Qualifiers: Griquas off to flying start

Griquas, the Leopards and the Griffons registered strong starts to the Currie Cup Premier Division qualifiers this weekend.

The trio stamped their authority early on in the battle for the remaining spot in the Premier Division.

Griquas smashed the Border Bulldogs 52-5 at Park in Kimberley for the biggest win in the opening round.

The Leopards thumped the SWD Eagles 51-23 at Olën Park in Potchefstroom and the Griffons pipped the Boland Cavaliers 27-25 in the North West Stadium in Welkom for a full house of home wins.

The Falcons, meanwhile, had a bye.

All the Round One qualifiers:

Griquas 52-5 Border

Griquas are off to a flying start in the qualifying round of Currie Cup games by comprehensively beating the Border Bulldogs 52-5 at Park in Kimberley.

It was one-way traffic from start to finish for the hosts, who were looking to build on the momentum they took from their Vodacom Cup title victory last month.

Griquas completely dominated the visitors from East London, scoring no less than eight tries on the day.

From the kick-off it was evident that Border were not up to the challenge as Griquas scored their first try as early as the second minute.

What followed was an impressive display of running rugby that saw the Kimberley-based side build a half-time lead of 28-0.

Good tries by hooker Martin Bezuidenhout, centre Jonathan Francke, eighthman Burger Schoeman and flank Marnus Schoeman put Griquas in the pound seats at the break.

In the second half, the hosts picked up where they left off in the first, running in four more tries to send Border home empty handed.

The scorers:

For Griquas:

Tries: Bezuidenhout 2, Francke, B Schoeman, M Schoeman 2, Nepgen, Greeff

Cons: Prinsloo 6

For the Border Bulldogs:

Try: Banda

Teams:

Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Danie Dames, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Jaco Nepgen, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Willem Serfontein, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Janro van Niekerk, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.

Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Luxolo Koza, 18 Stephan Greeff, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Marais Schmidt, 22 Howard Mnisi.

Border: 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Sipho Nofemele, 13 Makazole Maphimpi, 12 Lithabile Mgwadleka, 11 Lolo Waka, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Rynardt van Wyk, 7 Nkosi Nofuma, 6 Siya Mdaka, 5 Wayne Lemley, 4 Gareth Krause, 3 Buhle Mxunyelwa, 2 Mihlali Mpafi, 1 Blake Kyd (captain).

Replacements: 16 Ludwe Booi, 17 Yanga Xakalashe, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lindokuhle Welemu, 20 Onke Dubase, 21 Bangi Kobese, 22 Thembani Mkokeli.

Griffons 27-25 Boland

The Griffons won their first game in the qualifying round for Currie Cup contention, beating Boland 27-25 in the North West stadium in Welkom.

Griffons flyhalf Franna du Toit contributed 17 points, kicking five penalties and a conversion, with Boland No.10 Eric Zana also having a good game. Zana contributed 20 points through two tries, two penalties and two conversions.

Zana opened the scoring in the second minute, kicking a penalty after the Griffons infringed early. Du Toit countered with a good effort of his own to level the scores, but Zana scored in the 12th minute and converted to give his side a seven point lead.

Du Toit kicked another penalty after missing an earlier attempt, but Zana was on the spot to counter.

The Griffons ended the first half in the lead after winger Norman Nelson scored on the half hour mark.

Du Toit missed the conversion, but kicked a penalty later to make the half-time score 14-13 in favour of the hosts.

The first ten minutes in the second half were uneventful, but a yellow card to Boland centre Richard Lawson left the visitors one man short and the Griffons were awarded a penalty try after Boland could only stop the hosts' momentum illegally.

Du Toit was at hand to kick the conversion and stretch the Griffons lead to eight points.

The other Boland centre, Albert Trytsman, was also sin-binned, leaving the visitors with only 13 men.

Zana subsequently scored his second try, but missed the conversion.

