Brussow comeback highlights Round 1

Last year’s Vodacom Cup losing finalists – the Free State Cheetahs – ended round one in first position on the South Section log after they got off to the perfect start with a 55-19 win over the Falcons at the Free State Stadium on Friday.

Griquas are currently in pole position on the North Section, after they recorded a 42-25 away victory over the Boland Cavaliers in Bredasdorp on Saturday.

All observers were focused on the performance of Springbok flank Heinrich Brussow, who returned to action for Free State – following a knee injury which ruled him out of action for 11 months.

The Bok flank scored one of the hosts’ eight tries as they comfortably bagged maximum points from this game.

Fullback Riaan Smith was the star performer for the Free State team and added a hat-trick of five-pointers while centre Corne Uys, wing Eddie Fredericks and loose forward Brendon Groenewald were the other try-scorers for the hosts. Flyhalf Louis Strydom kicked six conversions and one penalty.

The Falcons scored three tries which were added by Shone van der Walt – who added a brace – and Arno Poley. Dillon Laubscher converted two tries.    

The Sharks XVs handed the defending champions –  the Blue Bulls – their first defeat of the 2011 Vodacom Cup in Durban after they secured a 30-19 victory on Saturday. The hosts achieved maximum points from this match after they ran in four tries to the one scored by their Pretoria opponents.

Kobus de Kock ran in a brace while Riaan Swanepoel and Mark Richards were the other try-scorers for the Durban team. Guy Cronje kicked two penalties and one conversion. Former South African Under-20 captain CJ Stander scored the Blue Bulls’ only five-pointer of the game which was converted by Louis Fouche who also kicked three penalties. The Pretoria team’s other points came thanks to a drop-goal by reserve flyhalf JC Roos.

Western Province flyhalf Kurt Coleman kicked a last minute penalty which ensured that his side and the Golden Lions played out an nail-biting 18-18 draw at Newlands on Saturday.

Both teams scored two tries in this closely contested game. Former Leopards wing Shuaib Samaai and centre Johan Sadie added tries for the hosts while Jannie Boshoff and Edgar Marutlulle ran in tries for the Lions. Coleman who kicked the match-equalising penalty added an earlier conversion while Australian-born Western Province flyhalf Sam Lane chipped in with one penalty.

The Golden Lions’ other points in this match came via the boot of former Springbok flyhalf Andre Pretorius. The Johannesburg pivot kicked a conversion, penalty and drop-goal.

The Pampas XV secured their first victory in the Vodacom Cup following their 52-29 victory over the Griffons on Saturday. Eleven tries were scored in this game with the Argentineans running in seven and the ‘visitors’ four.

Agustin Gosio, Gabriel Ascarate, Joaquin Tuculet, Juan Imhoff, Martin Landajo, Matias Cortese and Miguel de Achaval were the try scorers for the Pampas XVs – while Nicolas Sanchez (5) and Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias kicked the conversions. Nicolas Sanchez added the penalties.

The Griffons tries were scored by Nicky Steyn, Oshwald Nortje, Shane Hancke and Tertius Maarman. Tiaan van Wyk kicked three conversions and a penalty.

In Port Elizabeth, the EP Kings enjoyed home success at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday after they secured a 47-12 win over Namibia. Both teams were guilty of committing numerous errors throughout the game despite nine tries being scored during this fixture.

The hosts notched up seven of those five pointers which were made by Milo Nqoro (2), Siyanda Grey, Darren Nell, Barend Pieterse, Morné Hanekom and Monty Dumond who kicked four conversions. Mathew Taylor-Smith added a further two conversions for the EP Kings. Namibia’s points came via two tries which were scored by Heini Bock and PJ van Lill; and a conversion by Chrysander Botha.

There were away victories for North Section teams – Pumas and Leopards – on Friday. The Witbank team secured a 35-26 victory over the SWD Eagles at the Outeniqua Park while the Leopards bagged a 27-21 win in East London.

The Pumas achieved maximum points from their visit to George after they ran in five tries in this game which saw both sides play some attractive, running rugby. Jaco Bouwer (2), Marius Coetzer, Coenie van Wyk and Ricardo Croy were the try scorers for the visitors. Van Wyk and Croy each added a conversion and a penalty.

