Griquas cruise past Free State Cheetahs
The Griquas secured a bonus-point, 59-24 win against the Cheetahs in their Currie Cup clash in Kimberley on Saturday.
The home side scored eight tries in a pulsating, sometimes ill-disciplined encounter.
Griquas flanker Sias Koen scored first, diving over from close range after receiving a pass from a quick-tap penalty but Cheetahs hooker Joseph Dweba responded for them, after an excellent break to level the scores.
The home side took the lead when flanker Chris Dry dotted down after running on to an inside ball. However, a surprise tap and go from close range by Griquas scrum-half Christiaan Meyer saw him dot down to level up the scores once again after 25 minutes.
Another Griquas flanker, Wendal Wehr, scored the next try after briliantly taking an offload from centimetres out. Soon after, Cheetahs lock Dennis Visser was sent off for repeated team infringements.
Then the sides exchanged penalties which made the half-time score 24-17 in favour of the hosts.
Cheetahs winger Cecil Afrika scored the first try of the second half before Griquas outside centre Tertius Kruger dived over after bursting through two defenders down the left touchline. Home side hooker AJ Le Roux then went over from the tail of a powerful driving maul.
Soon after, Griquas winger Enver Brandt ran under the poles showing great speed before number eight Conway Pretorius scored after picking up a loose ball to crash over.
Cheetahs reserve forward Nicolaas Immelman was sin binned for foul play before Griquas full-back AJ Coertzen stepped hard off his left foot and sealed a 59-24 win for the Griquas over the Cheetahs after the final hooter had sounded.
For Griquas:
Tries: Koen, Meyer, Wehr, Kruger, Le Roux, Brandy, Pretorius, Coertzen
Cons: Whitehead 5, Swarts 3
Pen: Whitehead
For Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Dweba, Dry, Afrika
Cons: Petzer 3
Pen: Petzer
Yellow cards: Visser, Immelman
Griquas: 15 AJ Coertzen (c), 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Tertius Kruger, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Christiaan Meyer, 8 Conway Pretorius, 7 Sias Koen, Wendal Wehr, 5 FP Pelser, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Stephan Kotze, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Liam Hendricks
Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Louwrens Strydom, 18 Wandile Putuma, 19 Shaun McDonald, 20 De Wet Kruger, 21 Renier Botha, 22 Andre Swarts
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Ali Mgijima, 12 Lloyd Greeff, 11 Cecil Afrika, 10 Robbie Petzer, 9 Zee Mkhabela, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Chris Dry (c), 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Erich de Jager, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Gert Kotze
Replacements: 16 Reinach Venter, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Jeremy Jordaan, 19 Nicolaas Immelman, 20 JP Smith, 21 Stephan Janse van Rensburg , 22 JW Jonker
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Mpho Matsaung, Griffin Colby