Griquas collect five log points after out-playing Cheetahs

Griquas recorded a well-deserved Currie Cup win in Kimberley on Saturday after out-playing the Cheetahs 31-10.

A strong defensive performance by the men from Kimberley laid the foundation for the result. Griquas lost their opening round match against the Sharks last week, while this was the first outing for the men from Bloemfontein.

Griquas scored four tries for a full-house of points, while the Cheetahs, with several first choice players missing because of Covid, managed just the one try, early in the second half.

The Cheetahs dominated the opening quarter and spent a great deal of time camped in Griquas territory, but they failed to create any clear-cut chances and could show nothing for their efforts.

Not even when the home side were reduced to playing with 14 men for 10 minutes after Hanru Sirgel was yellow-carded could the men from Bloemfontein find a way through Griquas’ defence.

Eventually Cheetahs captain Ruan Pienaar opted to kick a penalty in the 29th minute – to open the scoring.

Griquas though, who’d created a few chances, became the first team to score a try, Maxisole Banda finishing off a period of end-to-end play where both teams had a chance of scoring. George Whitehead’s conversion gave the home team a slender and perhaps fortunate 7-3 lead at the break.

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Young Cheetahs No 8 Gideon van Wyk though scored his team’s first try soon after the restart, picking the ball up at the base of a ruck and going over. Pienaar’s conversion made it 10-7 for the visitors.

But within minutes it was Griquas who were back in front. Big centre Jay Cee Nel broke Howard Mnisi’s tackle in midfield and after beating a few more defenders powered his way over the tryline for a well-taken try.

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And then it was the turn of replacement forward Mzwanele Zito to extend Griquas’ lead, by picking up at the base of a ruck and planting the ball over the line. Whitehead’s conversion and a penalty a few minutes later put the home team 24-10 up with less than 10 minutes to play.

And it got better for Griquas when livewire wing Eduan Keyter intercepted a long pass out wide by the Cheetahs, who were now chasing the game, and his converted try sealed the match for the men from Kimberley, who picked up a bonus point as well.

Scorers

Griquas: Tries: Banda, Nel, Zito, Keyter; Conversions: Whitehead (4); Penalty: Whitehead

Cheetahs: Try: Van Wyk; Conversion: Pienaar; Penalty: Pienaar