Xerox Golden Lions open Absa Currie Cup account

OVER the weekend 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 rugby competition.

The first round saw a number of outstanding individual performances as the teams got their new campaigns underway. Six of the eight teams started with new coaches at the helm while several of the line-ups included several Junior Springboks and a handful of Springbok Sevens stalwarts.

Springbok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard gave a masterclass performance for the Blue Bulls, who scored six tries 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 hat-trick of tries in their 51-14 demolition of the Eastern Province Kings.

Western Province kicked off their campaign in perfect fashion on Friday afternoon with a six-try win over the ORC Griquas in Kimberley. Springbok Sevens wing 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 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. The score was almost identical to the 32-22 shock win of the Pumas over the Sharks in last year’s opening round also in Nelspruit.

Pumas live-wire flank Marnus Schoeman scored two tries and was denied a third by a desperate Thomas du Toit tackle just before he launched himself over the try line.

The Blue Bulls top the log thanks to their bonus point win and points difference. They are followed by the Golden Lions and Western Province, both also on five points, with the Pumas sitting in the fourth position with four points.

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 that they are eager to end their six-year Currie Cup drought. A strong crowd of 33 000 spectators attended the 90th Absa Currie Cup

match between the two teams and the home crowd had high expectations of the Free State team.

Unfortunately the Cheetahs will want to forget this historic match under their new coaching staff, spearheaded by Franco Smith. The Cheetahs fielded a lot of youngsters playing in their first match but they need to work on their decision-making and ball handling skills if they want to be in contention for the cup.

The Blue Bulls started on a positive note with a satisfactory display of the backline and a solid performance by flyhalf Tian Schoeman, who had a good outing and contributed 22 points with the boot.

Scorers:

Vodacom Blue Bulls

Tries: Francois Hougaard (2), Jamba Ulengo, Deon Stegmann, Warrick Gelant and Travis Ismaiel;

Conversions: Tian Schoeman (5) and Louis Fouché;

Penalties: Schoeman (4) and Fouché.

Toyota Free State Cheetahs

Tries: Boom Prinsloo, Shaun Venter and Clayton Blommetjies;

Conversions: Niel Marais and Fred Zeilinga

Eastern Province Kings (7) 14 Xerox Golden Lions (31) 51

The Golden Lions gave a strong performance in their victory, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, with Springbok Sevens flanker Kwagga Smith scoring three tries and right wing Courtnall Skosan two. Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff gave a flawless kicking performance and 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.

Last season the Kings only won one out of their ten Absa Currie Cup matches 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 half.

Scorers:

EP Kings

Tries: Sylvain Mahuza and Simon Kerrod;

Conversions: Scott van Breda (2).

Xerox Golden Lions

Tries: Kwagga Smith (3), Courtnall Skosan (2) and 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 tries in the second half to get the bonus point and leave the City of Diamonds with the maximum points.

Griquas, on the other hand, were left to ponder the array of errors and poor defense 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 Demetri Catrakilis added 17 points with the boot while speedster Senatla’s outstanding play was rewarded with 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

Tries: Nizaam Carr, Seabelo Senatla (2), Dillon Leyds, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Juan de Jongh;

Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (5);

Penalty: Catrakilis.

ORC Griquas

Tries: AJ le Roux, Riaan Viljoen and Ruhan Nel;

Conversions: Gouws Prinsloo andA review of 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 flanker Marnus Schoeman and captain Stefan Watermeyer. Flyhalf JC Roos added three conversions and two penalties 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 win and denied the Sharks a losing bonus point.

Scorers:

Steval Pumas

Tries: Marnus Schoeman (2) and Stefan Watermeyer;

Conversions: JC Roos (3);

Penalties: Roos (4).

Cell C Sharks

Tries: Lionel Cronje, Heimar Williams and Daniel du Preez;

Conversions: Joe Pietersen (3);

Penalty: Pietersen.