Final four in SuperSport Rugby Challenge determined after try-fest

Jul 3 • General News • 1097 Views • Comments Off on Final four in SuperSport Rugby Challenge determined after try-fest

The Xerox Golden Lions XV will face Tafel Lager Griquas and DHL Western Province will play the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Sunday 9 July in the semifinals of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge.

The double-header will be played at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, outside East London after consultation between all relevant stakeholders and DHL Western Province offered to forgo their home ground advantage. Kick-off times will be confirmed at a later stage.

Close to 14 000 spectators packed the Mdantsane venue during a recent Rugby Festival and another bumper crowd is expected this weekend.

The DHL Western Province side on Sunday kept the Toyota Free State XV scoreless at Green Point Track in Cape Town, beating the visitors 26-0 in the final and fourth quarterfinals clash of the tournament to remain undefeated.

Earlier, at the same venue, the Vodacom Blue Bulls outscored the Cell C Sharks XV 23-18 to make it into the final four of this exciting new addition to the South African rugby landscape. The Durban side scored three tries to two, but three penalties by Tinus de Beer proved the difference for the Pretoria side.

On Saturday, the Xerox Golden Lions outplayed the Steval Pumas in a ten-try thriller at Emirates Airline Park, beating the Mpumalanga side 43-32 to progress to the final four.

The real highlight, from a try-scoring perspective though, came from Kimberley, where Tafel Lager Griquas beat the EP Kings 73-41, with winger Enver Brandt scoring four tries in front of his home crowd at Tafel Lager Park. In all, the home side scored 11 tries, with the EP Kings dotting down six times themselves.

The scorers and results of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge are:

DHL Western Province 26 (9), Toyota Free State XV 0 (0)
DHL Western Province – Tries: Michal Hazner, Bjorn Basson. Conversions: Brandon Thomson (2). Penalties: Kurt Coleman (3), Thomson.
Toyota Free State XV – n/a
Cell C Sharks XV 18 (3), Vodacom Blue Bulls 23 (9).

Cell C Sharks XV – Tries: Wian Vosloo, Lunga Mukendi, Courtney Winnaar. Penalty: Benhard Janse van Rensburg.

Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Andrew Beerwinkel, Aston Fortuin. Conversions: Tinus de Beer, Joshua Stander, Penalties: De Beer (3).

Tafel Lager Griquas 73 (33), Eastern Province Kings 41 (24)

Griquas – Tries: Ederies Arendse, Enver Brandt (4), AJ le Roux, Eric Zana, Christiaan Meyer, Marius Fourie, Sias Koen, Koch Marx. Conversions: George Whitehead (9).

EP – Tries: Sintu Manjezi, Brandon Brown, Lusanda Badiyana, Sonwabo Majola, Keanu Vers, SF Niewoudt. Conversions: Pieter-Steyn De Wet (3), Garrick Mattheus. Penalty: Pieter-Steyn De Wet.

Xerox Golden Lions XV 43 (24), Steval Pumas 32 (17)

Xerox Golden Lions XV – Tries: Dillon Smit, Robert Kruger (2), Madosh Tambwe, Jarryd Sage (2). Conversions: Shaun Reynolds (5). Penalty: Reynolds

Steval Pumas – Tries: Nardus van der Walt, Reynier van Rooyen, Frank Hearne (2). Conversions: Kobus Marais (2), Justin van Staden. Penalties: Marais, Van Staden.