Impressive Absa Currie Cup start for Vodacom Blue Bulls
Photo: Stan Blumberg
Defending Absa Currie Cup champions, DHL Western Province, the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Xerox Golden Lions all scored impressive wins in the opening round of South Africa’s premier provincial competition over the weekend.
The first round of the famous competition saw a number of outstanding individual performance as the teams got their new campaign underway. Six of the eight teams started with new coaches at the helm, while several of the line-ups included numerous Junior Springboks and also a few Springbok Sevens stalwarts.
Springbok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard gave a masterclass performance for the Blue Bulls, who scored six tries in total in their comprehensive 57-19 win over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
In the other match played on Saturday afternoon, Junior Springbok flank Kwagga Smith was equally impressive for the Xerox Golden Lions in Port Elizabeth where he scored a hattrick of tries in their 51-14 demolition of the Eastern Province Kings.
Champions Western Province kicked off their campaign in perfect fashion on Friday afternoon with a six-try victory over the ORC Griquas in Kimberley. Springbok Sevens flyer Seabelo Senatla scored two tries to demonstrate his deadly finishing abilities.
Meanwhile, history repeated itself in the late match on Friday when the Steval Pumas beat the Cell C Sharks 33-24 in the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. The score was almost identical to the 32-22 shock win of the Pumas over the Sharks in the opening round fixture of last year at the same venue.
Pumas live-wire flank Marnus Schoeman scored two tries and was denied a third by a desperate Thomas du Toit tackle just as he was about to launch himself over the try line.
The Pretoria -side sit on top of the log thanks to their bonus point win and better points’ difference and they are followed by the Golden Lions, Western Province (both also on five points) and the Pumas (four points).
By clicking on the score links below, you can access the full run of play of all the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division matches and the relevant competition statistics.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs (7) 19 Vodacom Blue (27) Bulls 57
The Blue Bulls were impressive in their first outing under new coach Nollis Marais and sent a strong message out that they are very eager to end the six-year drought since they last lifted the famous trophy. The expectations were extremely high from the home crowd beforehand, although the Free State Cheetahs fielded a whole lot of youngsters playing in their first match and under a new coaching staff spearheaded by Franco Smith.
A strong crowd of 33 000 spectators attended the 90th Absa Currie Cup match between the two teams since they first locked horns in 1939. It was not one the Cheetahs would like to remember. They could start by looking at their decision-making and would have to make far less handling errors if they would like to contend for the cup.
For Marais, new head coach of the Blue Bulls, things already look positive. He would have been satisfied with the display of his backs and the solid performance by flyhalf Tian Schoeman, who in general had a good outing and contributed 22 points with the boot.
Scorers:
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Francois Hougaard (2), Jamba Ulengo, Deon Stegman, Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel; Conversions: Tian Schoeman (5), Louis Fouché. Penalties: Schoeman (4), Fouché.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Tries: Boom Prinsloo, Shaun Venter, Clayton Blommetjies.
Conversions: Niel Marais, Fred Zeilinga
Eastern Province Kings (7) 14 Xerox Golden Lions (31) 51
The Golden Lions were full value for their victory in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where Springbok Sevens flanker Kwagga Smith scored three tries and right wing Courtnall Skosan two. Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff gave a flawless kicking performance and he added three penalties and six conversions. The Kings answered with tries by Sylvian Mahuza and Simon Kerrod, while Scott van Breda slotted the two conversions.
The Kings only won one out of 10 Absa Currie Cup matches last season and seem set for another testing campaign among the big guns of South African rugby. Any hopes they had of staging an upset were quickly extinguished when the visitors ran in four tries in the first quarter. It was a hammer blow for the Kings and one they never recovered from.
Scorers:
EP Kings – Tries: Sylvain Mahuza, Simon Kerrod; Conversions: Scott van Breda (2)
Xerox Golden Lions – Tries: Kwagga Smith (3), Courtnall Skosan (2), Howard Mnisi; Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (6); Penalties: Marnitz Boshoff (3)
ORC Griquas (7) 19 DHL Western Province (24) 43
Province scored three tries in the first half, followed by three more in the second to get the bonus point and leave the City of Diamonds with the maximum points after leading comfortably 24-7 at halftime.
Griquas, on the other hand, are left to ponder the array of errors and poor defence that cost them the game after their five successive victories in the qualifying round gave them such good momentum for playing in the Premier Division.
Flyhalf Dimitri Catrakilis added 17 points with the boot while speedster Senatla was outstanding out wide where he scored two tries.
For the home side, Springbok Sevens centre Ruhan Nel showed his potential by scoring one of their three tries.
Points scorers:
DHL Western Province 43 (24) – Tries: Nizaam Carr, Seabelo Senatla (2), Dillon Leyds, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Juan de Jongh. Conversions: Demitri Catrakilis (5). Penalty: Catrakilis
ORC Griquas 19 (7) – Tries: AJ le Roux, Riaan Viljoen, Ruhan Nel. Conversions: Gouws Prinsloo, Ntabeni Dukisa.
Steval Pumas (27) 33 Cell C Sharks (7) 24
The home side’s victory was set up through a strong first half performance with a brace of tries from open-side flank Marnus Schoeman and captain Stefan Watermeyer while flyhalf JC Roos added three conversions and two penalties to the solitary converted try from Sharks flyhalf Lionel Cronje which opened up a massive 20-point lead at the break.
The visitors were found wanting in all facets of the match during the first 40 minutes as the Pumas turned ball over at will, winning the breakdowns and stealing line-outs with ease as lock Marius Coetzer proved to be a thorn in the Sharks’ side.
But the introduction of former Springbok scrumhalf, Michael Claassens in the second half, sparked the visitors into life as they reduced the deficit to just six points before a penalty in the final minute by Roos sealed the four points and denied the Sharks a losing bonus point.
Scorers:
Steval Pumas – Tries: Marnus Schoeman (2), Stefan Watermeyer; Conversions: JC Roos (3); Penalties: Roos (4).
Cell C Sharks – Tries: Lionel Cronje, Heimar Williams, Daniel du Preez; Conversions: Joe Pietersen (3): Penalty: Pietersen.
The Absa Currie Cup Premier Division log after Round One:
| TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | DREW | POINTS FOR | POINTS AGAINST | POINTS DIFFERENCE | TRIES FOR | TRIES AGAINST | LOSS BONUS | TRIES BONUS | POINTS |
| Vodacom Blue Bulls | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 19 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Xerox Golden Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 14 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| DHL Western Province | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Steval Pumas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Cell C Sharks | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 33 | -9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ORC Griquas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 43 | -24 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EP Kings | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 51 | -37 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Toyota Free State | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 57 | -38 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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