Game breaker: Sarel Prerorius
The Griquas created the first upset of the 2009 Currie Cup season with a bonus-point 28-18 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday.
The visitors came from behind to win the central unions derby, outscoring their hosts four tries to two. The home side will rue missing five kicks at goal in the second half alone, leaving empty-handed in a game they should have won.
The Cheetahs enjoyed the lion's share of possession but were guilty of giving far too much ball away at the breakdown.
Led by an inspirational Jonathan Mokuena and live-wire Sarel Pretorius, the Griquas struck while the iron was hot in a thrilling last twenty minutes.
The Griquas plied the earlier pressure with high kicks that kept the Cheetahs back three very busy and exposing wing Danwel Demas' questionable kicking game in the process.
It was the visitors who would open the scoring when number eight Heinrich Stride caught the Cheetahs napping by taking a free-kick quickly at the back of a scrum, before breaking wide and sneaking over.
Fly-half Naas Olivier was on target with the conversion from the touchline to put his side 7-0 ahead after a quarter of an hour played.
The Griquas could well have moved further ahead but failed to use their men out wide or hold on to crucial passes, letting two golden opportunities slip as a result.
The Cheetahs found some rhythm in the second quarter and were rewarded for keeping the ball alive when Jacques-Louis Potgieter slotted his first penalty on 30 minutes.
It was all Cheetahs until half-time, but the home side could not find an answer to the spirited Griquas defence.
Captain Hendro Scholtz and his men were forced to settle for a second penalty as the hooter sounded. Potgieter hit the mark again to leave the hosts trailing 7-6 at the break.
Griquas scrum-half Pretorius was sent to the bin early in the second half for an early challenge but Potgieter missed an easy kick - his second failed attempt in as many minutes.
It was debutante wing Lionel Mapoe who finally put the Cheetahs fans out of their misery. The Sevens flyer was handed a turnover ball - one hand-off and his pace off the mark was enough to send him 30m downfield to score.
Newly imported kicker Louis Strydom could do no better than Potgieter with the conversion and the score remained 11-7.
But the Cheetahs had their tails up and were charging forward. They kept the ball alive with number of pick-and-drives until prop WP Nel crashed over.
The Griquas struck right back though as Pretorius made amends for his previous indiscretion with some magic footwork to beat three defenders and score under the posts.
At 18-14, the game was wide open with twenty minutes to play.
The Griquas set up a grandstand finish when centre Barry Geel cut inside to score under the posts after Pretorius had charged Strydom down to win back possession. Olivier kept his perfect record from the kicking tee to give the visitors a three-point lead.
A sniping break from Pretorius, some wonderful hands from Olivier and a clinical finish from Bjorn Basson in the corner sealed the Griquas bonus point and the game to boot.
Strydom missed two more penalty attempts that would have given his side a losing bonus point on a disappointing night for the Free Staters.
The scorers
For Cheetahs:
Tries: Mapoe, Nel
Cons: Strydom
Pens: Potgieter 2
For Griquas:
Tries: Stride, Pretorius, Geel, Basson
Cons: Olivier 4
Yellow cards: Sarel Pretorius (Griquas - 42nd min - tackling man without the ball)
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Danwel Demas, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Francois Uys, 7 Hendro Scholtz (c), 6 Johan Wessels, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Frans Viljoen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tertius Carse, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 JW Jonker.
Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Egon Seconds, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Heinrich Stride, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Jonathan Mokuena (c), 5 Jacques Lombaard, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Andries Kruger, 17 Albertus Buckle, 18 Sean Plaatjies, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Dougie Helmuth, 21 Jaco Bekker, 22 Gavin Passens.
Referee: Phillip Bosch Assistant referees: Willie Roos, Reuben Rossouw
Television match official: Michael Cupido
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