The Suzuki Griquas stormed into the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division with a convincing 40-10 win against the Toyota Cheetahs on Friday evening in Bloemfontein. The Griquas scored six tries to the two scored by the Cheetahs and led 33-05 at the halftime break.
The Griquas made an electric start to the match, and following two minutes of domination Griquas attacked from out wide, and George Whitehead, running a brilliant line, scored the Griquas' first try of the match. Whitehead converted.
Three minutes later, Griquas attacked from within their own 22m and, following several players handling, Zane Bester scored their second try, which was converted by Whitehead to extend the Griquas’ lead to 14-00 after just six minutes of play.
The Griquas continued their dominance and after twelfe minutes of play, when Caleb Abrahams sniped off a dominant scrum to beat the Cheetahs’ defenders on the outside to score the Griquas' third try. Whitehead converted from the corner to extend the Griquas’ lead to 21-00.
However, the Cheetahs started to get their hand on more quality attacking back. Following twenty-six minutes of play in the first half, Marko Jansen van Rensburg scored off the back of a five-meter lineout-maul to cut the visitors’ lead to 21-05.
However, three minutes later, Griquas’ winger Gurswin Wehr showed his pace down the touchline, and beat several defenders and scored the Griquas’ fourth and bonus-point try. Whitehead added the extra two points to extend the Griquas' lead to 28-05.
With time up on the clock Griquas scored their fifth try when Cameron Hufke once again showed the Griquas' superior pace out wide to score his first try of the match and extend the visitors’ lead to 33-05.
The second half was a “ping pong” affair with both teams having several opportunities to score valuable points. However, once again, it was Griquas that attacked from a turnover ball, it was Gurswin Wehr who ran seventy meters down the touchline for his second try of the match. Whitehead added the extras to extend the Griquas' lead to 50-05 after twenty-three minutes of play in the first half.
Despite Yellow cards to Griquas’ Leon Lyons, Caleb Abrahams, and Albert Liebenberg during the final fifteen minutes of the match, the Cheetahs could only add five poits to the scoresheet when Daniel Maartens scored off the back of a lineout maul.
The Griquas moved to the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division log with a brilliant 40-10 win.
Teams:
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Marco Janse van Vuren, 12 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 Franco Smith, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Neels Volschenk, 9 Mihlali Mosi, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Juan Venter, 3 John-Kelly Okonkwo, 2 Marko Jansen van Rensburg, 1 Hencus van Wyk. Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Frankie Dos Reis, 19 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Jandré Nel, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Michael Annies.
Suzuki Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombi Zwelenedaba, 11 Gurswin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Caleb Abrahams, 8 Gustav Erlank, 7 Carl Els, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 2 Cebo Dlamini (c), 2 Janco Uys, 1 Eddie Davids. Replacements: 16 Tiaan Lange, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius, 20 Marco de Witt, 21 Thomas Bursey, 22 Tom Nel, Connor Mahoney.