Blue Bulls thrash Griquas at Loftus
The Blue Bulls registered an emphatic 44-20 Currie Cup win over Griquas at Loftus Verfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
The Blue Bulls registered an emphatic 44-20 Currie Cup win over Griquas at Loftus Verfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
The hosts were dominant from the outset and their performance, particularly in the first half, brought back scenes similar to that of the Currie Cup-winning Blue Bulls' teams of yesteryear.
A change in tactics paved the way to victory for the Pretoria-based outfit.
Unlike previous matches, where they opted to stick to a tight forward-based approach, they combined their dominance up front as a platform for their back-line to launch attacks.
Blue Bulls' rookie fly-half Louis Fouch̩, who made his run-on debut, was in fine form Рcontributing 19 points via a try, two penalties and four conversions.
Although this was a fine all-round display by the home side, another player who deserves special praise is their number eight CJ Stander, who impressed with his ball carrying ability.
The powerful loose forward crossed the advantage line at will, and when he got going, he proved a handful for defenders.
The Bulls gathered a full haul of points, and ran in their bonus-point try just before half-time when former Springbok wing Akona Ndungane intercepted a pass close to the Griquas' tryline before scoring under the posts.
Earlier, newly signed Blue Bulls scrum-half Jano Vermaak opened the scoring in the fourth minute while flank Juandre Kruger and Bok wing Bjorn Basson also touched down during the first stanza.
For the second successive week the Bulls managed to prevent their opponents from scoring a try in the first half, but unlike last week's match against the Pumas, they did not allow Griquas to launch a fightback.
Bok lock Flip van der Merwe also got in on the scoring act shortly after half-time, before Fouché scored the hosts' final try to seal the win.
For the visitors, their scrum-half Sarel Pretorius impressed behind a back-pedalling pack, while captain and flanker Jonathan Mokoena toiled manfully up front.
The win means that the Blue Bulls have improved their position in the Currie Cup standings. After languishing in the bottom half of the table in recent weeks, they have moved into fifth position on the table – just outside the play-off positions.
Griquas are still in third spot with 17 points.
The scorers:
For Blue Bulls:
Tries: Vermaak, Kruger, Basson, Ndungane, Van der Merwe, Fouché
Pens: Fouché 2
Cons: Fouché 4
For Griquas:
Tries: Pretorius, Moekoena, Adriaanse
Pen: Dumond
Con: Dumond
Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Arno Botha, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (c), 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.
Griquas: 15 Monty Dumond, 14 Riaan Viljoen, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Matthew Rosslee, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (c), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Jean Botha.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Barry Geel, 22 Wilmaure Louw.
Referee: Sindile Mayende