First Div: Last semi spots secured

 

The Leopards will host the Falcons in Potchefstroom and the Griffons will take on the SWD Eagles in Welkom in the semifinals next weekend.

 

Interestingly, the semifinals will mark repeats of Saturday’s closing round-robin clashes.

 

In the weekend’s matches, the Boland Cavaliers defeated the Border Bulldogs 27-6 in Wellington, the Leopards beat the Falcons 50-29 in Potchefstroom and the SWD Eagles registered a morale-boosting 42-27 away-win against the Griffons in Welkom.

 

 

The first half between the Leopards and Falcons was gripping as both teams put their bodies on the line on attack and defence. Such was the closeness of the half the Leopards and Falcons scored three tries a piece despite each receiving a yellow card, but the hosts took a narrow 19-17 half-time lead.

 

The first 15 minutes of the second half followed the same pattern as Leopards wing Sylvian Mahuza and Falcons scrumhalf Anrich Richter earned bonus-point tries for their teams.

 

But the Leopards stamped their authority on attack as the fourth quarter approached thanks to their ability to capitalise on their point-scoring chances, which earned them another four tries to only one by the Falcons for an impressive 50 points.

 

 

Tries: Jacobs, Carney, Smit 2, Swart, Torrens, Mahuza, Penalty Try

Cons: Smith 5

 

Tries: Van Tonder, Richter, Dippenaar, Verwey, Penalty Try

Cons: Kotze 2

 

Leopards: 15 Ryno Smith, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Sergio Torrens, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Adri Jacobs, 10 André Pretorius (Captain), 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Henro-Pierre Swart, 7 PJ Uys, 6 Rhyk Welgemoed, 5 Danie Jordaan, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 JC Oberholzer, 1 Johan Smith.

Replacments: 16 Jacques Vermaak, 17 Stephan Bezuidenhout, 18 Molotsi Bouwer, 19 Deon Carney, 20 Vian van der Watt, 21 Warren Gilbert, 22 George Tossel.

 

Falcons: 15 Kyle Hendricks, 14 Dirk Dippenaar, 13 Andrew van Wyk, 12 Willie Odendaal, 11 Coert Cronje, 10 Jaun Kotze, 9 Anrich Richter, 8 Andrew van Tonder, 7 Jacques Verwey, (Captain), 6 Juan-Pierre Jonck, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Nico Pretorius, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Dandre van der Westhuizen.

Replacments: 16 Bruce Muller, 17 Thulani Ngidi, 18 Jacques Alberts, 19 Friedle Olivier, 20 Jaco Snyman, 21 Clinton Ryno Swart, 22 Dewald Pretorius.

 

Referee: Marius Jonker

 

 

An impressive 17 points by SWD Eagles fullback Elric van Vuuren combined with a fine attacking performance by his team allowed the George side to register a morale-boosting 42-27 victory against the Griffons and cement their semifinal berth.

 

The Eagles started the clash strongly with scrumhalf Dwayne Kelly scoring their first try in the 7 th minute.

 

The Griffons, however, hit back with a penalty by Franna du Toit and a try of their own 13 minutes later. 

 

But Kelly again crossed the tryline in the 24 th minute followed by Van Vuuren three minutes later to hand the team a 21-8 lead at the break.

 

The second half was competitive as both teams reaped the rewards for their attacking efforts, with three tries a piece. But SWD’s strong first-half performance handed them the edge on the scoreboard.

 

 

Tries: Ehlers, Maarman 2, Pienaar

Cons: Du Toit 2.

Pen: Du Toit.

 

Tries: Bester, Skosana, Kelly 2, Van Vuuren, Godfrey.

Cons: Van Vuuren 6

 

Griffons: 15 Wynand Pienaar, 14 Tertius Maarman, 13 Werner Griesel, 12 Colin Herbert, 11 Aubrey McDonald, 10 Franna du Toit, 9 Boela Abrahams, 8 Nicky Steyn (Captain), 7 Armandt Koster, 6 Frans Sisita, 5 Johan van der Hoogt, 4 Chris Ehlers, 3 Gerard Baard, 2 Hannes Snyman, 1 Daniel van der Merwe.

Replacments: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Heinrich Roelfse, 18 Rudi Britz, 19 Wikus Davis, 20 Martin Sithole, 21 Oshwill Nortje, 22 Louis Strydom.

  

SWD Eagles: 15 Elric van Vuuren, 14 Clinton Wagman, 13 Ashwin Scott, 12 Gerrit Smith, 11 Hentzwill Pedro, 10 Martin du Toit, 9 Dwayne Kelly, 8 Christo Du Plessis, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Alwyn Bester, 5 Mzwanele Zito, 4 Grant le Roux, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Kurt Haupt, 1 Roy Godfrey (Captain).

Replacments: 16 Wayne Khan, 17 Layle Delo, 18 Lyndon Hartnick, 19 Buran Parks, 20 Leighton Eksteen, 21 Brian Skosana, 22 Daniel Roberts.

 

Referee: Quinton Immelman

 

 

The Boland Cavaliers made the most of their last opportunity to push for a semifinal spot on Friday as they delivered a dominant performance against the Border Bulldogs to register a bonus-point victory.

 

The win allowed them to overtake the SWD Eagles temporarily on the log table on points’ difference, but their hopes of shutting them out for a semifinal berth were shattered on Saturday as SWD defeated the Griffons.

 

The first half was hard-fought as both teams threw everything at each other, which resulted in the teams having to settle for penalties early on.

 

Border fullback Masixole Banda slotted over two penalties within four minutes, while Boland fullback Eric Zana kicked one to trail by three points. 

 

The hosts, however, took control in the match in the second half as they maintained their high standards on defence and stepped up their attack, which earned Cheswin Williams, Danwel Demas, Earl Lewis and Ulrich Pretorius tries for their bonus-point victory.

 

 

Tries: Williams, Demas, Lewis, Pretorius

Cons: Zana 2

Pen: Zana.

 

Pens: Banda 2

 

 

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Eric Zana, 14 Cheswin Williams, 13 Christopher Bosch, 12 Albert Trytsman, 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Earl Lewis, 9 Jovelian de Koker, 8 Zandre Jordaan, 7 Yves Bashiya, 6 Dumisane Meslane, 5 Victor Kruger, 4 Gavin Annandale, 3 Ashton Constant, 2 Clemen Lewis (Captain), 1 Khwezi Mkhafu.

Replacments: 16 Ulrich Pretorius, 17 Keenan Abrahams, 18 Jason-Collin Fraser, 19 Kelvin Fikster, 20 Chevandre van Schoor, 21 Morne Hugo, 22 Richard Lawson . 

    

Border Bulldogs: 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Makazole Maphimpi, 13 Lundi Ralarala, 12 Ruan Jacobs, 11 Michael Makase, 10 Thembani Mkokeli, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Rynardt van Wyk, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Lukhanyo Nomzanga, 5 Wandile Putuma, 4 Nkosi Nofuma, 3 Buhle Mxunyelwa, 2 Ludwe Booi, 1 Blake Kyd.

Replacments: 16 Bryce Rennie, 17 Yanga Xakalashe, 18 Lindokuhle Welemu, 19 Athenkosi Manentsa, 20 Bangi Kobese, 21 Onke Dubase, 22 Oliver Zono.