Griquas player sees yellow for spitting in win over Griffons

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Griquas climbed into the top four on the Currie standings with a 42-27 bonus-point win over the Griffons in Kimberley on Sunday.

The home side outscored their opponents by six tries to four on their way to victory.

Griquas also had two players sent to the sin-bin. One of those players got his marching orders for spitting at an opponent in the second half.

Griquas opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Tertius Kruger crashed over the tryline after receiving a great flat ball. Eddie Fouche added the extra two points with the conversion.

Griffons scrumhalf Jaywinn Juries reduced Griquas’ lead to four points with a penalty in the ninth minute.

However, moments later, Griquas’ lead was extended again when scrumhalf Johan Mulder raced away to the tryline after a quick-tap penalty. Fouche converted the try with ease.

Griquas were in again in the 30th minute when Neil Otto found his way to the tryline after sustained pressure on attack by the home side. Fouche made it an 18-point ball game with the conversion.

The Griffons finally crossed the whitewash in the 37th minute with hooker Dandre Delport scoring a try after a powerful driving maul. Juries was unsuccessful with his conversion.

At half-time, it was 21-8 to Griquas.

The home side secured the bonus point seven minutes into the second half when Rosko Specman put Stephan Smit into space to score a great try.

Specman then got his name on the scoresheet moments later when he raced away from the Griffons’ defenders to score his team’s fifth try.

Fouche converted both tries and Griquas had a 27-point lead with 30 minutes left on the clock.

The Griffons were given a lifeline in the 53rd minute when Griquas’ No.1 Kudzwai Dube was shown a yellow card for spitting at an opponent.

The Griffons made good use of the man advantage with Jean Pretorius showing his power and pace by stretching the ball over the tryline after a great run. Juries could not convert the try.

Things got worse for Griquas when Specman was yellow-carded in the 59th minute for taking out a player in the air.

The visitors then scored their third try in the 65th minute when HP van Schoor was driven over the tryline with a powerful maul.

Duan Pretorius reduced Griquas’ lead to 15 with an excellent touchline conversion.

However, the game was put to bed in the 75th minute as George Whitehead scored his team’s sixth try with Fouche converting it.

The Griffons did have a late consolation with Van Schoor getting his second try from a maul once again.

Man of the match: Griquas scrumhalf Johan Mulder was the star of the show. His sniping runs gave the Griffons plenty of problems and he scored a great try in the first half. He also played a big role in George Whitehead’s try with a neat offload in the second half.

The scorers:

For Griquas:
Tries: Kruger, Mulder, Otto, Smit, Specman, Whitehead
Cons: Fouche 6

For Griffons:
Try: Delport, Pretorius, Van Schoor 2
Cons: D Pretorius 2
Pen: Juries

Yellow cards: Kudzwai Dube (Griquas, 53′ – serious misconduct, spitting in an opponent’s face); Rosko Specman (Griquas, 59′ – dangerous play, taking out a player in the air)

Griquas: 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Jay-Cee Nel, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Eddie Fouche, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Carl Els, 7 Hanru Sirgel (captain), 6 Stephan Smit, 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Johan Retief, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Kudzwai Dube.
Replacements: 16 Sean Swart, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Cebo Dlamini, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Neil Otto, 21 Reagan Oranje, 22 George Whitehead, 23 Sango Xamlashe

Griffons:15 Duren Hoffman, 14 Granwill Matthys, 13 CJ Coetzee, 12 Marquit September, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Jaywinn Juries, 8 Jean Pretorius, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Jaco Willemse, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Dandre Delport, 1 Stephan de Jager.
Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Buhle Nojekwa, 19 Wikus Nieuwenhuis, 20 Michael Benadie, 21 Ludio Williams, 22 Keanu Vers, 23 Domenic Smit, 24 Rian Olivier, 25 Richman Gora, 26 Randy Fielies.

Referee: Morne Ferreira
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Stephan Geldenhuys