Wildeklawer Griquas lost their Currie Cup match on Friday to Vodacom Cheetahs in Bloemfontein by 22 points to 3, as well as  losing the OFM Cup clash.

Although this win against its neighbours, still keeps the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup hunt, was not not one of their better matches and one they are not proud of as they could have played better. This was due to Griquas dominating the line outs and were far superior at the break downs, which they have been practicing with vigor during last week. These phases of Griqua’s  play saw that the Cheetahs were struggling to gain any momentum and this was not a pleasing game to watch, especially by the spectators.

Two Griqua players, Cilliers Coetzer and ex Free Stater Gavin Passens, were yellow carded in the first half, while Wayne van Heerden, Griquas, Cobus Calldo, Free State, and replacement Philip Lemmer, Free State,  received yellow cards during the second half, in what has been described as referee JC Fortuin’s  worst match to date. Griquas also sprung a surprise or two, in naming their starting line up just before the start, by naming Tyrone Holmes at flank in place of Heinrich Stride and  bringing in Wayne van Heerden at lock in place of Brendon Snyman, who moved to the bench. 

Conrad Barnard, Griquas fullback, open the scoring with a penalty, and Riaan Viljoen, Griquas centre, missing a penalty and drop goal in the seventh and eighth minutes, but eight minutes later, it was Hendro Scholtz, Cheetahs captain and flank that scored the first try in the match, which went unconverted. The next points that were scored in the match was a try by Fabian Juries, Cheetahs wing, converted by Chris Rossouw, in the thirty first minute, making the score 12-3 to the home team.

The second half, decribed as very uneventful, except for players being replaced in tactical moves, only saw the next points being scored via a Chris Rossouw penalty in the twenty second minute and the last try being scored on the final whistle by Philip van der Merwe, converted by Mattheus de Bruyn, taking the final score to 22 to the Vodacom Cheetahs and three to Wildeklawer Griquas.

Point Scorers: Vodacom Cheetahs; Tries Hendro Scholtz, Fabian Juries and Philip van der Merwe. Conversions Chris Rossouw and Mattheus de Bruyn and Penalty Chris Rossouw. Total 22

Wildeklawer Griquas; Penalty Conrad Barnard. Total 3