Griquas slaughter the Bulls
Griquas claimed their third scalp in as many matches when they slaughtered the Blue Bulls, winning 49-34 in their Currie Cup match in Kimberley on Saturday.
The result, in this 11-try thriller, ensured that Griquas remained firmly in the play-off hunt, while it left the Bulls rooted at the bottom of the standings.
Griquas raced into a 26-0 lead inside of the first 25 minutes and even though the Bulls looked to get back into the game, they just did not have the pace and energy to stay with a determined Griquas team.
Griquas played with greater energy and commitment - breaking tackles with ease and cleaning out at the breakdown with greater urgency and numbers.
The penalty and turnover count mounted against the visitors at an alarming rate, while flyhalf Louis Fouché also struggled with his decision-making and execution.
The Bulls eventually managed to regain their composure and with a structured approached managed to claw their way back into contention, but that was for a brief period before Griquas's high-tempo approach took the game away from the visitors in the second half.
Griquas got off to a flying start - Rocco Jansen scoring after just 40 seconds, a try that came after a few quick phases from the kick-off and then quick hands to Jansen. He chipped ahead and collected a favourable bounced for the opening score.
Francois Brummer missed the conversion attempt, but minutes later slotted a penalty - after Werner Kruger was penalised at the first scrum - and inside five minutes the home team held an 8-0 lead.
And that became 11-0 after eight minutes, as the Bulls' back were penalised for coming within 10 metres of a line-out too early.
Griquas continued the rout when Jansen again showed his pace to round the cover defence and with plenty of support on the inside Walter Venter scored the second try. Brummer added the conversion and in just 10 short minutes the home team's lead was 18-0.
There was a brief lull in the scoring before Brummer bust through some half-hearted defence to score the third try for the home team. This time the conversion was wide, but at 23-0 it was turning into a nightmare for the visitors.
Brummer continued to pile on the points, as drop-goal in the 30th minute, as the Bulls lost all composure.
The restart brought a change in fortune for the Bulls - a knock-on from Griquas and a simple backline move from the resulting scrum saw Francois Venter sprint through a huge hole. Rudi Page was on hand to flop over from a ruck close to the line. Louis Fouché added the conversion as the Bulls opened their account - 7-26.
And the comeback continued as Willie Wepener went over from close range again - the try coming after numerous phases and a couple of penalties against a Griquas team repeatedly breaking the rules at the tackle. Fouché's conversion made it 14-26 with two minuets of the first half remaining.
Griquas changed the flow of the match with a Brummer penalty right on the half-time hooter, leaving the home team with a 15-point (29-14) lead at the break.
Fouché had a chance early in the second half, after Griquas went offside at a maul just outside the 22, and he made no mistake - 17-29.
The comeback continued when Akona Ndungane collected a well-executed Page kick to race clear for his team's third try. Fouché couldn't add the extras, but at 22-29 it was game on.
However, Griquas managed to find their running form again, as a couple of simple inside passes - after a ruck and some quick hands to the left - created space behind the Bulls' defensive line and Jean Stemmet sprinted over for the bonus-point try. The conversion was wide, but at 34-22 it left the home team with some room.
It soon returned to nightmare mode for the Bulls, as they fumbled the ball on their own line - allowing Marnus Schoeman to pounce for the fifth try. Brummer's conversion made it 42-22 ... game, set and match!
The Bulls kept plugging away and Werner Kruger pulled one back, the bonus-point try for the visitors, when he barged over from close range in the 68th minute. Fouché added the extras, giving the Bulls some hope with just over 10 minutes left on the clock - 29-41.
Brummer added three more to his team's total with seven minutes left on the clock, ensuring the home team stayed out of touch - 44-29
The slaughter was completed four minutes from time when Griquas - after the Bulls had coughed up the ball just metres from Griquas' line - started a counter that saw some sublime interplay between forwards and backs and ended with Richard Lawson scoring the sixth try. The conversion was again wide, but at 49-29 it was indeed a rout.
To their credit, the Bulls continued to play on and managed some consolation when CJ Stander went over from a quick-tap penalty right on the full-time hooter. Fouché failed to add the extras - as Griquas secured a deserved 49-34 win.
Man of the match: For the Bulls Ulrich Beyers showed some great running lines and a willingness to take on the defence. However, the real heroes were in peacock blue. Rocco Jansen had pace to burn and Francois Brummer was the general. Our award goes to flank Marnus Schoeman - who made life a nightmare for the Bulls on defence and at the breakdown, while he also produced some good carries.
The scorers:
For Griquas:
Tries: Jansen, Venter, Brummer, Stemmet, Schoeman, Lawson
Cons: Brummer 3
Pens: Brummer 4
DG: Brummer
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Page, Wepener, Ndungane, Kruger, Stander
Cons: Fouché 2
Pen: Fouché
Teams:
Griquas: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Wesley Wilkins (captain), 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Matt Dobson, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Wilmaure Louw.
Blue Bulls: 15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Ulrich Beyers, 12 Francois Venter, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Rudi Paige, 8 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Jan Serfontein.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistants: Lesego Legoete, Francois de Bruin
TMO: JC Fortuin