Currie Cup results: Sharks go top of the log as Cheetahs, Griquas also win

The Sharks and the Cheetahs made the most of the Bulls’ bye this weekend by leapfrogging the defending champions on the Currie Cup log as both sides posted important victories on the road to maintain their respective unbeaten start to the season.

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In an exciting Saturday late afternoon match played on the highveld, the Sharks withstood a brave second half fightback from the Lions to surge to the top of the standings courtesy of a 45-31 triumph.

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Meanwhile, in the earlier match played at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, the Cheetahs outplayed the Pumas 28-17 for their third win in as many games.

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On Friday evening, Griquas overcame Western Province by 22-20 in a thrilling encounter in Kimberley – a third consecutive victory for the men from the Northern Cape over the Cape Town outfit, after they bagged a rare double last season.

Currie Cup latest log looks like …

Following this weekend’s thrilling round of fixtures, the Sharks sit atop of the standings on 14 points, one more than the second-placed Cheetahs.

They are followed by the Bulls who slipped down to third place on 10 points.

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Griquas moved up to fourth with nine points from four games, while WP are three points behind the men from Kimberley with six, also from four games.

The Pumas (five points) and Lions (two) complete the standings.

Sharks withstand spirited Lions fightback

The Sharks held off a spirited second half fightback from the Lions to win 45-31 and register their third consecutive Currie Cup match, while at the same time condemning the highvelders to their third straight loss in Johannesburg on Saturday evening.

The visiting side went into the half-time break firmly in command with the score 20-7 in their favour at Ellis Park, but a determined Lions outfit came roaring back in the second half, scoring four tries to deliver a much-improved performance after the break.

In the end, they matched the Sharks’ overall tally of five tries, however, the difference was their tendency to concede penalties at regular intervals, which allowed Boeta Chamberlain and Sanele Nohamba to kick four successful penalty goals, which ultimately proved the difference.

Three Sharks players were shown yellow cards for two dangerous tackles and a cynical foul, namely Wright, Bradley Davids and OJ Noa.

SCORERS:

Lions

Tries: Boldwin Hansen, Emmanuel Tshituka, Divan Rossouw, Morne Brandon, James Mollentze

Conversions: Vaughen Iaacs (3)

Sharks

Tries: Marnus Potgieter, Cameron Wright, Thembelani Bholi, Mpilo Gumede, Dan Jooste

Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain (3), Sanele Nohamba

Penalties: Chamberlain (2), Nohamba (2)

Cheetahs prevail in Nelspruit catfight

The Cheetahs continued their perfect start to the competition with a 28-17 victory over the Pumas in Nelspruit on Saturday afternoon, with the visitors winning the try-count 3-1 in a scrappy affair to make it three from three.

Humidity ruled out an enterprising encounter, with the visitors in particular guilty of coughing up the ball on several occasions. That said, both coaches would have been disappointed by their charges’ sub-standard performances.

Hawies Fourie’s men shot themselves in the foot with basic errors and indiscipline, conceding 11 penalties in the first half alone, which saw Eddie Fouché kick four penalty goals to cut the Cheetahs’ lead to 15-12 at half-time.

The Lowvelders had ascendency in the set pieces but lacked strike power, eventually scoring through Eduan Swart. They were also unable to stop the Cheetahs’ driving maul, which earned the visitors two of their three tries.

SCORERS:

Pumas

Try: Eduan Swart

Penalties: Eddie Fouché (4)

Cheetahs

Tries: Gideon van der Merwe, Clayton Blommetjies, Louis van der Westhuizen

Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2)

Penalties: Pienaar (2), Frans Steyn

Griquas edge WP in Kimberley thriller

Griquas continued their recent dominance over Western Province when they held out for a thrilling 22-20 triumph in their Currie Cup encounter played in Kimberley on Friday evening.

Poor discipline in the first half by the visitors resulted in no less than nine penalties against them, with ace goalkicker Zander du Plessis (No 12) slotting four of them to give Griquas a two-point lead at the break.

However, it was the home side’s replacement bench which made a huge and telling impact in the second half to ultimately tilt the outcome of this close-fought encounter their way.

Two well-worked lineout maul tries, one each by replacements Andries Schutte (prop) and Gustav du Rand (hooker), took the game away from the Capetonians in the last 10 minutes, despite a last gasp converted try by Zas who also scored in the first half.

SCORERS:

Griquas

Tries: Andries Schutte, Gustav du Rand

Penalties: Zander du Plessis (4)

Western Province

Tries: Leolin Zas (2)

Conversions: Tim Swiel (2)

Penalties: Swiel (2)