Rugby
Griquas score seven tries against the Cheetahs─── MORGAN PIEK 08:07 Sat, 31 Aug 2024
“The Griquas ran in seven tries to the four of the Cheetahs for what was their third win of the campaign.”
The Suzuki Griquas turned in their best performance of the season on Friday in Kimberley as they beat the Toyota Cheetahs convincingly in a thrilling Currie Cup derby.
The Griquas beat the defending Currie Cup champions 44-31 to claim the bragging rights, while also some silverware in the OFM Challenge Cup.
The Griquas ran in seven tries to the four of the Cheetahs for what was their third win of the campaign, albeit that their chances of reaching the semi-finals are a thing of the past. For the Cheetahs, they are now under real pressure to reach the semi-finals and they will be hoping that Western Province, who are out of the running, can beat the Pumas on Saturday.
While the Cheetahs opened the scoring with a Daniel Kasende try just 43 seconds into his 50th game for the team, the Griquas struck back immediately through Zane Bester.
Further tries by the hooker Dandré Delport and Lubabalo Dobela saw the hosts hold a 17-10 lead at half-time.
In the second stanza, the captain Marco de Witt, hooker Gustav du Rand, fullback Connor Mahoney, and replacement scrumhalf Bobby Alexander all managed to cross the whitewash. A late surge by the Cheetahs’ Ethan Wentzel, Ali Mgijima, and Munier Hartzenberg saw them earn a bonus point which may prove to be crucial. Unfortunately for the Free State, they crossed the try line on two occasions where the referee, AJ Jacobs, ruled that the ball was held up.
The Cheetahs aren’t out of the running yet, but they will have to do what hasn’t happened in quite a while and that is to go and beat the Pumas in Nelspruit next week.
Meanwhile, the Lions moved to the top of the log on Friday night with a convincing 57-33 win against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. This was the Bulls' first defeat of the season.
Scorers:
Griquas: Tries – Zane Bester, Dandre Delport, Lubabalo Dobela, Marco de Witt, Gustav du Rand, Connor Mahoney, Bobby Alexander Conv. – Dobela, Thomas Bursey, Zinedine Robinson Pen. – Dobela
Cheetahs: Tries – Daniel Kasende, Ethan Wentzel, Ali Mgijima, Munier Hartzenberg Conv. – Ethan Wentzel 4 Pen. – Wentzel
