Fullback Cameron Hufke scored a hat-trick of tries as the Boland Kavaliers beat the high-flying Valke in the Currie Cup First Division final on Saturday.
Starting fast and defending heroically, the Kavaliers outscored the newly-crowned Mzansi Challenge champions by five tries to three in Wellington, claiming a 43-21 win to deny the visitors a historic double, and secure silverware for the first time since 2011.
The hosts came out firing and spread the ball early, finding plenty of space in perfect conditions to race into a 15-0 lead. They were more clinical early on, bossed the breakdown, dominated at scrum time and put in some massive hits on defence.
The Valke, though, didn’t lay down and while Boland kept the scoreboard ticking, they were reduced to 14 men for reaped infringements in the dying moments of the first half, which saw the visitors score a second try to trail 28-14 at the break.
RECAP: Cheetahs crowned Currie Cup champs
Hufke looked to have set the tone for the second half as he did in the first when he scored his second try inside three minutes, but, the spirited Valke did most of the playing and scored another while No 8 Keenan Opperman was still in the bin to make it 33-21.
The elusive Hufke ensured that it was the 14-man Kavaliers who struck first in the second half as he swerved over for his second but the Valke hit back through tighthead Cohen Kiewit, whose converted try cut the deficit to 12.
The East Randers threw everything at the hosts, whose collective defensive display was superb. Hufke’s hat-trick try proved to be a crushing blow and he capped off a top performance with a late long-range penalty goal as the Kavaliers were crowned champions.
Scorers:
Boland Kavaliers – Tries: Cameron Hufke (3), Keenan Opperman, Bentley Geldenhuys. Conversions: Darian Hock (3). Penalty goals: Hock (3), Hufke.
Valke – Tries: Musa Tshabalala, Easton Arendse, Cohen Kiewit. Conversions: Keagan Fortune (3).
Photo: SA Rugby website