Down to the wire for WP, Bulls
For the first time in living memory, the Vodacom Blue Bulls might be on their way out of Absa Currie Cup semifinal contention.
After a hectic and thoroughly entertaining weekend of Currie Cup rugby, it is now clear that both the MTN Golden Lions and The Sharks have home semifinals. The Toyota Free State Cheetahs will travel to Durban, where they have an excellent track record, and it seems likely that DHL Western Province will be coming back to Johannesburg, where they were well and truly beaten by the Lions on Saturday.
It was heartbreak for the Bulls, who needed to win in Kimberley, but the hugely impressive fullback Rudi Vogt contributed 23 points as the GWK Griquas beat the Bulls 48-44. Vogt scored a try and kicked six conversions and two penalties.
Each side scored six tries, but Vogt’s accuracy was the winning factor as the lead changed hands five times.
– GWK Griquas – Tries: Rocco Jansen (2), Matthew Rosslee (2), Rudi Vogt, Dusty Noble, Conversions: Vogt (6); Penalties: Vogt (2).
– Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Bjorn Basson (2), Jacques Potgieter (2), Akona Ndungane, Jano Vermaak; Conversions: Louis Fouche (4); Penalty: Fouche; Drop goal: Fouche.
– At Coca-Cola Park, the Lions administered a 42-25 drubbing to WP. Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis kept the visitors in contention, but the dominant Lions just had too much firepower. Scoring a try as early as the sixth minute, and with flyhalf Elton Jantjies delivering a flawless performance, they eased to a home semi, probably against the same opponents. Five tries to one equals a thrashing in anyone’s book.
– Lions: Tries: Bandise Maku, Jaco Taute (2), Martin Bezuidenhout, Derick Minnie. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (4). Penalties: Jantjies (3).
– Western Province: Deon Fourie. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis. Penalties Catrakilis (5). Drop Goals: Catrakilis
– In Rustenburg, The Sharks predictably administered a professional performance against the Leopards to secure their home semi.
– Leopards 14 – Tries: Johann Laker, Danie Dames. Conversions: Wesley Dunlop (2).
– Sharks 41 – Tries: Adi Jacobs, Jacques Botes, Lwazi Mvovo, Conrad Hoffmann, Keegan Daniel, Sibusiso Sithole. Conversions: Frederic Michalak (4). Penalty: Michalak.
– In Wellington, the Regent Boland Cavaliers administered a 50-20 drubbing to the Tasol Solar Griffons.
– Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Danwel Demas (4), Elgar Watts, Thor Halvorsen, Cornal Hendricks. Conversions: Watts (6). Penalty: Watts.
– Tasol Solar Griffons – Tries: Nicky Steyn, Japie Nel, Andries Mahoney. Conversion: Reinard Erwee. Penalty: Tiaan van Wyk. — Staff Reporter, SportsCentral