Petzer's boot sinks Boland

The boot of Griquas flyhalf Robbie Petzer proved to be the difference between the two side as he picked up 23 points in a 38-27 victory over Boland.

Griquas started the game on the front foot and camped inside Boland's 22 in the opening exchanges. Rewarded in 5th minute when centre Gerhard Holtzhausen split the Boland defence to get the first try of the match. Robbie Petzer added the conversion.

JP Abrahams extended Griquas' lead in the 13th minute when he dotted down for his side's second try of the match. Petzer made no mistake in adding the extra two points.

Boland went on the attack and were rewarded in the 17th minute when Adriaan van der Bank reduced the deficit to 11 points when he added slotted over a penalty inside Griquas' 22.

Petzer incresed Griquas' lead back to 14 points in the 23nd minute when he added his first penalty of the match.

Four minutes later, Griquas extended their lead to 17 points when Petzer kicked over a 55 metre penalty to take the score to 20-3 in favour of the Northern Capers.

Boland finished the first half on the front foot when captain, Iver Aanhuizen scored in the 34th minute from a rolling maul they set-up from an attacking line-out on Griquas' 5 metre line. Van der Bank made no mistake in adding the extra two points.

Griquas led 20-10 at halftime.

After getting an earful from their coach at halftime, Boland came out firing and got the start they were looking for when Handre Ontong scored Boland's second try of the match in the 37th minute to reduce Griquas' lead to 5 points. Van der Bank failed to convert the try.

With ball in hand, Griquas went in search of their third try of the match. They were rewarded with a penalty in the 42nd minute that was easily converted by Petzer, who took his personal points tally to 13 points in the match and extend his side's lead to eight points.

With an attacking scrum on Boland's 5 metre line, Brandon De Melim scored Griquas' third try of the match, in the 47th minute, when he scored after a run down the blindside. Petzer continued to rack-up the points with the boot when he added the conversion which took Griquas' lead to 15 points.

Boland weren't going to give up and went straight onto the attack from the restart. Griquas stood firm iin defence but Boland's persistance paid off in the 52nd minute, as an overlap on the right-hand side saw Conal Brown cross the try line to keep his side in the match. Van der Bank converted to reduce lead to eight points.

Griquas hit back three minutes later when Petzer dragged three Boland defenders with him over the line. He couldn't convert but the try took his personal points tally to 20 points.

Boland's discipline was lacking and, as a result, Aanhuizen was sent to the sin bin in the 61st minute fo repeated infringements at the breakdown.

A further infringement by the Winelands men saw Petzer extend Griquas' lead to 16 points in the 63rd minute.

Andre Gouws got his name on the scoreboard for Boland in the 66th minute when he finished off a running play to add his side's fourth try of the match and reduce the deficit to 11 points.

Despite the late surge, Griquas had enough of a cushion to ease to a 38-27 victory.

Man of the Match: Boland's captain Iver Aanhuizen gave his side momentum in attack with excellent carries and support. With a personal points tally of 23 points, Robbie Petzer was given the nod as his boot proved to be the difference between the sides.

The scorers:

For Boland:

Tries: Aanhuizen, Ontong, Brown, Gouws

Cons: van der Bank 2

Pens: van der Bank

For Griquas:

Tries: Holtzhausen, Abrahams, De Melim, Petzer

Cons: Petzer 3

Pens: Petzer 4

Yellow Cards: Iver Aanhuizen (Boland, 61 mins – Repeated infringements)

Teams:

Boland: 15 Handre Ontong, 14 Earll Douwrie, 13 Stephan Borman, 12 Ray Philander, 11 Jaydrin Kotze, 10 Adriaan van der Bank, 9 Gervin Rossouw, 8 Iver Aanhuizen, 7 Morne Van Wyk, 6 Hadley Hendricks, 5 Christiaan van der Merwe, 4 Willem Augustyn, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Tiaan Smuts, 1 Roy Brink.

Replacements: 16 Adriaan de Waal, 17 Adriaan Oberholzer, 18 Stephan Fourie, 19 Conal Brown, 20 Gillroy Farmer, 21 Fabio Afrika, 22 Andre Gouws.

Griquas: 15 Wilfred Louis Bowers, 14 Leon Becker, 13 JD Swanepoel, 12 Gerhard Holtzhausen, 11 JP Abrahams, 10 Robbie Petzer, 9 Brandon De Melim, 8 Georg Sieberhagen, 7 Nardus Bosman, 6 Damian van der Bergh, 5 Teubus Brits, 4 Rikus Swarts, 3 Frederick Swart, 2 Brandon Smith, 1 Abram Venter.          

Replacements: 16 Geo Davel, 17 Gloucester Hugo, 18 Ulric Sellar, 19 Ruan Willemse, 20 Gert Nortje, 21 Daniello Huyster, 22 Keaton Gordon

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Oregopotse Rametsi

TMO: Jason Jaftha/Cwengile Jadezweni