at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, the EP Kings were simply too good for the Tasol Solar Griffons. The home team scored 11 tries, including a hattrick by Marcello Sampson, as they crused the Northern Free Staters by 67-26.
In the final First Division game, also on Friday, the SWD Eagles beat the Border Bulldogs by 46-35 in yet another high scoring match, at Outeniqua Park in George. Both teams recorded try scoring bonus points.
Weekend scorers:
Regent Boland Cavaliers 52 (13) Valke 10 (3)
Regent Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Cornal Hendricks (2), Elgar Watts, Danwel Demas, Jonathan Francke, Willie le Roux, Brendon April. Conversions: Le Roux (4). Penalty goals: Watts, Le Roux (2).
Valke – Try: Kyle Hendricks. Conversion: Chanley Williams. Penalty goal: Williams.
EP Kings 67 (36) Tasol Solar Griffons 26 (7)
EP Kings – Tries: SP Marais, Norman Nelson (2), Siyanda Grey, Jaco Bekker (2), Marcello Sampson (3), Falie Oelschig, Luke Watson. Conversions: George Whitehead (6).
Tasol Solar Griffons – Tries: Ricardo Petersen, Enrico Schultz, Nicky Steyn, Tertius Maarman. Conversions: Tiaan van Wyk (2), Jannie Myburgh.
SWD Eagles 46 (18) Border Bulldogs 35 (9)
SWD Eagles – Tries: Martin Ferreira, Lyndon Hartnick, Jeffrey Taljard, Howard Noble (2), Eric Coetzee. Conversions: Fires van Vuuren (5). Penalty goals: Van Vuuren (2).
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Vuyo Mboto, Matthew Taljard, Chumani Booi, Ben Venter. Conversions: Dale Sabbagh (3). Penalty goals: Sabbagh (3).
Absa Currie Cup First Division Log
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BPts | Pts |
| 1 | Regent Boland Cavaliers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 167 | 29 | 138 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | Eastern Province Kings | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 157 | 61 | 96 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | SWD Eagles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 66 | 63 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Valke | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 79 | -31 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Tasol Solar Griffons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 151 | -91 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | Border Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 62 | 177 | -115 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 1 |
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