Replacement hooker Ulrich Pretorius scored a try for Boland in the 77th minute and Zana converted for what looked like the victory, but Du Toit kicked a penalty at the death to snatch the win away from the Wellington-based side.

The scorers:

For the Griffons:

Tries: Penalty try, Nelson

Con: Du Toit

Pens: Du Toit 5

For the Boland Cavaliers:

Tries: Zana 2, Pretorius

Cons: Zana 2

Pens: Zana 2

Teams:

Griffons: 15 Wynand Pienaar, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Joubert Engelbrecht, 12 Japie Nel, 11 Norman Nelson, 10 Franna du Toit, 9 Inus Kritzinger (captain), 8 Nicky Steyn, 7 Jan Breedt, 6 Erik le Roux, 5 Mlungisi Bali, 4 Werner Lourens, 3 Heinrich Roelfse, 2 Hannes Snyman, 1 Daniel van der Merwe.

Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 PW Botha, 18 Armandt Koster, 19 Frans Sisita, 20 Oshwill Nortje, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 Tertius Maarman.

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Christian Rust, 14 Duwayne Smart, 13 Richard Lawson, 12 Albert Trytsman, 11 Arno Fortuin, 10 Eric Zana, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Ryno Coetzee, 7 Gavin Annandale, 6 Franzel September (captain), 5 John-Charles Astle, 4 Hanno Kitshoff, 3 Francois Hanekom, 2 Clemen Lewis, 1 Khwezi Mkhafu.

Replacements: 16 Ulrich Pretorius, 17 Martin Dreyer, 18 Yves Bashiya, 19 Jason-Collin Fraser, 20 Deroy Rhoode, 21 Edwin Sass, 22 Nathaniel Manuel.

Leopards 51-23 South Western Districts

The Leopards ran in seven tries in their Currie Cup qualifier to beat South Western Districts 51-23 at Olën Park, in Potchefstroom.

Flank Juan Language and wing Sylvian Maluza both scored twice as the Leopards dominated from start to finish.

With the half-time score 21-16 in favour of the hosts, the SWD Eagles were still in with a shout, but the Leopards came alight in the second half to put the result beyond all doubt.

The Leopards' Springbok flyhalf André Pretorius contributed 16 points on the day, kicking five conversions, a penalty, and a drop goal to help his side to the victory.

Three tries in the first half gave the Leopards a good platform to build from, and another four five pointers in the second stanza gave the hosts a fine victory.

The scorers:

For the Leopards:

Tries: Language 2, Maluza 2, Obi, De Wet, Welgemoed

Cons: Pretorius 5

Pen: Pretorius

DG: Pretorius

For the SWD Eagles:

Tries: Buys, Haupt

Cons: Aspeling 2

Pens: Aspeling 3

Teams:

Leopards: 15 Kobus de Kock, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Adriaan Engelbrecht, 12 George Tossel, 11 Luther Obi, 10 André Pretorius (captain), 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Rhyk Welgemoed, 7 Robert Kruger, 6 Juan Language, 5 Francois Robertse, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Nhlanhla Ngcamu, 2 JC Oberholzer, 1 Mashudu Mafela.

Replacements: 16 Jacques Vermaak, 17 John-Roy Jenkinson, 18 Sthembiso Mhlongo, 19 Philip de Wet, 20 Vian van der Watt, 21 Sergio Torrens, 22 Tshotsho Mbovane.

South Western Districts Eagles: 15 Jarryd Buys, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 Elric van Vuuren, 12 Martin du Toit, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Karlo Aspeling, 9 Danie Faasen, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Alwyn Bester, 6 Marcel Groenewald, 5 Mzwanele Zito, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Wayne Khan, 1 Roy Godfrey.

Replacements: 16 Kurt Haupt, 17 Dexter Fahey, 18 Grant le Roux, 19 Peet van der Walt, 20 Dwayne Kelly, 21 Brian Skosana, 22 Daniel Roberts.

SAPA