30-07-2005, 10:25 AM
The @tlantic Pumas pulled away in the last 20 minutes to beat the Griffons 31-19 (halftime 14-13) in their Absa Currie Cup match in Welkom on Friday night.
You can get results from the Currie Cup games by sending an SMS with the message RCC to 34911 (R for rugby, CC for Currie Cup). This is a SuperSMS service and costs just R2 per SMS.
The match was level at 19-19 midway through the second half, but the Griffons flushed their chances down the drain with a series of mistakes as their structure was adversely affected by having too many forwards in the backline. They spent lengthy periods deep in Pumas territory, but couldnÂ’t break through the defence. The Griffons just couldnÂ’t get any momentum going.
The Pumas were on the board first when a slick backline move was able to buy left wing Sinethemba Zweni enough space for the opening try. The lanky Casper Steyn added the conversion (7-0), but the Griffons had a nerveless goal-kicker of their own in flyhalf Andre Hough and he kicked a ninth-minute penalty (7-3).
The home side then took the lead when wing Tienie Goosen shocked the Mpumalanga defence with his blistering pace and Hough converted the try (7-10).
But Pumas scrumhalf Ashieq Wise is fairly brisk himself and he nipped through for the visitorsÂ’ second try after a prolonged passage of play on the Northern Free State tryline.
Steyn added the conversion and Hough knocked over a penalty as the teams exited the field for halftime with just one point separating them.
Hough recaptured the lead for the Griffons (14-16) with a penalty four minutes after the break, but their hooker, Ethienne Reynecke was then yellow-carded for a dismal lack of discipline at the ruck.
The sturdy Pumas forwards plied their trade to perfection five minutes later as they wore down the Griffons defences to set up a fine try for lock Martin Engelbrecht.
Hough once again drew the Griffons level (19-19) with his fourth penalty but as the pressure mounted in the final quarter, the home side cracked.
A neat backline move by the Pumas – which managed to include a forward pass missed by referee Stuart Berry – set up a try for replacement wing Hyron Thyse.
The victory was sealed two minutes from time when wing Sasha Marot ran from the halfway line to score without the Griffons defence laying a hand on him.
The Northern Free State defence was generally outstanding, but the Griffons let themselves down with their sloppiness when they had the ball. The admirable Hough kept them in the game with his steadiness at flyhalf.
The Pumas backs, sparked by Wise at scrumhalf, were classy and the visitors certainly defended stoutly too.
Scorers
Pumas – Tries: Sinethemba Zweni, Ashieq Wise, Malcolm Engelbrecht, Hyron Thyse, Sasha Marot. Conversions: Casper Steyn (3).
Griffons – Tries: Tienie Goosen. Conversions: Andre Hough. Penalties: Hough (4).
The Impala Leopards piled on six tries to beat the Border Bulldogs 52-33 in Potchefstroom on Friday night to keep their hopes of progressing to the second round of the Absa Currie Cup alive.
You can get results from the Currie Cup games by sending an SMS with the message RCC to 34911 (R for rugby, CC for Currie Cup). This is a SuperSMS service and costs just R2 per SMS.
The LeopardsÂ’ organisation and power at the ruck and their backsÂ’ ability to beat the flatfooted Border defence set up a comfortable win after they had led 38-14 at halftime.
Flank Retief Uys was on the scoreboard as early as the second minute when a lineout, set up by wing Ronnie CookeÂ’s chip and chase, was driven over the BulldogsÂ’ line.
The Leopards swept into an 18-0 lead after just 12 minutes with a further rush of points comprising a conversion and two penalties by flyhalf Naas Olivier and a try by eighthman Jonathan Mokuena after quick recycling of the ball and some tentative defending had weakened the Border defence.
A bumper score looked on the cards for the home side, but the Bulldogs were next to appear on the scoreboard when flank Marcel van der Walt controlled the ball well to dot it down after prop Delarey du PreezÂ’s charge off a lineout had been stopped just short of the line.
The Leopards picked up another soft six points via two more Olivier penalties to extend their cushion to 24-7, before Border struck back with their second try, by centre Werner Coetzer after excellent work by wing James Richards and inside centre Vusumzi Mbulali.
The third North-West try came in the 34th minute after flank Franco van der Merwe had bumped off several defenders and a meandering backline move allowed replacement fullback Bertus Swanepoel to go over in the left corner.
Shortly therafter, Swanepoel dropped the ball over the tryline after being set up by scrumhalf Jean Tiedt and Cooke was held up over the line, but the winds of change were not blowing for Border and the Leopards went into a 38-14 halftime lead when Mokuena controlled the ball well for a try after the Bulldogs scrum had disintegrated.
Border scored first in the second half, flyhalf Reinhard Gerber pulling the strings in a sweet backline move that resulted in a try for Richards (38-19).
But then the Bulldogs defence once again did a bunk and the result was settled with 10 minutes to go as the Leopards scored two more tries, both converted by the accurate boot of Olivier, who was also a potent force on attack.
Inside centre Barry Geel was through a gap to score after a clever dummy run by Swanepoel and Olivier was the architect of a marvellous try by wing Colin Lloyd with two breaks and a couple of clever inside passes.
The deflated Bulldogs were 52-19 down but they re-inflated themselves in the final stages with two tries that earned them a bonus point.
A pumped up Tiger Mangweni burst through four defenders to score and replacement centre Ryan Pickering also dotted down as the match degenerated into something of a bun fight.
Scorers
Leopards – Tries: Retief Uys, Jonathan Mokuena (2), Bertus Swanepoel, Barry Geel, Colin Lloyd. Conversions: Naas Olivier (5). Penalties: Olivier (4).
