Absa Currie Cup: Your weekend overview

Johannesburg — Xerox Golden Lions reigned supreme over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup derby on Saturday, September 12, thanks to a nail biting 36-28 win in their top of the table clash in Pretoria.

Johan Ackermann’s outfit consolidated their position on top of the Premier Division standings and at the same time opened up a four point buffer over their Northern neighbours, who suffered their first defeat of the campaign.

Last year’s winners, DHL Western Province, strengthened their grip on third place with a gritty 37-27 away-win over the Cell C Sharks in Durban. Elsewhere, the ORC Griquas and the Eastern Province Kings scored their first wins of the competition.

In Kimberley, the Griquas prevailed 32-15 over the Steval Pumas while the 14-man EP Kings defeated the Toyota Free State Cheetahs 32-24 in Port Elizabeth.

With just four rounds of league action remaining, the Lions are leading the race for a home semi-final. They have 29 points and are followed by the Blue Bulls (25), WP (20), Sharks (13), Cheetahs (12), Pumas (9), Kings (7) and Griquas (6).

Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Xerox Golden Lions

Marnitz Boshoff kicked 21 points to steer the Golden Lions to a thrilling 36-28 win over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their feature Absa Currie Cup fixture on Saturday evening at Loftus Versfeld. The top of the table clash saw the Blue Bull centres Jan Serfontein and Dries Swanepoel, reunited for the first time since the duo played together while at Grey College.

The visitors ran rampant in the first half as both teams tried to implement their running game plans. Lions winger Courtnall Skosan scored the visiting side’s first try within three minutes when he collected Boshoff’s cross kick. Springbok prop Dean Greyling was made to sweat in his 50th Absa Currie Cup match as the Golden Lions dominated the scrums.

Barging lock, Franco Mostert, scored a try next to the poles, wing Ruan Combrinck scored an intercept try and the accurate boot of Boshoff – on target with all of his kicks and a drop goal – gave the Golden Lions a stunning 0-30 lead. The home team was rewarded for their efforts when wing Jamba Ulengo raced away to score in the corner, while Tian Schoeman added the conversion to cut the halftime deficit to 7-30.

The nail biting second half saw No 8 Arno Botha crash over for a try as the Blue Bulls found their groove. Replacement flanker Deon Stegmann was dragged over the tryline while Ulengo bagged his second and the Blue Bulls’ fourth try for a valuable bonus point. Lions stalwart Boshoff put the game out of reach for the Bulls with a penalty kick in the 78th minute.

Vodacom Blue Bulls

Scorers:

Tries: Jamba Ulengo (2), Arno Botha and Deon Stegmann;

Conversions: Tian Schoeman (4).

Xerox Golden Lions

Tries: Courtnall Skosan, Franco Mostert and Ruan Combrinck;

Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (3);

Penalties: Boshoff (4);

Drop goal: Boshoff.

Cell C Sharks vs DHL Western Province

It was an excellent result for WP, with debutant starter Robert du Preez – a late replacement for Kurt Coleman – contributing 14 points and new skipper Nic Groom giving his young side direction from the base of the scrum.

Winger Seabelo Senatla scored a seventh minute try and first-time starter Du Preez slotted a brilliant touchline conversion and a penalty for the visitors in the first half. Former WP player, Joe Pietersen, landed three penalties and converted midfielder Andre Esterhuizen’s try to hand the Cell C Sharks a 17-10 halftime lead.

Province needed a strong start to the second half to rub out that seven-point deficit and they got what they wanted when Rynhardt Elstadt forced his way over the try-line. Du Preez converted the try to equalise the score 17-17 after 43 minutes. Birthday boy Dillyn Leyds was the next try-scorer for WP, before replacement hooker, Bongi Mbonambi, scored with his first touch of the ball.

Du Preez slotted the extras to make it 31-20 also securing the bonus point for the visitors. He later added another penalty to make it 34-20 with 23 minutes left, before the Sharks hit back with an Odwa Ndungane try. Replacement Demetri Catrakilis landed a 78th minute penalty to seal the win. Western Province will host the Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands next Friday and kick-off is 19:00.

Scorers:

Cell C Sharks

Tries: Andre Esterhuizen and Odwa Ndungane;

Conversions: Joe Pietersen;

Penalties: Pietersen (5).

DHL Western Province

Tries: Seabelo Senatla, Rynhardt Elstadt, Dillyn Leyds and Bongi Mbonambi;

Conversions: Robert du Preez (4);

Penalties: Du Preez (2) and Demetri Catrakilis.

ORC Griquas vs Steval Pumas

Griquas led 15-3 at the break in Kimberley and scored four tries to help them open their winning account with a bonus point victory.

The Pumas, who since 2011 have only enjoyed three wins in Kimberley in both the Absa Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup, were the favourites based on form as the Griquas were yet to make any impression in the competition. But as the Griquas have shown so often in the past, they are at their most dangerous with their backs against the wall.

Both first-half tries by No 8 Carel Greeff, came off Puma errors. With more than half an hour remaining, Griquas were in command and 25-3 ahead after a penalty by Clinton Swart and a third converted try, this time by winger Jaquin Jansen. The Pumas rallied back with tries through flanker Marnus Schoeman and winger Rosco Speckman to close the scoreboard 32-15.

Scorers:

ORC Griquas

Tries: Carel Greeff (2), Jaquin Jansen and Jonathan Janse van Rensburg;

Conversions: Clinton Swart (3).

Penalties: Swart (2).

Steval Pumas

Tries: Marnus Schoeman and Rosco Speckman;

Conversion: Justin van Staden;

Penalty: Van Staden.

Eastern Province vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs

The EP Kings bagged their first win of the season with a gutsy 32-24 win over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs after trailing 16-19 at halftime in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

Reduced to 14 men soon after the start of the second half, the Kings fought bravely to register a well-earned win. They had gone five matches without a win until this clash but the Kings eventually had something to celebrate against a Free State side that made too many mistakes on the night.

Scott van Breda kicked two conversions and six penalties for a huge contribution in the Kings’ much needed first win. Centre JP du Plessis was shown a red card for throwing a punch in the 45th minute. Former Kings stalwart Sergeal Petersen scored a bonus point try for the Cheetahs with two minutes remaining, but it was not enough to deny the home team their deserved first win.

Scorers:

Eastern Province Kings

Tries: Luther Obi and Siyanda Grey;

Conversions: Scott van Breda (2) and Siyanda Grey;

Penalties: Van Breda (6).

Toyota Free State Cheetahs

Tries: Gerhard Olivier, Shaun Venter, Clayton Blommetjies and Sergeal Petersen;

Conversions: Fred Zeilinga (2)