GWK Griquas took on Sharks at GWK Park in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon in the last of the Round Robin series of the Absa Currie Cup. Should Griquas earn two points from the match they will go through to the semi final round.
A scintillating match that produced no less than 75 points and a single bonus point for Griquas, unfortunately.
Griquas opened the scoring in the second minute of the match, when fullback, Riaan Viljoen, slotted a mammoth drop goal from 10 meters inside his own half. This was short lived, as two minutes later, Stefan Terblanche scored a try, ten meters in from the far side touchline, converted by Ruan Pienaar. Viljoen, succeeded shortly after that try, with a penalty from the halfway line, taking the score to 7-6 in favour of the Sharks. Ruan Pienaar snapped up the ball, from a chip ahead to score close to the posts, which he converted, stretching their lead to 14-6.
Sharks put the pressure on and scored another try, when JP Pietersen dotted the ball down just before it went over the dead ball line, converted by Pienaar, but Griquas came back when Sarel Pretorius broke, passed to Bjorn Basson who off loaded to Barry Geel, who juggled the ball and dotted down for an unconverted try. However from the kickoff, Bismark du Plessis scored a pushover try converted by Pienaar, taking the score to 28-11.
Sharks scored a try two minutes into the second half, when Craig Burden barged over for an unconverted try 12 meters in from the far side touchline. Griquas came back three minutes later when Barry Geel jinxed his way through the Shark’s defence to dot down close to the posts for Naas Olivier to convert, score 33 to Sharks and 18 to GWK Griquas.In the 10th minute, Barry Geel scored his third try for the home side, with Olivier converting, but shortly there after, Craig Burden, returned the compliment by scoring under the posts, converted by Pienaar. Sarel Pretorius, claimed Griqua’s bonus point, when he scored an unconverted try, keeping Griquas hopes alive, but the last try of the match was scored by Ryan Kankowski, which went unconverted, and this in the 22nd minute of the second half, with the final score Sharks 45 and GWK Griquas 30. So close and yet soo far for Griquas.
Point Scorers: GWK Griquas; Tries Barry Geel 3, Sarel Pretorius, conversions Naas Olivier, penalty and drop goal Riaan Viljoen. Total 30.
Sharks; Tries Stefan Terblanche, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Ryan Kankowski, Bismark du Plessi and Craig Burden 2, conversions Ruan Pienaar 5. Total 45.
Man of the Match AD Jacobs.
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