WP routs bush-league Griffons

MATCH REPORT: Western Province finally opened their account with a 10-try bonus-point rout of a very ordinary Griffons team 64-13 on a bone-dry pitch in Welkom on Sunday.

After losses to the Bulls and Cheetahs in the opening two rounds, the Cape Town outfit put themselves back in the play-off race with a rout of the lowly Griffons.

Despite fielding a very young team, with just a sprinkling of senior players, WP had too much class for a side struggling with the quality of the opposition in their second season in South Africa’s premier domestic competition.

The Griffons held a 10-0 lead towards the end of the first quarter, but could not sustain the tempo and intensity – allowing the visitors to dominate the next 20 minutes and score five unanswered tries.

Sloppy play and poor discipline contributed to the home team’s demise, the visitors leading 33-10 at half-time.

It got worse in the second half, with only momentarily bursts of energy from a desperately outclassed home team.

The home team was undone by their 16 turnovers, 14 penalties and 24 missed tackles.

* To recap the action, CLICK HERE!

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It was a scrappy start, with neither team able to put enough phases together in the first 10 minutes to create clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Qamani Kota eventually opened the scoring in the 12th minute, from a breakdown penalty – 3-0.

That was followed by the first try – Griffons prop Moango Ngundue barging over after a sneaky trick-play at the front of the line-out and Kota going close, before quick recycling allowed the front row forward to go over. Kota added the conversion – 10-0 after 14 minutes.

Province eventually got their phase-play going and a 10-play set resulted in Angelo Davids going over for the visitors’ first try. Matthee added the conversion to make it a three-point game, 7-10, at the end of the first quarter.

That was quickly followed by centre Luke Burger getting the second try for the visitors, with flank Paul de Villiers picking up a stray pass and giving the scoring pass to the back. Matthee added the conversion as the visitors took the lead for the first time.

The penalties now started mounting against the home team and Griffons flank Thato Mavundla was sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements,

Province, with momentum in their favour, exploited the hesitant Griffons defence – fullback Clayton Blommetjies and centre Jonathan Roche strolling over for tries in quick succession. Matthee added both conversions – 28-10 on the half-hour mark.

The half finished with Angelo Davids sprinting over after some sloppy line-out play by the Griffons in the WP half and the visitors launching a blistering attack. Matthee failed to add the conversion – 33-10 at the half-time break.

The second-half scoring started with Roche getting his second try, the result of some rather feeble tackling. Matthee was wide of the mark again – 38-10.

Keanu Vers and Christiaan Nel combined to get the Griffons back on the scoreboard. With no kicking-tee in sight, Kota was forced to take a drop-goal to attempt the conversion – missing the target, leaving his team trailing 15-38.

It was soon business as usual, with replacement hooker Lukhanyo Vokozela getting the armchair ride from a powerful maul. Matthee’s boot continued to misfire – 43-15.

Replacement CJ Velleman scored from a maul as Province hit the 50-point mark, with Roche getting his debut hat-trick with the third coming in the 67th minute – Hendré Stassen completing the scoring.

The scorers

For the Griffons
Tries: Ngundue, Nel
Con: Kota
Pen: Kota

For Western Province
Tries: Davids 2, Burger, Blommetjies, Roche 3, Vokozela, Velleman, Stassen
Cons: Matthee 7

Yellow card: Thato Mavundla (Griffons, 27 – repeated infringements, taking the supporter out in the line-out)

Teams:

Griffons: 15 Gurshwin Wehr, 14 Christiaan Nel, 13 Keanu Vers, 12 Robbie Petzer, 11 Qamani Kota, 10 Kyle Cyster, 9 Keegan Schaefer, 8 Mingo Piti, 7 Jared Kruger, 6 Thato Mavundla (captain), 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Rian Olivier, 3 Moango Ngundue, 2 Chadley Wenn, 1 Mthokozisi Gumede.
Replacements: 16 Willem van der Hever, 17 Simon Westraadt, 18 Buhle Nojekwa, 19 Joshua Paris, 20 Matthew Gray, 21 Orateng Koikanyang, 22 Cheslin Arendse, 23 Gilroy Philander.

Western Province: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Jared Africa, 13 Luke Burger, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Willie Engelbrecht (captain), 7 Louw Nel, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Hendré Stassen, 3 Vernon Matongo, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Mhleli Khuzwayo.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Nicolas Roebeck, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Andre Goehals, 20 CJ Velleman, 21 Labib Kannemeyer, 22 Damian Markus, 23 Courtnall Skosan.

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Egon Seconds

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