It was a weekend of bonus-point victories in the ABSA Currie Cup as all the winning sides, except for the Vodacom Blue Bulls, bagged 5 Log points from their matches to maintain comfortable log positions with an eye on the playoff stages.
In Friday’s matches DHL Western Province defeated the Steval Pumas 37-23 in Nelspruit and the Vodacom Blue Bulls beat the Toyota Free State Cheetahs 31-22 in Bloemfontein. On Saturday the Cell C Sharks thumped the EP Kings 53-24 in Durban and the Xerox Golden Lions registered a convincing 46-8 victory against GWK Griquas in Kimberley.
These results ensured that DHL Western Province and the Xerox Golden Lions remain in comfortable positions for home semifinals, while the Cell C Sharks managed to hold onto their third-place standing with two rounds of pool matches remaining.
The Toyota Free Cheetahs, meanwhile, hopped into fourth place on the standings above the Steval Pumas on points’ difference, while the Vodacom Blue Bulls’ victory allowed them to come within a point of these teams on the Log.
GWK Griquas (3) 8 / 46 (13) Xerox Golden Lions:
The Xerox Golden Lions dominated proceedings from the outset against GWK Griquas in Kimberley thanks to their superior attack and solid defence. The hosts tenacious defence, however, limited the Johannesburg side to only a converted try and two penalties in the first half for a 13-3 lead.
But the visitors’ pressure on attack finally paid off as they found the gaps in GWK Griquas defence and took full advantage of them. This earned the Xerox Golden Lions an extra five tries, which took their tally for the match to six and secured the invaluable bonus point. The team remains only four points behind log-leaders DHL Western Province on the log standings.
Scorers:
GWK Griquas:
- Try: Carel Greeff (1)
- Penalty: Gouws Prinsloo
Xerox Golden Lions:
- Tries: Andries Coetzee (1), Franco Mostert (1), Jaco Kriel (1), Kwagga Smith (1), Ruan Combrinck (1), Warren Whiteley (1)
- Conversions: Ruan Combrinck (5)
- Penalties: Ruan Combrinck (2)
Cell C Sharks (31) 53 / 24 (10) EP Kings:
Two tries by Cell C Sharks centre Paul Jordaan and 23 points compliments of flyhalf Lionel Cronje steered the Durban team to a bonus-point victory against the EP Kings on Saturday. The hosts crossed the tryline for their first try in the seventh minute and had their bonus point for four tries in the bag by the 32nd minute.
The visitors, however, hit back strongly in a determined 16-minute spell before and after half time, which saw them score three tries to reduce the gap on the scoreboard significantly. They then continued to show their fighting spirit and shut out the Cell C Sharks for most of the fourth quarter. However, two tries in the dying minutes by the home team inflated their score to 53 points.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks:
- Tries: Andre Esterhuizen (1), Lionel Cronje (1), Lourens Adriaanse (1), Lwazi Mvovo (1), Paul Jordaan (2), Stephan Lewies (1)
- Conversions: Lionel Cronje (6)
- Penalties: Lionel Cronje (2)
EP Kings:
- Tries: Paul Schoeman (1), Shane Gates (1), Tim Whitehead (1)
- Conversions: Gary Van Aswegen (3)
- Penalty: Gary Van Aswegen (1)
Toyota Free State Cheetahs (9) 22 / 31 (11) Vodacom Blue Bulls:
The Vodacom Blue Bulls held onto their slim semifinal hopes as they survived a determined charge by the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein despite receiving two yellow cards to register a 31-22 victory. The match proved to be scrappy at times and was riddled with penalties early on. But three tries to only one by the hosts and four penalties by flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter earned them the victory.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls took a narrow 11-9 lead at the break, with a try by wing Sampie Mastriet handing them an edge. The second half, however, was tense as Toyota Free State Cheetahs scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius crashed over for their only try on the stroke of the fourth quarter, while flyhalf Wille du Plessis kicked a penalty and drop goal to keep them in the match. A late try by Mastriet to add to an earlier five-pointer by lock Grant Hattingh, however, earned the Pretoria side their fourth win of the season.
Scorers:
Toyota Free State Cheetahs:
- Try: Sarel Pretorius (1)
- Conversion: Willie du Plessis (1)
- Penalties: Willie du Plessis (4)
- Drop Goal: Willie du Plessis (1)
Vodacom Blue Bulls:
- Tries: Grant Hattingh (1), Sampie Mastriet (2)
- Conversions: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (2)
- Penalties: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (4)
Steval Pumas (6) 23 / 37 (20) DHL Western Province:
A late try by DHL Western Province No 8 Nizaam Carr and 17 points compliments of flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis sealed a bonus-point victory for the Cape side in their clash against the Steval Pumas, which allowed them to hold onto their lead at the top of the log standings. The visitors built up an encouraging 20-6 half-time lead in Nelspruit thanks to tries by Carr and Springbok Sevens star Justin Geduld to add to two penalties and two conversions by Catrakilis. In return the Pumas scored only two penalties compliments of JC Roos.
The visitors extended their lead shortly after the break as replacement back Michael van der Spuy crossed the chalk for their third try. The hosts, however, forced their way back into the match two tries in three minutes late in the third quarter while Justin van Staden slotted over another penalty to push the team within range of a possible victory. But Carr’s second try on the stroke of full time sealed the invaluable bonus-point win for the Cape side.
Scorers:
Steval Pumas:
- Tries: Justin van Staden (1), Stefan Watermeyer (1)
- Conversions: Justin van Staden (2)
- Penalties: JC Roos (3)
DHL Western Province:
- Tries: Justin Geduld (1), Michael van der Spuy (1), Nizaam Carr (2)
- Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (4)
- Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (3)