XEROX Golden Lions continued their impressive form on Saturday, September 26, when they defeated the Toyota Free State Cheetahs 73-31 in Bloemfontein to clinch their eighth consecutive Absa Currie Cup Premier Division win of the season.
Playing at midday it was always a question of how the Free State heat would affect the Johannesburg team. But the weather apparently had no effect as they ran rampant scoring 10 tries to the Free State’s five.
In Cape Town the defending champions, DHL Western Province, increased their chances of hosting a semi-final when they defeated the Steval Pumas 50-19 after overturning a 15-19 half-time deficit.
Meanwhile, the Vodacom Blue Bulls returned to their winning ways after suffering two defeats in a row. The Pretoria side edged the Cell C Sharks 17-13 in Durban on Friday enabling the Bulls to hold onto second place, despite WP breathing down their necks with the same amount of points.
In the remaining weekend fixture, the Eastern Province Kings scored their second win thanks to a close-fought 40-37 triumph over the ORC Griquas in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
After eight rounds, the Lions increased their lead to 38 points and are followed by the Blue Bulls and WP both on 29 points. The Bulls have a slightly better points difference and are therefore placed second. The Cheetahs follow next on 18, then the Sharks with 14, Pumas on 13, EP Kings with 12 and the Griquas on 8. Just two more rounds of league action now remains before the semi-final playoffs.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs vs Xerox Golden Lions
The Golden Lions continued with their unbeaten run and scored their eighth consecutive win in their 10 try, 73-31 demolition of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Winger Courtnall Skosan and skipper and flank Jaco Kriel both bagged two tries for the rampant Lions, which saw the Johannesburg side collecting their sixth bonus point from eight games. Marnitz Boshoff converted all the tries and added a penalty for a personal tally of 23 points. The Lions led 31-10 at half-time.
Cheetahs flank Vincent Jobo bagged a hat-trick of tries as just reward for his team’s positive attitude, despite the heavy onslaught from the log leaders. The Free Stater’s four-try bonus point means they are still very much in the hunt for a playoff berth.
Scorers:
Free State Cheetahs
Tries: Sergeal Petersen, Vincent Jobo (3) and Francois Venter;
Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (2) and Fred Zeilinga.
Xerox Golden Lions
Tries: Courtnall Skosan (2), Steph de Wit, Jaco Kriel (2), Howard Mnisi, Warren Whiteley, Jaco van der Walt, Kwagga Smith and Anthony Volmink;
Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (10);
Penalty: Boshoff.
DHL Western Province vs Steval Pumas
DHL Western Province intensified their race for a home semi-final when they ran in seven tries to three to defeat the Steval Pumas 50-19 on Saturday. Province trailed 15-19 at halftime but matched their attacking flair with rock solid defence in the second half, to keep the visitors scoreless after the break.
Junior Springbok Robert du Preez scored two tries, landed four conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of 21 points, but it was the manner in which the home side controlled the second half that gave their supporters hope of hosting a semi-final and a chance at defending their title. The Pumas, despite conceding a try to No 8 Nizaam Carr in the tenth minute, dominated the early exchanges and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck with tries from left winger Rosko Specman and a familiar face to the Cape faithful, prop Vincent Koch.
Koch’s try came about as a result of a yellow card to Province centre Johnny Kotze, who was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle. Jano Vermaak replied for the home side with their second try. But as was the case earlier in the half, the Pumas caught the home side napping and Springbok Sevens wing Specman grabbed his second try of the afternoon immediately after the kick-off.
The second half was all about the hosts with Du Preez controlling play brilliantly. He scored two tries and was followed by Kobus van Wyk, Jurie van Vuuren and Alistair Vermaak.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province
Tries: Robert du Preez (2), Nizaam Carr, Jano Vermaak, Kobus van Wyk, Jurie van Vuuren and Ali Vermaak;
Conversions: Du Preez (4) and Dimitri Catrakilis (2);
Penalty: Du Preez.
Steval Pumas
Tries: Rosko Specman (2) and Vincent Koch;
Conversions: Justin van Staden (2).
Eastern Province Kings vs ORC Griquas
The match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday was a closely-contested affair between the sides placed seventh and eighth on the log. The stakes were high as the loser would be rooted to the bottom of the standings with just two matches left to play.
It was the EP Kings who came away with the honours when captain and centre, Tim Whitehead, scored in the last movement of the game to clinch only their second win of the season.
In the highly entertaining match, both teams scored five tries but it was the Kings who snatched a full haul of five match points with a 40-37 winning margin. Danie Dames scored twice for Griquas to assist them to clinch two log points for their efforts. The Griquas led 21-25 at half-time.
Scorers:
Eastern Province Kings
Tries: Luther Obi, Paul Schoeman (2) and Tim Whitehead (2);
Conversions: Scott van Breda (3);
Penalties: Van Breda (3).
ORC Griquas
Tries: Danie Dames (2), Clinton Swart, Carel Greeff and AJ le Roux;
Conversions: Clinton Swart (3);
Penalties: Swart (2).
Cell C Sharks vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
The Vodacom Blue Bulls beat the Sharks 17-13 in their clash at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban on Friday. The visitors led 10-6 at the break and outscored their hosts by two tries to one. After suffering consecutive wins, the Bulls scored their sixth win of the season to remain second on the points log.
The Sharks’ chances of reaching a semi-final now rests on the results of other teams and with two rounds left they still have a slim mathematical chance.
Rookie Garth April scored the Sharks’ only try while Joe Pietersen added the rest with two penalties and a conversion. Jamba Ulengo and Deon Stegmann were the Bulls’ try scorers as Tian Schoeman slotted the two conversions and a penalty.
Sharks replacement prop Mzamo Majola, a 2015 Junior Springbok, was yellow carded for a dangerous clean out which allowed the Bulls to kick the ball out and secure a nail-biting 17-13 win.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks
Try: Garth April;
Conversion: Joe Pietersen;
Penalties: Pietersen (2).
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Tries: Jamba Ulengo and Deon Stegmann;
Conversions: Tian Schoeman (2);
Penalty Schoeman.
