Cheetahs run Griquas ragged

The Round Three encounter saw the Cheetahs outscore their hosts by four tries to none – three of those coming in a dominant second half, which saw the visitors score 21 unanswered points.

It was a performance spearheaded by an innovative flyhalf Fred Zeilinga.

It all started promisingly for the Griquas, who flew into the opposition with determination and energy.

They forced a number of penalties which enabled them to work their way up-field until they got to striking distance, when Ntabeni Dukisa took the opportunity to open the scoring three minutes into the game.

But the Cheetahs, still smarting from a lost opportunity against Western Province at Newlands last week, when they knocked on in the last minute in the rain to lose 3-9, decided to run at every opportunity.

With the former Sharks flyhalf, Zeilinga, setting the pace on attack, the Cheetahs had to break through eventually, and it came from Raymond Rhule's superb backhand pass to Sergeal Petersen, which was finished off by Rayno Benjamin under the posts.

But it was the handling errors which undermined the Cheetahs, and Dukisa, aided by the Griquas domination of the scrum, was able to add two more penalties against one by Zeilinga to end the half just one point adrift at 9-10.

Within 14 minutes of the second-half restart Zeilinga had jinked his way through under the posts, Rhule's break set up Petersen in the corner and Gerhard Olivier was driven over from a maul.

That last try was helped by Griquas getting a yellow card for yet another infringement at the breakdown.

All were converted by Zeilinga for a personal tally of 16 points.

Then Griquas found a way back into the game, aided perhaps by the Cheetahs taking their collective feet off the gas.

Griquas' inability to organise themselves and keep ball in hand contributed to a scoreless second half for the home team.

Even when Free State were reduced to 14 men – after replacement prop Nicolaas van Dyk was sent off "for his choice of words" after referee Lesego Legoete had awarded Griquas a penalty – they could not take advantage of the situation.

Man of the match: The Griquas forwards did some sterling work, but it was not enough to deny a determined Griquas team – directed by flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, who wins our award.

The scorers:

For Griquas:

Pens: Dukisa 3

For the Free State Cheetahs:

Tries: Benjamin, Zeilinga, Pietersen, Olivier

Cons: Zeilinga 4

Pen: Zeilinga

Yellow card: Ewald van der Westhuizen (Griquas, 52 – repeated infringements, not rolling away in the tackle), Nicolaas van Dyk (Free State Cheetahs, 57 – poor choice of words, insulting referee)

Teams:

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Sandile Ngcobo, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Michael Van Der Spuy, 11 Ntabeni Dukisa, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer (captain), 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Hilton Lobberts, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Stephan Kotze, 2 AJ Le Roux, 1 Steph Roberts.

Replacements: 16 Danie Mienie, 17 Martin Bezuidenhout, 18 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Hugo Kloppers, 20 RJ Liebenberg, 21 Rudi Van Rooyen, 22 Clinton Swart.

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.

Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Nicolaas van Dyk, 18 Reniel Hugo, 19 Tienie Burger, 20 Freddy Ngoza, 21 Ruan van Rensburg, 22 Sias Ebersohn.

Referee: Lesego Legoete

Assistant referees: Renier Vermeulen, Pieter Janse van Vuuren

TMO: Johan Greeff