Free State punish poor Boland
Four first half tries set the platform for a further eight second half tries as the Bloemfontein side scored with virtually every attack. Boland could not cope with the physicality of the Free Staters as they missed numerous tackles.
Boland dominated an early scrum and were awarded a penalty which JP Viviers slotted to hand his side a 3-0 lead after three minutes. Free State remained under pressure and handed Boland another penalty in the seventh minute which Viviers slotted from close to 50 metres to extend his side's lead to 6-0.
Free State settled from that point and held onto possession for numerous phases, however, a combination of handling errors and excellent defence by Boland saw the Bloemfontein-side fail to make an impact on the scoreboard after 12 minutes.
The pressure finally paid off in the 14th minute though as some continuity led to Janco van Heyningen racing down the touchline to score in the corner. Christopher Schreuder added the conversion to hand Free State a 7-6 lead.
Viviers and Schreuder then exchanged penalties as Free State maintained their one-point lead, 10-9 after 20 minutes.
Free State extended their lead in the 24th minute when they won a turnover just inside Boland's half and Henk Cilliers raced away to dot down under the uprights. Schreuder popped over the conversion to ensure a 17-9 lead.
Free State continued to dominate from that point and bagged their third try through Ru-hann Greyling. The hooker muscled his way over from close range after a few pick and go's. Schreuder made no mistake with the conversion to ensure a 24-9 lead after 29 minutes.
Boland made their way into Free State's 22 and left with points as Viviers slotted his fourth penalty of the match after Free State were penalised at the breakdown, to narrow the deficit to 12-24.
However, Free State his back with a Herman Agenbag try from the restart. Schreuder added the extras to ensure a 31-12 lead at the half-time interval.
Free State came out firing in the second half as Cilliers showed plenty of speed to score his second try of the match in the 37th minute. Schreuder's conversion attempt hit the upright but the lead was stretched to 36-12.
There was no holding back from the Bloemfontein side as they grabbed their sixth try in the 42nd minute through scrumhalf Ross Braude. Schreuder added the extras to stretch the lead to 43-12.
But back came Boland as Romeo Eksteen scored his side's first try of the match. Viviers popped over the easy conversion attempt to reduce the deficit to 19-43 after 45 minutes.
That joy was short-lived though as Free State flyhalf Schreuder added his name to the try-scorers list. He popped over the conversion to bring up his side's half-century and stretch their lead to 50-19 after 48 minutes.
Free State were exposing Boland's frailties on defence as they scored their eighth try through Greyling. A powerful driving maul from an attacking line-out saw the hooker dot the ball down for his second of the game.
Schreuder failed with the conversion as the lead was extended to 55-19 after 54 minutes. Teboho Rampai bagged his side's ninth try in the 58th minute when he wriggled his way over from close range. Schreuder was off target once again but Free State now enjoyed a 60-19 lead.
Cilliers completed his hat-trick in the 63rd minute before Marcel Theunissen added Free State's 11th try of the encounter. Schreuder added both conversions to extend their lead to 74-19 after 66 minutes.
Boland searched for a consolation score in the final minute but nothing came from the attack as they turned possession over, which allowed Cilliers to pounce and score his fourth try of the encounter. Schreuder's conversion completed his side's scoring.
Boland had the final say of the game though as Clint Buys went over in the corner. Viviers added the extras to bring an end to the match.
Scorers:
For Free State:
Tries: Janco van Heyningen, Henk Cilliers 4, Ru-hann Greyling 2, Herman Agenbag, Ross Braude, Christopher Schreuder, Teboho Rampai, Marcel Theunissen
Cons: Christopher Schreuder 9
Pen: Christopher Schreuder
For Boland:
Try: Romeo Eksteen, Clint Buys
Con: JP Viviers 2
Pens: JP Viviers 4
Yellow card: Marco Griebenauw (Boland, 57; high tackle)
Teams:
Free State: 15 David Kriel (Grey), 14 Henk Cilliers (Grey), 13 Janco van Heyningen (Grey), 12 Rikus Pretorius (Grey), 11 Wycliff Vlitoor (Grey), 10 Christopher Schreuder (Grey), 9 Ross Braude (Grey), 8 Arno Nieuwoudt (Grey), 7 Marcel Theunissen (Grey), 6 Teboho Rampai (Louis Botha), 5 De Wet Marais (Grey), 4 Tamkelo Mzayayi (Louis Botha), 3 Naudé Naudé (Grey), 2 Ru-hann Greyling (Grey), 1 Andile Maxamba (Louis Botha), 16 Luke Janse van Vüren (Grey), 17 Shiraigh Lalla (Louis Botha), 18 Herman Agenbag (Grey), 19 Olentse Mphuthi (Louis Botha), 20 Lebo Molefe (Grey), 21 Keaton Swart (Louis Botha), 22 Martin Lottering (Louis Botha), 23 Jayden Seekoei (Louis Botha).
Boland: 15 Jasper Cohen (Drostdy), 14 Lucas Rone (Robertson), 13 Chris Grobbelaar (Drostdy), 12 PJ Boltman (Vredendal), 11 Clint Buys (Drostdy), 10 JP Viviers (Augsburg Gimnasium), 9 Romeo Eksteen (Drostdy), 8 Marco Griebenauw (Augsburg Gimnasium), 7 Michael Otto (Hermanus), 6 Jevan Augsut (Weltevrede), 5 Dawid Oosthuizen (Robertson), 4 JC van Niekerk (Augsburg Gimnasiuim), 3 Athi Maginya (Charlie Hofmeyr), 2 Matthys van der Merwe (Hermanus), 1 Zenon Erasmus (Hugenote), 16 Johan Geldenhuys (Drostdy), 17 Trevor Laubscher (Drostdy), 18 Dehan Scheepers (Hermanus), 19 Johandré Rupping (Lutzville), 20 Michael Goodall (Hugenote), 21 Aphelele Madaka (Hermanus), 22 Shaun Baxter (Drostdy), 23 Jared Manus (Charlie Hofmeyr).
Referee: Oregopotse Rametsi
Assistant referees: Archie Sehlako, Pieter Maritz
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa
