GWK Griquas last minute nail biting win against the Vodacom Cheetahs in the Vodacom Cup quarter final, played on Saturday in Kimberley, by 30 points to 25.

After building up a fair lead in the first half, lapses of concentration, two second half tries against the run of play and panic setting, nearly cost Griquas the match, but it was the character of the players that for the fourth time this season, have they clawed their way back to beat their opposition. Although Naas Olivier, Griquas flyhalf was doing duty for the Cheetahs Super 14 outfit, his stand in, Riaan Viljoen, moved from full back, did an excellent job. Egon Seconds was the first to put points on the board for Griquas, with a well worked converted try. During the first half, it was Free State’s flyhalf, Jandre Blom, who managed to put their first points on the scoreboard with a penalty, while a few minutes before the halftime break it was Griquas winger, Bjorn Basson, who stretched the home side’s lead further with a converted try. Riaan Viljoen kicked a penalty on the stroke of halftime, to give Griquas a healthy 17-3 lead.

The second half saw a new Fre State outfit scoring three tries within a space of 15 minutes to make a come back, but in the end it was Viljoen, who snatched victory for GWK Griquas with a penalty and a drop. Point Scorers: GWK Griquas; Tries Egon Seconds 2, Bjorn Basson. Conversions Riaan Viljoen 3. Penalties Viljoen 2. Drop Goal Viljoen. Total 30.

Free State; Tries Schalk van der Merwe, JW Jonker, Frangois Uys. Conversions Sias Ebersohn 2. Penalties Jandre Blom. Total 25.