The Vodacom Blue Bulls turned in a fantastic 2nd-half performance to hand defending ABSA Currie Cup champions, the DHL Western Province, their 1st defeat of the season in a pulsating 47 / 29 win at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The thrilling win was a perfect gift for veteran prop Werner Kruger, who played in his 100th ABSA Currie Cup match for the Blue Bulls.
It was the 1st time since 2012 that the Blue Bulls ran out winners in the traditional North versus South encounter.
Thanks to their outstanding display the Blue Bulls consolidated their Top spot on the Premier Division standings and they now have 15 points from 3 matches, which all were all clinched with convincing bonus-point victories.
The new generation of Blue Bulls were superbly led by 2014 Junior Springbok fullback Warrick Gelant and veteran scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and they were also the only outfit to register a home win this weekend.
Gelant, also a Springbok Sevens international, displayed his wonderful assortment of attacking skills and was deservedly awarded the ABSA Man of the Match award.
The Xerox Golden Lions held off a determined challenge from the Cell C Sharks on their way to a 31 / 16 (halftime 7 / 6) win at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban on Saturday. The Sharks led by a single point after 61 minutes but the Golden Lions ensured that they remain unbeaten by turning in a strong final quarter as they ran in 3 tries to hand the Sharks their 2nd loss in 3 games.
On Friday night in Kimberley, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, spearheaded by pivot Fred Zeilinga, notched their 1st win of the campaign when they outplayed the ORC Griquas 31 / 9 (halftime 10 / 9).
Flyhalf JC Roos kicked 5 penalties as the Steval Pumas edged the Eastern Province Kings 15 / 13 after leading 6 / 3 in the other Friday evening clash in Port Elizabeth.
Vodacom Blue Bulls (15) 47 / 29 (16) DHL Western Province:
Both teams were unbeaten after 2 Rounds and the 1st half was a brutal affair between the forwards, which resulted in the Blue Bulls losing 2 of their loose forwards. WP were dominant in the scrums and the home side lost both flank Roelof Smit and influential No 8 Hanro Liebenberg to injuries, which saw them lose momentum in the last quarter of the 1st half. They were replaced respectively by Jannes Kirsten and RG Snyman.
At halftime the Blue Bulls were trailing 15 / 16 and 10 minutes after the break they were chasing their great Southern rivals at 15 / 26 behind. However, a blitzkrieg of 4 tries in just 13 minutes saw them storming into a 44 / 26 lead with some sizzling attacking play. The back 3 of the Blue Bulls set the 2nd half on fire and WP wing Dillyn Leyds was Yellow Carded for a dangerous tackle, which left them with a man short on defence.
Jamba Ulengo (2), Burger Odendaal, Travis Ismaiel and Gelant all scored tries for the Blue Bulls. Pivot Tian Schoeman added 2 conversions and 5 penalties while substitute flyhalf Louis Fouché also succeeded with a late penalty. Wings Seabelo Senatla and wing Dillon Leyds were the WP try scorers. Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis added the rest of the points with his boot through 2 conversions and 5 penalties.
Scorers:
Vodacom Blue Bulls:
- Tries: Jamba Ulengo (2), Burger Odendaal (1), Travis Ismaiel (1), Warrick Gelant (1)
- Conversions: Tian Schoeman (2)
- Penalties: Tian Schoeman (5), Louis Fouché (1)
DHL Western Province:
- Tries: Seabelo Senatla (1), Dillyn Leyds (1)
- Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (2)
- Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (5)
Cell C Sharks (6) 16 / 31 (7) Xerox Golden Lions:
Hard-running inside centre Howard Mnisi kicked through a loose ball on the Cell C Sharks 22m line, after an overthrown lineout from the Golden Lions, before collecting his own kick and going over for a converted try. Fullback Joe Pietersen kicked 2 penalties to close the halftime score at 7 / 6.
After the break, Marnitz Boshoff (flyhalf) and Pietersen traded penalties before a sweeping backline move saw Sharks right wing Odwa Ndungane race through onto a grubber kick from replacement fullback SP Marias to crash over in the corner. Pietersen slotted the conversion.
However, the visitors hit back almost immediately when outside centre Stokkies Hanekom crashed over for a converted try.
They then secured victory after wing Courtnall Skosan handed off Ndungane on his way to a converted try. The Golden Lions secured their bonus point try when replacement wing Anthony Volmink intercepted a loose pass.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks:
- Tries: Odwa Ndungane (1)
- Conversions: Joe Pietersen (1)
- Penalties: Joe Pietersen (3)
Xerox Golden Lions:
- Tries: Howard Mnisi (1), Stokkies Hanekom (1), Courtnall Skosan (1), Anthony Volmink (1)
- Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (4)
- Penalties: Marnitz Boshoff (1)
ORC Griquas (9) 9 / 31 (10) Toyota Free State Cheetahs:
Flyhalf Fred Zeilinga was the kingpin in the Free State Cheetahs side and he delivered a good all-round performance which resulted in a try, all 4 conversions and a penalty goal.
Former Springbok Sevens star Rayno Benjamin, 2014 Junior Springbok wing Sergeal Petersen (on his ABSA Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs) and Gerhard Olivier were the other try scorers.
Wing Ntabeni Dukisa slotted 3 penalties for the home side. For Griquas it will be a case of back to the drawing board after they suffered their 3rd straight loss since winning 5 qualifying matches in a row to clinch their spot in the top flight.
Scorers:
ORC Griquas:
- Penalties: Ntabeni Dukisa (3)
Toyota Free State Cheetahs:
- Tries: Rayno Benjamin (1), Fred Zeilinga (1), Sergeal Petersen (1), Gerhard Olivier (1)
- Conversions: Fred Zeilinga (4)
- Penalties: Fred Zeilinga (1)
Eastern Province Kings (3) 13 / 15 (6) Steval Pumas:
The EP Kings came into the match having lost their opening 2 Round games against the Xerox Golden Lions and the Cell C Sharks. Steval Pumas kingpin JC Roos and EP Kings fullback Scott van Breda traded early penalties, with Roos adding another to place his side 6 / 3 ahead after 13 minutes, which was also the halftime score.
The EP Kings had a try disallowed after a clever chip by left wing Luther Obi resulted in a good a movement between right wing Siyanda Grey and scrumhalf Enrico Acker, who went over in the far corner. Kings skipper Steven Sykes was also shown a Yellow Card for foul play.
After the break the EP Kings kept mounting waves of attack and gained a kickable penalty soon afterwards. They opted to kick for touch, won the lineout and replacement prop Lizo Gqoboka crashed over for the only try of the match, which Van Breda converted.
However, Roos then kicked his 4th penalty as the Steval Pumas remained in touch at 13 / 12. With just 10 minutes remaining Roos nailed the winning penalty after substitute scrumhalf Kevin Luiters went offside.
Scorers:
Eastern Province Kings:
- Tries: Lizo Gqoboka (1)
- Conversions: Scott van Breda (1)
- Penalties: Scott van Breda (2)
Steval Pumas:
- Penalties: JC Roos (5)