Currie Cup teams still headlining SA Cup
WEEKEND WRAP: The Pumas, Griquas, Cheetahs and Leopards again made it a profitable weekend for home teams in the SA Cup.
All of them gained important victories pick up crucial league points, while only two sides remain unbeaten.
The Boland Cavaliers were the only away winners when they deservingly won their fixture against the SWD Eagles by 35-5 in George on Sunday to make it two wins in a row.
On Saturday, the Leopards grabbed nine tries while Border replied with two in the North West team’s 57-15 triumph in Potchefstroom. The hosts managed to pull away from the Bulldogs after posting a 35-3 half-time lead.
The Cheetahs also managed to score nine times as they bounced back from their heavy loss the previous week against Pumas, to thump Eastern Province 59-26 in Bloemfontein.
And in the third match staged at the same time on Saturday, Griquas managed to hang on to the top spot on the log when they earned their fourth successive win of the campaign courtesy of a 61-17 demolition of the Griffons in Kimberley.
The weekend's action started on Friday at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, where the Pumas outmuscled the Falcons by 89-3 having already established a 35-3 lead at the break.
The Griffons’ defeat in the Northern Cape means that Griquas and the Pumas are now the only two unbeaten teams left in the competition. Both are on 20 points from four bonus point wins, but the men from Kimberley are in first place courtesy of a superior points’ difference.
The two front runners are followed by Cheetahs and Griffons on 15 points, the Cavaliers (12), Eagles (10), Elephants (7), Leopards (5), Falcons (2) and the Bulldogs (0).
Five more fixtures will be staged at venues across the country next weekend as the competition moves past the halfway mark.
Following the conclusion of the single round of league matches, the two top teams on the log will contest the first Cup Final.
Cavaliers make it two in a row at Outeniqua Park
The Boland Cavaliers bagged their second win in as many weeks when they gained a deserving 35-5 win over hosts SWD Eagles at Outeniqua Park in George on Sunday afternoon.
The Wellington outfit were 16-5 up at the interval and went on to score five tries in total, while the Eagles replied with one try scored in the first half.
Cavaliers loose forward Keenan Opperman crossed the whitewash twice and flyhalf Garth April clinched two conversions and two penalty goals as he maintained his good form.
Scorers:
SWD Eagles
Try: Mpho Ntsane.
Boland Cavaliers
Tries: Keenan Opperman 2, Cornell Engelbrecht, Riaan Louw, Sidney Tobias
Cons: Garth April 2
Pens: April 2
Cheetahs bounce back to down EP in Bloemfontein
The Cheetahs bounced back from their heavy defeat last week by beating a plucky Eastern Province by 59-26 in Bloemfontein on Saturday. The hosts scored nine tries but also conceded four as EP refused to give up.
The Free Staters came out firing in the opening half and quickly raced into a 40-7 lead before the break. However, their Eastern Cape opposition gave a better display in the second half to match the home side's 19 points.
Speedster Litha Nkula (left wing) and John Lourens (replacement outside back) contributed four of the Cheetah tries tries by each crossing the line twice, while pivot Andell Loubser slotted seven conversions.
The EP midfield combination of Sherwin Slater and Riaan Arends combined to score two of their outfit's four tries, of which three were converted by No 10 Ruben de Vos.
Scorers:
Cheetahs
Tries: Litha Nkula 2, John Lourens 2, Victor Sekekete, Munier Hartzenberg, Banie Britz, Tapiwa Mafura, Sisonke Vumazonke
Cons: Andell Loubser 7
Eastern Province
Tries: Siya Nzuzo, Lungi Mbiko, Sherwin Slater, Riaan Arends
Cons: Ruben de Vos 3.
Leopards clinch first win of the campaign in Potch
In the clash between the two last-placed teams on the log, the Leopards broke their winless streak by defeating the Border Bulldogs 57-15 in Potchefstroom on Saturday following a handy 33-10 half-time advantage.
The North West side scored nine tries and conceded two for their first success and points of the campaign.
Lock Mncedisi Dlwengu and loose forward Buhle Qaba each went over twice for the Leopards, and flyhalf Marius Viviers added six conversions to his five-pointer for an individual contribution of 17 points.
Flyhalf Merlin du Plessis was responsible for all of Border’s points by scoring a try in each half and succeeding with one conversion and a penalty goal.
Scorers:
Leopards
Tries: Mncedisi Dlwengu 2, Buhle Qaba 2, Ruben Du Plessis, Shirwin Cupido, Marius Viviers, Gilroy Philander, Siniothando Tshontsyi
Cons: Viviers 6
Border Bulldogs
Tries: Merlin du Plessis 2
Con: Du Plessis
Pen: Du Plessis
Free-scoring Pumas feast on Falcons in Nelspruit
The Pumas scored 13 tries on their way to a comprehensive 89-3 victory over the Falcons in their Friday evening encounter at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
The Lowvelders had seven converted tries on the scoreboard in the opening half while Falcons responded with a penalty goal, which was also their only points of the match.
Pumas left wing Phiko Sobahle bagged a hat-trick of tries and replacement hooker Jan-Henning Campher made a good impact as second-half reserve by scoring twice.
Flyhalf Clinton Swart continued his scoring feat with the kicking boot by succeeding with eight conversions, while his replacement, Brandon Thomson, slotted his four conversion kicks through the uprights.
Scorers:
Pumas
Tries: Phiko Sobahle 3, Jan-Henning Campher 2, Andre Fouche, Darnell Osuagwu, Etienne Janeke, Theuns Pretorius, Ross Braude, Ruwald van der Merwe, Wian van Niekerk, Lundi Msenge
Cons: Clinton Swart 8, Brandon Thomson 4
Falcons
Pen: Keagan Fortune
Strong Griquas second half sink Griffons
Frontrunners Griquas continued with their great scoring streak by outplaying the Griffons 61-17 in Kimberley on Saturday, where the hosts had a 14-10 advantage at the break, before cutting loose in the second half for another impressive home win.
Eight different players got onto the try-scoring sheet for Griquas, who were also awarded a penalty try. While the purple jerseys did well to keep the hosts in check during a hard-fought first half battle, they found the going extremely tough after the break.
Seven of the eight tries were converted by kickers Lubabalo Dobela (4) and George Whitehead (3), pushing Whitehead's tally of conversions to an incredible 20 in the last two games following his 17 successful attempts last weekend, for a total of 29.
Playmaker Danrich Visagie converted both the Griffons' tries scored by right wing Duren Hoffman and fullback Domenic Smit.
Scorers:
Griquas
Tries: Thomas Bursey, Sako Makata, Tertius Kruger, Connor Mahoney, Cameron Hufke, Cebo Dlamini, Athenkosi Khethani, Xavier Swartbooi, Penalty Try]
Cons: Lubabalo Dobela 4, George Whitehead 3
Griffons
Tries: Duren Hoffman, Domenic Smit
Cons: Danrich Visagie 2
Pen: Visagie