Griqualand West Rugby Union have announced a new CEO, who starts on September 1 and takes over from Laurie Lahoud, who resigned at the end of April. Arni van Rooyen, from Cape Town, played for the Pumas and the Bulls, has been named as the CEO.
Overcast, windy and unpleasant conditions greeted both teams, GWK Griquas and Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, in the second round of the Absa Currie Cup and the OFM Challenge Cup. Griquas chose to play with the wind in the first half. The Cheetahs opened the scoring in the first minute of the match, when Griquas were penalized, and Jacques-Louis Potgieter had no problem in popping it over the crossbar, 3 nil to the visitors. Two penalties, in the 10th and 13th minutes, were given in quick succession, one to each team, with both flyhalves kicking them over, Cheetahs still leading 6-3. Griquas bounced back three minutes later when, left wing, Bjorn Basson went over in the far corner for an unconverted try, putting Griquas in the lead for the first time 8-6. But in the 29th minute, poor defence on Griqua’s part saw Jongi Nokwe, Cheetahs left wing go over for a try converted by Potgieter. With five minutes left in the half, Nokwe scored his second try, when he latched on to a high ball that was kicked by JP Joubert, and dotted down for Potgieter to convert, increasing the Cheetahs lead to 20 points to 8.. On the stroke of half time, Potgieter put over a penalty from 2 meters inside the Griqua’s half, taking the score at the break to 23 to Cheetahs and 8 to Griquas.
It seems as if Griquas don’t want to win or end within the top four teams of the Currie Cup as Cheetahs scored a soft try, via winger, Nokwe, with his third try in the far corner, very well converted by Potgieter, but a minute later WP Nel barged his way over to score under the posts, converted by Jacques- Louis Potgieter, stretching the visitors lead even further ahead to 37-8. T this stage Griquas game was in tatters as it seemed as if they had lost interest. In the 14th minute, with the Cheetahs defending for all they were worth, they stole the ball from Griquas and after some excellent interpassing, eventually lock, Nico Breedt scored under the poles, converted by Potgieter, taking the score to 44 -8. At this stage, Cheetahs were scoring add lib, and in the 19th minute Frans Viljoen went over for a converted try, taking the visitors score to over 50, 51, with Griquas still on 8. A pity that Griquas have given away far tooo many soft tries in this match, by playing too wide and not covering, and will have to pull up their socks, if they want achieve their goal. Cheetahs went even further ahead when Frans Viljoen crashed over near the touchline for his second try, converted by Louis Strydom, score now 58-8 to the Free State Cheetahs. However, in the 31st minute, Rohan Kitshoff scored a consolation try for Griquas which went unconverted, taking the home team’s score into double figures, 58-13. With Cheetahs putting on the pressure in the last couple of minutes, trying to score a last try, did not happen with the final whistle ending the onslaught by them, final score 58 to Vodacom Free State Cheetahs and 13 to GWK Griquas.
Point Scorers: GWK Griquas; tries Bjorn Basson and Rohan Kitshoff, penalty Riaan Viljoen. Total 13.
Vodacom Free State Cheetahs; Tries Jongi Nokwe 3, Frans Viljoen 2, Nico Breedt and WP Nel, conversions Jacques-Louis Potgieter 6 and Louis Strydom, penalties Potgieter 3. Total 58.
Man of the Match was Jongi Nokwe.
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