Vodacom Cup Review – Round Five
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The Vodacom Blue Bulls ended their winless run in the 2011 Vodacom Cup after they recorded their first victory of the competition at Shimla Park following their 45-21 victory over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs on Friday night.
The defending champions conceded defeats against the DHL Western Province (32-29), Pampas XV (27-22), Boland Cavaliers (20-17) and the Sharks XV (30-19) earlier this season. However the Pretoria team bounced back to winning ways and were impressive against the Free Staters by running in seven tries en-route to their first win of the campaign.
Captain Juandre Kruger, Clayton Blommetjies, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Marnus Schoeman, Corne Fourie, Stefan Watermeyer and William Small-Smith were the try-scorers for the visitors. Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff kicked two conversions while Watermeyer converted three five-pointers.
Former SA Under-20 prop Marcel van der Merwe and Robert van Schalkwyk were the try-scorers for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs. Flyhalf Louis Strydom kicked two penalties and a drop goal while former DHL Western Province centre Morgan Newman added a conversion for the Bloemfontein team.
DHL Western Province flyhalf Gary van Aswegen converted a try by flanker Wimpie van der Walt which was scored in the final minute of the match against GWK Griquas to ensure that the Cape team maintained their undefeated record this season following their 23-22 victory at Newlands on Saturday.
The Kimberley team, thanks to their bonus point achieved in their match against DHL WP for losing within seven, ensured that they ended round five in joint first position on the North Section log with the Ford Pumas who defeated the Boland Cavaliers 26-17 in Wellington on Saturday. The GWK Griquas’ superior points’ differential over the Witbank team resulted in them occupying first position at the conclusion of round five.
The Golden Lions consigned the Eastern Province Kings to their first defeat of the 2011 Vodacom Cup after they secured an 11-10 victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Both teams scored one try with the Johannesburg team’s five-pointer being scored by Dusty Noble and the hosts’ try by Clint Newland. Jaco van Schalkwyk kicked a penalty and converted Newland’s try. However the difference between the two teams proved ultimately to be as a result of the kicking boot of flyhalf Burton Francis who kicked two penalties for the visitors.
The Sharks returned to winning ways in emphatic style in Empangeni on Saturday following their comprehensive 63-7 victory over the Tasol Solar Griffons. The Durban team were full of running and scored nine tries against their Welkom opponents.
Ross Cronje, Kobus de Kock, Riaan Swanepoel, Mark Richards, Daniel Adongo, Marcell Coetzee, Jerome Pretorius, Piet Lindeque and Rosco Specman were the Sharks XV players were scored five-pointers while flyhalf Guy Cronje kicked nine conversions. Werner Griesel was the sole try-scorer for the Tasol Solar Griffons. His try was converted by Tiaan van Wyk.
Meanwhile the Pampas XV moved in to pole position on the South Section log following their 38-20 victory over the Platinum Leopards in Potchefstroom on Saturday while the Valke notched up their first win in this season’s competition following their 43-15 win over the Border Bulldogs.
In the other Vodacom Cup match of the weekend, the SWD Eagles consigned the Welwitschias to their fifth defeat of the competition following their 34-27 victory at the Outeniqua Park Stadium in George on Friday evening.
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