Griquas clinch vital win over Province in Currie Cup

The Griquas kept their Currie Cup playoff hopes firmly alive with an impressive 38-29 (halftime 14-19) bonus point win over Western Province at Griqua Park in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.

The hosts managed to bounce back from a halftime deficit to continue their dominance over Province, incredibly picking up their sixth straight win in the competition over the visitors, now stretching back over the past three seasons.

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It was also an important result as it lifts the Griquas above Province on the log and keeps them in contention for a place in the playoffs going into the final weekend of pool games.

In the match it was the visitors who got off to a strong start, as from a lineout deep in the hosts 22m they set the maul, which then splintered with flank Marcel Theunissen coming through to go over for the try, converted by flyhalf Jurie Mathee.

Hit straight back

The Pumas however hit straight back as from their own lineout on the Province 5m they pulled a training ground move, allowing lock Dylan Sjoblom to catch the ball, dive and reach over to score, with fullback George Whitehead levelling the scores with the conversion after nine minutes.

Two minutes later Province were back ahead as a quick counterattack from the halfway ended with wing Leolin Zas putting scrumhalf Paul de Wet into the corner for the unconverted score and a 12-7 lead.

It was a frantic finish to the first half as two tries in the final three minutes brought the game back to life as first Theunissen crashed over for his second try, with Mathee’s conversion making the score 19-7.

The hosts crucially responded just before the break as a kick ahead from wing Rosko Specman was caught over the line and dotted down by outside centre Jay-Cee Nel, with Whiteheads extras bringing them within five points.

Back and forth affair

The second half was a back and forth affair as the Pumas took the lead for the first time in the match in the 44^th minute as flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela went over for a converted score putting them 21-19 up.

Province replied in the 60^th minute from a lineout as they got their maul rumbling again, with replacement flank Willie Engelbrecht going over for the converted score to put the visitors back in front.

The Pumas hit back from their own lineout maul four minutes later, as replacement hooker Sean Swart dotted down and Whitehead converted to put them into a 28-26 lead.

The crucial score for the home side then came in the 72^nd minute as replacement back Sango Xamlashe was put into a hole, with him handing off a defender and running away to score a converted try that put them 35-26 up.

Province made sure they stayed in the game with a 76^th minute Mathee penalty, but Whitehead ended any chance with a penalty of his own on the fulltime hooter to seal the win.

Bulls thrash Griffons

In the other Currie Cup game on the day the Bulls thrashed the Griffons 64-33 in a high scoring match at Loftus Versfeld, after a three hour delay due to a massive power outtage.

Just 34 minutes into the match, with the Bulls leading 21-11 the power in the stadium went off, with the generator also tripping leading to the delay in the game.

Three hours later the players returned to the field and completed the match, with the Bulls taking a 26-18 lead into the halftime break, before pulling away emphatically in the second half to register a big win and move them up to fourth on the log ahead of Saturday’s games.