Border – Tries: Marcel van der Walt, Werner Coetzer, James Richards, Tiger Mangweni, Ryan Pickering. Conversions: Reinhard Gerber (4).
You can get results from the Currie Cup games by sending an SMS with the message RCC to 34911 (R for rugby, CC for Currie Cup). This is a SuperSMS service and costs just R2 per SMS.
The match was level at 19-19 midway through the second half, but the Griffons flushed their chances down the drain with a series of mistakes as their structure was adversely affected by having too many forwards in the backline. They spent lengthy periods deep in Pumas territory, but couldnÂ’t break through the defence. The Griffons just couldnÂ’t get any momentum going.
The Pumas were on the board first when a slick backline move was able to buy left wing Sinethemba Zweni enough space for the opening try. The lanky Casper Steyn added the conversion (7-0), but the Griffons had a nerveless goal-kicker of their own in flyhalf Andre Hough and he kicked a ninth-minute penalty (7-3).
The home side then took the lead when wing Tienie Goosen shocked the Mpumalanga defence with his blistering pace and Hough converted the try (7-10).
But Pumas scrumhalf Ashieq Wise is fairly brisk himself and he nipped through for the visitorsÂ’ second try after a prolonged passage of play on the Northern Free State tryline.
Steyn added the conversion and Hough knocked over a penalty as the teams exited the field for halftime with just one point separating them.
Hough recaptured the lead for the Griffons (14-16) with a penalty four minutes after the break, but their hooker, Ethienne Reynecke was then yellow-carded for a dismal lack of discipline at the ruck.
The sturdy Pumas forwards plied their trade to perfection five minutes later as they wore down the Griffons defences to set up a fine try for lock Martin Engelbrecht.
Hough once again drew the Griffons level (19-19) with his fourth penalty but as the pressure mounted in the final quarter, the home side cracked.
A neat backline move by the Pumas – which managed to include a forward pass missed by referee Stuart Berry – set up a try for replacement wing Hyron Thyse.
The victory was sealed two minutes from time when wing Sasha Marot ran from the halfway line to score without the Griffons defence laying a hand on him.
The Northern Free State defence was generally outstanding, but the Griffons let themselves down with their sloppiness when they had the ball. The admirable Hough kept them in the game with his steadiness at flyhalf.
The Pumas backs, sparked by Wise at scrumhalf, were classy and the visitors certainly defended stoutly too.
Scorers
Pumas – Tries: Sinethemba Zweni, Ashieq Wise, Malcolm Engelbrecht, Hyron Thyse, Sasha Marot. Conversions: Casper Steyn (3).
Griffons – Tries: Tienie Goosen. Conversions: Andre Hough. Penalties: Hough (4).
The Impala Leopards piled on six tries to beat the Border Bulldogs 52-33 in Potchefstroom on Friday night to keep their hopes of progressing to the second round of the Absa Currie Cup alive.
You can get results from the Currie Cup games by sending an SMS with the message RCC to 34911 (R for rugby, CC for Currie Cup). This is a SuperSMS service and costs just R2 per SMS.
The LeopardsÂ’ organisation and power at the ruck and their backsÂ’ ability to beat the flatfooted Border defence set up a comfortable win after they had led 38-14 at halftime.
Flank Retief Uys was on the scoreboard as early as the second minute when a lineout, set up by wing Ronnie CookeÂ’s chip and chase, was driven over the BulldogsÂ’ line.
The Leopards swept into an 18-0 lead after just 12 minutes with a further rush of points comprising a conversion and two penalties by flyhalf Naas Olivier and a try by eighthman Jonathan Mokuena after quick recycling of the ball and some tentative defending had weakened the Border defence.
A bumper score looked on the cards for the home side, but the Bulldogs were next to appear on the scoreboard when flank Marcel van der Walt controlled the ball well to dot it down after prop Delarey du PreezÂ’s charge off a lineout had been stopped just short of the line.
The Leopards picked up another soft six points via two more Olivier penalties to extend their cushion to 24-7, before Border struck back with their second try, by centre Werner Coetzer after excellent work by wing James Richards and inside centre Vusumzi Mbulali.
The third North-West try came in the 34th minute after flank Franco van der Merwe had bumped off several defenders and a meandering backline move allowed replacement fullback Bertus Swanepoel to go over in the left corner.
Shortly therafter, Swanepoel dropped the ball over the tryline after being set up by scrumhalf Jean Tiedt and Cooke was held up over the line, but the winds of change were not blowing for Border and the Leopards went into a 38-14 halftime lead when Mokuena controlled the ball well for a try after the Bulldogs scrum had disintegrated.
Border scored first in the second half, flyhalf Reinhard Gerber pulling the strings in a sweet backline move that resulted in a try for Richards (38-19).
But then the Bulldogs defence once again did a bunk and the result was settled with 10 minutes to go as the Leopards scored two more tries, both converted by the accurate boot of Olivier, who was also a potent force on attack.
Inside centre Barry Geel was through a gap to score after a clever dummy run by Swanepoel and Olivier was the architect of a marvellous try by wing Colin Lloyd with two breaks and a couple of clever inside passes.
The deflated Bulldogs were 52-19 down but they re-inflated themselves in the final stages with two tries that earned them a bonus point.
A pumped up Tiger Mangweni burst through four defenders to score and replacement centre Ryan Pickering also dotted down as the match degenerated into something of a bun fight.
Scorers
Leopards – Tries: Retief Uys, Jonathan Mokuena (2), Bertus Swanepoel, Barry Geel, Colin Lloyd. Conversions: Naas Olivier (5). Penalties: Olivier (4).
Border – Tries: Marcel van der Walt, Werner Coetzer, James Richards, Tiger Mangweni, Ryan Pickering. Conversions: Reinhard Gerber (4).