News
Blue Bulls clamber to summit
August 15 2008
The Blue Bulls climbed to the top of the Currie Cup table as they recorded a fragmented 41-12 bonus-point victory over the Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
No doubt still smarting from last week's three-point defeat at home to the Lions, this was the perfect response in terms of outcome craved by coach Frans Ludeke. However, one should take nothing away from the log's bottom side who fronted up for large periods against their dreary and under-strength hosts.
This was the solitary game in the competition over the weekend, with the result adding weight to claims that the current Currie Cup is now very much a four-horse race with the Sharks, Cheetahs and the Lions keenly snapping at the heels.
And with the whole of South Africa awaiting the main course in Cape Town on Saturday, Pretoria played host to what was dubbed the starter, which arguably failed to wet the pallet of the expectant home fans.
Ludeke did welcome back long-time absentee Wayne Julies to his starting XV alongside consistent performer Wynand Olivier, but it was the man inside them who continued his fine form as he steadied the rocking ship by slotting eight goals.
However, despite their league differences it was the Griquas who started much the stronger in the opening stages with first-phase ball spread to the kicking Byron Basson, whose clever attempt just outpaced wing Gavin Passens for the line before Tobie Botes missed a snap drop-goal.
It wasn't a flash in the pan though as the first half-hour witnessed the visitors matching their hosts in every facet until a cross-field mistake from Botes led to Morné Steyn opening the penalty account on seventeen minutes.
And it was Steyn's own cross-field that finally broke the try deadlock shortly after as he found full-back Tiger Mangweni sniffing the corner flag close to the break. But the Griquas' reward for their impressive efforts duly followed via wing MJ Mentz as full-back Basson's clever dab through found his team-mate on the half-ending whistle.
Normal and expected service looked to have been resumed promptly following the interval though as Deon Stegmann pinched the loose ball before sprinting half the length to start the eventual rot.
However, then came Botes' big moment as he started and finished the score of the evening. The young fly-half showed his pace by racing away under the posts in a move that started with him dabbing through from his own half before collecting and trading passes with centre Riaan Viljoen.
But it was the seemingly unwanted Springbok Gurthrö Steenkamp who got the Blue Bulls chasing that golden bonus point as the prop steamed over from ten out before the vital score came through substitute Dewald Potgieter crashing over on the hooter.
The scorers:
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Mangweni, Stegmann, Steenkamp, Potgieter
Con: Steyn 3
Pen: Steyn 5
For the Griquas:
Tries: Mentz, Botes
Con: Botes
Blue Bulls: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 John Mametsa, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Wayne Julies, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden (c), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Juandré Kruger, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Dewald Potgieter, 19 Jacques Burger, 20 Heinie Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Marius Delport.
Griquas: 15 Bjorn Basson, 14 Gavin Passens, 13 Lafras Uys, 12 Riaan Viljoen, 11 MJ Mentz, 10 Tobie Botes, 9 Dougie Helmuth, 8 Gareth Krause (c), 7 Stephan Gerber, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 Cilliers Coetzer, 4 Wayne van Heerden, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Hans van Dyk, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 James van der Walt, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Brendon Snyman, 19 Tyronne Holmes, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Jaco Bekker, 22 Egon Seconds.
Referee: Christie du Preez
Touch judges: Pro Legoete, Muller van der Nest
TMO: Michael Cupido/Gerrie Coetzee