Wins for the Sharks and Free State saw them take the top two spots on the Currie Cup log, while WP dropped to 3rd after going AWOL in the second half against the Lions.
A red card for biting and the strangest, perhaps most controversial TMO decision of all time. Hell of a weekend as the Sharks got the better of the Blue Bulls 34-18 at Kings Park, Free State defeated Griquas 40-20 in Bloemfontein, and the Golden Lions and Western Province played to a 31-31 draw at Ellis Park.
If Twitter was anything to go by, there seemed to be a complete lack of interest in the Saturday afternoon games, but the Sharks match report on Sport24 did get plenty of comment. It will be interesting to see the TV numbers …
Match reports:
Sharks 34-18 Blue Bulls
The clash in Durban proved to be tight despite the Sharks and Blue Bulls adopting an attacking approach. Such was the start, Blue Bulls wing Akona Ndungane crossed the tryline in the 5th minute after rounding off a move from a fantastic rolling maul. Sharks fullback SP Marais hit back with the first of his team’s four tries two minutes later after gathering the ball from a charge down to level the scores at 7-7. With both teams attacking at will and putting their bodies on the line on defence, the only other points scored in the half were two penalties by Sharks flyhalf Fred Zeilinga and one by his Blue Bulls counterpart Handrē Pollard, who had a good Currie Cup debut.
The tightly-fought exchanges continued in third quarter as the teams battled to cross the tryline despite working their way into the opposition’s half. The Sharks, however, took the match by the scruff of the neck in the fourth quarter as they dominated possession and territory, which earned them three tries despite receiving a yellow card. Centre Heimar Williams crossed the line first after receiving a stunning pass by Keegan Daniel, followed by scrumhalf Charl McLeod who did very well as a replacement in his 50th Currie Cup game. Marco Wentzel followed in their tracks in the 68th minute to secure their bonus point try. The Blue Bulls, however, fought back and earned the rewards with Ndungane crossing the line for his second five-pointer, but it was a case of too little too late for the Pretoria team.
Sharks 34 (13) – Tries: Charl McLeod, Heimar Williams, Marco Wentzel, SP Marais. Conversions: Fred Zeilinga (4). Penalties: Fred Zeilinga (2).
Blue Bulls 18 (10) – Tries: Akona Ndungane (2). Conversion: Handrē Pollard. Penalties: Handrē Pollard (2).
Free State 40-20 Griquas
A brace of four tries in 20 minutes by Free State midway through their game against Griquas set them up for their second bonus point win in 4 matches. Griquas’ ill-discipline assisted them as the team was reduced two 13 men at one point with flank Marnus Schoeman sin-binned and Aussie import, lock Rory Arnold, red-carded for biting. The first 20 minutes proved to be a hard grind as the teams tried to use their physicality to gain an edge, resulting in penalties being exchanged. But the Cheetahs’ impressive phase play allowed them to break away in the 22nd minute with captain Boom Prinsloo crossing the tryline for the first of his two first-half scores. Some abominable play from Griquas which saw them tap and go from a penalty inside their own 22, and then kick it out, to give Free State the lineout, allowed Raymond Rhule to add another try, rounding off after a stunning pass by prop Trevor Nyakane for a 22-6 half-time lead.
Cheetahs flyhalf Elgar Watts got the bonus point try 9 minutes into the second half following a fine display of team work and smooth passing. But a yellow card for lock Teboho Mohoje allowed Griquas to score their first try 52 minutes into the match. Marnus Schoeman received his marching orders next, but despite this Rory Arnold was able to score their second try. His celebrations, however, were short-lived as he received a red card for biting – even though TV footage was far from conclusive. This paved the way for the Cheetahs to score their fifth try in the dying seconds.
Free State 40 (22) – Tries: Boom Prinsloo (2), Elgar Watts, Kevin Luiters, Raymond Rhule. Conversions: Elgar Watts, Riaan Smit (2). Penalties: Elgar Watts (2), Riaan Smit.
Griquas 20 (6) – Tries: Rocco Jansen, Rory Arnold. Conversions: Nico Scheepers (2). Penalties: Nico Scheepers (2).
Golden Lions 31-31 Western Province
The Lions staged a dramatic comeback after being 22-3 down, to secure three log points at Ellis Park. The Cape side started with a bang as centre Damian de Allende and talented wing Cheslin Kolbe, who was on fire, crossed the tryline in the first 11 minutes in a stunning display of attacking rugby. Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg built on this in the 28th minute as he touched down for the third try and a 22-3 lead. Flyhalf Kurt Coleman, meanwhile, kept the scoreboard ticking with penalties as the Lions infringed at the rucks. But the home team hit back with Deon Helberg scoring the first of their four tries to add to an earlier penalty by fullback Marnitz Boshoff to trail 25-10 at the break.
However, the tables turned in the second half as the Lions were awarded a highly contention penalty try (via TMO Willie Roos) in the 46th minute after De Allende was ruled to have made a tackle from an offside position, even though no ruck or maul had been formed. De Allende was also given a yellow card. WP held the Lions scoreless despite having only 14 men on the field, while Coleman slotted over his third penalty. Nic Groom, one of the form players on the night, was substituted, and the Cape side seemed to go into defensive mode. Unlike the Lions, with tries by Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who took advantage of an effective dummy pass, and looseforward Derick Minnie, puting the Johannesburg team in the lead with 10 minutes to go. Coleman slotted a late penalty to secure the draw.
Golden Lions 31 (10) – Tries: Deon Helberg, Derick Minnie, Elton Jantjies, Penalty try. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (4). Penalty: Marnitz Boshoff.
Western Province 31 (25) – Tries: Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Tiaan Liebenberg. Conversions: Kurt Coleman (2). Penalties: Kurt Coleman (4).
The Log:
Sharks Pld:4 W:3 Pts:14
Free State Cheetahs Pld:4 W:2 Pts:12
Western Province Pld:4 W:2 Pts:12
Golden Lions Pld:4 W:1 Pts:9
Griquas Pld:4 W:1 Pts:6
Blue Bulls Pld:4 W:1 Pts:6
Next week’s fixtures:
Saturday 07 September
15:00 Griquas vs Golden Lions
17:05 Blue Bulls vs Free State
19:10 Western Province vs Sharks
