Prinsloo boots Griquas to victory
Griquas recorded their second win of the season when they hung on against a late-charging Pumas team for a 31-27 victory in Kimberley on Saturday.
Fullback Gouws Prinsloo kicked eight penalties and a conversion to seal the win for the home team, despite the Pumas outscoring Griquas by two tries to one.
Prinsloo slotted three penalties, as Griquas dominated the first half-hour, before two quickfire penalties by Pumas flyhalf Justin van Staden made it 9-6 just pas the half-hour mark.
Prinsloo made it 12-6 with his fourth penalty, before Reynier van Rooyen scored the first try of the match – as the Pumas narrowed the gap to just one point (11-12) with just on two minutes left in the first half.
However, the home team had the final say before the break, with Petrus Vermeulen going over for Griquas' first try – making it 19-11 to Griquas at the break.
The yo-yo nature of the game continued in the second half.
Prinsloo and Van Staden exchanged early penalties, before Prinsloo kicked two more penalties – the score moving on to 28-14.
A great try from midfielder Jacobus Jonker, followed by a conversion and a penalty from Van Staden, saw the gap narrow to just four points (24-28).
Prinsloo gave his team some breathing space with a penalty (31-24), before Juan Roos narrowed the gap to 27-31 with five minutes to go.
Griquas hung on in the final five minutes to claim a vital win.
The scorers:
For Griquas:
Try: Vermeulen
Con: Prinsloo
Pens: Prinsloo 8
For the Pumas:
Tries: Van Rooyen, Jonker
Con: Van Staden
Pens: Van Staden 4, Roos
Teams:
Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Johnathan Francke, 12 Gideon la Grange, 11 Petrus Vermeulen, 10 Francois Brummer (captain), 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Carel Greeff, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Nicolaas van Dyk, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Burger Schoeman, 20 RJ Liebenberg, 21 Abrie Griesel, 22 Dean Grant.
Pumas: 15 Coenie van Wyk, 14 Jerome Pretorius, 13 Jacobus Jonker, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Rosco Speckman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Corné Steenkamp (captain), 5 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Frankie Herne, 17 DeJay Terblanche, 18 Marius Coetzer, 19 Jaco Bouwer, 20 Sinovuyo Nyoka, 21 Juan Roos, 22 JW Bell.
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Rodney Bonaparte, Francois de Bruin Francois