The SWD Eagles though secured a bonus point for scoring four tries which were added by Howard Noble, Wensley Scott, Lyndon Hartnick and Dean Hopp. Ambrose Barends kicked two conversions while Deroy Rhoode added his side’s third conversion on the night.

The Leopards also bagged maximum points from their visit to East London. The Potchefstroom team ran in four tries which were scored by Danie Crous, Dauw Steyn, Walter Venter and Roelof van Heerden. Colin Lloyd added one conversion while Steyn kicked one penalty.

The Border Bulldogs achieved a bonus point for losing within seven of the Leopards. Ben Venter and Craig Green scored five pointers for the hosts while Byron McGuigan kicked two penalties and a conversion. Dukisa Ntabeni converted one penalty.

Vodacom Cup Round One results and scorers:

Sharks XV 30-19 Blue Bulls

Scorers:

Sharks XV:
Tries: Swanepoel, De Kock 2, Richards
Cons: Cronje, Zeilinga
Pens: Cronje 2

Blue Bulls:
Try: Stander
Con: Fouche
Pens: Fouche 3
DG: Roos

Western Province 18-18 Golden Lions

Scorers:

Western Province:
Tries: Samaai, Sadie
Con: Coleman
Pens: Lane, Coleman

Golden Lions:
Tries: Boshoff, Marutlulle
Con: Pretorius
Pen: Pretorius
DG: Pretorius

Pampas XV 52-29 Griffons

Scorers:

Pampas XV:
Tries: Gosio, Ascarate, Tuculet, Imhoff, Landajo, Cortese, De Achaval
Cons: Sanchez 5, Iglesias
Pens: Sanchez 4

Griffons:
Tries: Steyn, Nortje, Hancke, Maarman
Cons: Van Wyk 3
Pen: Van Wyk

Boland Cavaliers 25-42 Griquas

Scorers:

Boland Cavaliers:
Tries: Van Zyl, Franck, Bester
Cons: Jansen 2
Pens: Jansen 2

Griquas:
Tries: Juries, Westraadt, Wilkins, Louw, Dobson
Cons: Vogt 6

Border Bulldogs 21-27 Leopards

Scorers:

Leopards:
Tries: Crous, Steyn, Venter, Van Heerden
Cons: Lloyd 2
Pen: Steyn

Border Bulldogs:
Tries: Venter, Green
Con: McGuigan
Pens: McGuigan 2, Ntabeni

EP Kings 47-12 Namibia

Scorers:

EP Kings:
Tries: Nqoro 2, Grey, Nell, Pieterse, Hanekom, Dumond
Cons: Dumond 4, Taylor-Smith 2

Namibia:
Tries: Bock, Van Lill
Con: Botha

Free State Cheetahs 55-19 Falcons

Scorers:

Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Smit 3, Uys 2, Fredericks, Brussow, Groenewald
Cons: Strydom 6
Pen: Strydom

Falcons:
Tries: Van der Walt 2, Poley
Cons: Laubscher 2

SWD Eagles 26-35 Pumas

Scorers:

SWD Eagles:
Tries: Noble, Scott, Hartnick, Hopp
Cons: Barends 2, Rhoode

Pumas:
Tries: Bouwer 2, Coetzer, Van Wyk, Croy
Cons: Van Wyk, Croy
Pens: Van Wyk, Croy

Vodacom Cup Round One – logs:

South Section (under headings games played, games won and points): FS Cheetahs 1 1 5; EP Kings 1 1 5; Pampas XV 1 1 5; Sharks XV 1 1 5; Western Province 1 0 2; Border 1 0 1; SWD Eagles 1 0 1; Boland Cavaliers 1 0 0

North Section (under headings games played, games won and points): Griquas 1 1 5; Pumas 1 1 5; Leopards 1 1 5; Golden Lions 1 0 2; Griffons 1 0 1; Blue Bulls 1 0 0; Welwitchias 1 0 0; Falcons 1 0 0