Griffons too good for Free State XV

The Griffons beat the Free State XV 49-33 in Welkom on Saturday, while there were also Currie Cup Qualifier wins for Griquas and the Boland Cavaliers.

The hosts led 27-12 at the break and went on to record their sixth win of the competition.

The Free State XV opened the scoring through centre Tertius Kruger, before the Griffons took a 7-5 lead when wing Warren Williams went over for a converted try.

The home side were then awarded a penalty try, with flyhalf George Whitehead adding the extras and then slotting a penalty.

The visitors hit back with tries to flank Refuoe Rampeta and centre Japie Nel, before Whitehead kicked a drop goal to extend their lead to 15 points at half-time.

Fullback Reinhardt Erwee scored a converted try for the Free State XV early in the second half.

Whitehead then kicked a second penalty goal, before hooker Jacques du Toit crossed for the visitors' fourth try.

But three more tries for the Griffons – from Williams and Nel, who both completed their brace, and wing Vuyo Mbotho – took the game beyond the visitors.

Erwee scored his second try late in the game, but it was too little too late.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Griquas went top of the table with a 36-14 win at home against the Sharks XV, while fullback Nico Scheepers scored a hat-trick and kicked 15 conversions, from 16, as the Boland Cavaliers slayed the Welwitschias 110-10 in Wellington.

Griffons (49) – Tries: Warren Williams (2), penalty try, Japie Nel (2), Vuyo Mbotho. Conversions: George Whitehead (5). Penalties: Whitehead (2). Drop goal: Whitehead.
Free State XV (33) – Tries: Tertius Kruger, Refuoe Rampeta, Reinhardt Erwee (2), Jacques du Toit. Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (3), Darren Baron.

Griquas (36) – Tries: Ntabeni Dukisa, AJ Le Roux, Ederies Arendse, Sias Koen, JW Jonker. Conversion: Clinton Swart (4). Penalty: Swart.
Sharks XV (14) – Tries: Khaya Majola, Marius Louw. Conversions: Tristan Tredder, Louw.

Boland Cavaliers (110) – Tries: Nico Scheepers (3), Ryan Nell (4), Hanno Kitshoff, Kenan Cronjé, Christopher Bosch (4), Sergio Torrens (2), William van Wyk. Conversions: Scheepers (15).
Welwitschias (10) – Tries: Phillip Nashikaku, Malcolm Moore.

Photo: Luke Walker/Gallo Images