The Pumas, Griquas, Cheetahs and Leopards again made it a profitable weekend for home teams in the SA Cup, while only two sides remain unbeaten.
The Boland Kavaliers were the only away winners when they deservingly won their fixture against the SWD Eagles by 35-5 in George on Sunday to make it two wins in a row.
On Saturday afternoon, the Leopards grabbed nine tries while Border replied with two in the North West team’s 57-15 triumph in Potchefstroom. The hosts managed to pull away from the Bulldogs after posting a 35-3 halftime lead.
The Cheetahs also managed to score nine times as they bounced back from their heavy loss the previous week against Pumas, to thump Eastern Province 59-26 in Bloemfontein.
And in the third match staged at the same time on Saturday, Griquas managed to hang on to the top spot on the log when they earned their fourth successive win of the campaign courtesy of a 61-17 demolition of the Griffons in Kimberley.
STATE OF THE URC: Race for playoff spots resumes
The weekend’s action started on Friday evening at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, where the Pumas outmuscled the Valke by 89-3 having already established a 35-3 lead at the break.
The Griffons’ defeat in the Northern Cape means that Griquas and the Pumas are now the only two unbeaten teams left in the competition. Both are on 20 points from four bonus point wins, but the men from Kimberley are in first place courtesy of a superior points’ difference.
The two front runners are followed by Cheetahs and NovaVit Griffons on 15 points, the Kavaliers (12), Eagles (10), Elephants (7), Leopards (5), Valke (2) and the Bulldogs (0).
Five more fixtures will be staged at venues across the country next weekend as the competition moves past the halfway mark. Following the conclusion of the single round of league matches, the two top teams on the log will contest the first Cup final.
Scorers:
SWD Eagles 5 (5) – Try: Mpho Ntsane.
Boland Kavaliers 35 (16) – Tries: Keenan Opperman (2), Cornell Engelbrecht, Riaan Louw, Sidney Tobias. Conversions: Garth April (2). Penalties: April (2).
Cheetahs 59 (40) – Tries: Litha Nkula (2), John Lourens (2), Victor Sekekete, Munier Hartzenberg, Banie Britz, Tapiwa Mafura, Sisonke Vumazonke. Conversions: Andell Loubser (7).
Eastern Province 26 (7) – Tries: Siya Nzuzo, Lungi Mbiko, Sherwin Slater, Riaan Arends. Conversions: Ruben de Vos (3).
Leopards 57 (33) – Tries: Mncedisi Dlwengu (2), Buhle Qaba (2), Ruben Du Plessis, Shirwin Cupido, Marius Viviers, Gilroy Philander, Siniothando Tshontsyi. Conversions: Viviers (6).
Border Bulldogs 15 (10) – Tries: Merlin du Plessis (2). Conversion: Du Plessis. Penalty: Du Plessis.
Pumas 89 (35) – Tries: Phiko Sobahle (3), Jan-Henning Campher (2), Andre Fouche, Darnell Osuagwu, Etienne Janeke, Theuns Pretorius, Ross Braude, Ruwald van der Merwe, Wian van Niekerk, Lundi Msenge. Conversions: Clinton Swart (8), Brandon Thomson (4).
Valke 3 (3) – Penalty: Keagan Fortune.
Griquas 61 (14) – Tries: Thomas Bursey, Sako Makata, Tertius Kruger, Connor Mahoney, Cameron Hufke, Cebo Dlamini, Athenkosi Khethani, Xavier Swartbooi, penalty try. Conversions: Lubabalo Dobela (4), George Whitehead (3).
Griffons 17 (10) – Tries: Duren Hoffman, Domenic Smit. Conversions: Danrich Visagie (2). Penalty: Visagie.
Photo: @TheCurrieCup/Twitter
