The Down Touch Griffons took firm control of the standings in the Carling Currie Cup First Division with a comprehensive 32-3 victory over the Valke in Welkom on Saturday, opening up an eight-point gap at the top of the log.
The men from the Northern Free State are on 19 points after four games, followed by the Leopards (11), the Boland Kavaliers and Valke (both on 10), but all three of these teams have a game in hand on the Down Touch Griffons.
The Border Bulldogs recorded their first win of the season in the Eastern Cape derby, when they beat Eastern Province by 41-20 in East London, with Litha Nkula (right-wing) contributing 21 points, while the Kavaliers returned to winning ways with a 28-21 win over the SWD Eagles.
Scorers:
Boland Kavaliers 28-21 SWD Eagles
Boland Kavaliers – Tries: Kelvin Fikster, Dylan Maart, Andre Manuel (2). Conversion: Garrick Mattheus. Penalties: Mattheus (2).
SWD Eagles – Tries: Kirsten Heyns, Eldrid James. Conversion: JP Duvenhage. Penalty: JP Duvenhage, Shane Ball (2).
Down Touch Griffons 32-03 Valke
Down Touch Griffons – Tries: Doctor Booysen, Lindokuhle Welemu, Morne Joubert, Granwill Matthys, Domenic Smit. Conversions: Jaywinn Juries (2). Penalty: Jaywinn Juries.
Valke – Penalty goal: Anrich Richter.
Border Bulldogs 41-20 Eastern Province
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Thabo Ntunja, Billy Dutton, Yamnkela Mzozoyana, Lwandile Mapuko, Litha Nkula (2). Conversions: Litha Nkula (4). Penalty: Nkula.
Eastern Province – Tries: Davian Swanepoel (2), Riaan Arends. Conversion: Luvo Claassen. Penalty: Josh Allderman.