The Steval Pumas and Cell C Sharks XV remain the only two unbeaten teams in the Vodacom Cup competition as they powered their way to their fourth successive victories this weekend, whilst DHL WP won away from home.
The round also proved significant for the Regent Boland Cavaliers and the Valke, who registered their first victories in the series.
In the opening match on Friday, DHL Western Province successfully built on their win against the EP Kings last week by securing a valuable 29-16 win and their second bonus-point victory of the season against the Border Bulldogs at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London.
Province ran in five tries, two of which were by No.8 Rayn Smid, to only one by the hosts, while their effective defence limited the Bulldogs to only a penalty in the second half.
Smid picked up a serious-looking hand injury, which will be a worry for coach John Dobson, but the Men in Blue & White hoops will be happy with their first win away from home in 2014.
North section log leaders, the Steval Pumas, meanwhile, took advantage of GWK Griquas’ indiscipline for their 25-16 victory in Nelspruit. GWK Griquas outscored the hosts two tries to one, but six penalties by Steval Pumas flyhalf JC Roos earned them the victory. In total Roos kicked 20 of his team’s 25 points.
The Cell C Sharks XV dominated from the outset against the SWD Eagles at Growthpoint Kings Park for their 27-10 win, with Tim Swiel and Monde Hadebe crossing the tryline in the first 24 minutes for a 14-0 lead.
Eagles No.8 Alwyn Bester reduced the deficit by crashing over the tryline on the stroke of half-time, but the Sharks held their composure and scored their third try of the match in the second half, while Swiel kept the scoreboard ticking with the boot to shut out the Eagles.
The Valke were emphatic in their dominance against the winless Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls in Sasolburg with the side touching down 11 tries in the 80 minutes for their 65-14 victory. The first half was competitive as the Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls scored two tries to the Valke’s four to trail only 24-14. But the hosts took full control of proceedings after the break and added an impressive seven tries to push their score over the 60-point mark.
In contrast, the Vodacom Blue Bulls had to work hard for their 32-26 victory against the Leopards XV in Leeudoringstad after trailing 13-6 at half-time. After managing only two penalties before the break, the Bulls surprised their hosts with a strong fightback in the third quarter in which they scored a brace of four tries to snatch a bonus-point victory and their first away win of the season.
The Regent Boland Cavaliers survived a determined second-half fightback by Kenya’s Tusker Simba XV for their 24-19 victory at the City Park Stadium and their first win of the season.
Boland entered the break with an encouraging 17-5 lead thanks to three tries in 15 minutes. But they allowed the Tusker Simba XV to bounce back with two tries to add to their one in the first half. A converted try by fullback Eric Zana with 13 minutes to go, however, ended the home Bolanders’ losing run and secured them a four-try bonus-point.
In Johannesburg, the Lions had to fight for their 40-37 victory against the Down Touch Griffons at the Bill Jardine Stadium as the teams were neck-on-neck for most of the match.
At half-time the Lions led only 19-17, but the team’s six tries to only five by the visitors handed them an edge. Lions No.8 Ruaan Lerm scored two tries for his team, while Down Touch Griffons loose forwards Martin Sithole and Nicky Steyn earned two a piece for their team.
The Toyota Free State XV, meanwhile, bounced back strongly from their heartbreaking 22-23 defeat against the Cell C Sharks XV with a scintillating performance to outplay the EP Kings 31-3 in Cradock.
The FS XV led by 10-3 at half-time, but they dominated in the second half to secure their bonus point for four tries, while denying the EP Kings a single point. Replacement back Alvin Brandt scored two of the team’s tries, with centre Nicolaas Lee and lock Teboho Mohoje touching down for the other two.
All the scorers from Round Four:
Border Bulldogs 16 (13) DHL Western Province 29 (17)
Border Bulldogs: Try: Mario Noordman. Conversion: Jeff Taljard. Penalty goals: Jeff Taljard (2), Niell Jacobs.
DHL Western Province: Tries: Adrian Roberts, Devon Williams, JP Lewis, Rayn Smid (2). Conversions: Adrian Roberts, Gary Van Aswegen.
Steval Pumas 25 (16) GWK Griquas 16 (6)
Steval Pumas: Try: Corne Steenkamp. Conversion: JC Roos. Penalties: JC Roos (6).
GWK Griquas: Tries: Gouws Prinsloo, Marnus Schoeman. Penalty goals: Jacquin Jansen (2).
Cell C Sharks XV 27 (17) SWD Eagles 10 (7)
Cell C Sharks XV: Tries: Monde Hadebe, Neil Maritz, Tim Swiel. Conversions: Tim Swiel (3). Penalty goals: Tim Swiel (2).
SWD Eagle: Try: Alwyn Bester. Conversion: Karlo Aspeling. Penalty goal: Karlo Aspeling.
Valke 65 (24) Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls 14 (14)
Valke: Tries: Andrew van Wyk, Anrich Richter, Coert Cronje (2), Jacques Verwey (3), Lukhanyo Am, Sandile Ngcobo (2), Vince Gwavu. Conversions: Angus Cleophas (2), Kyle Hendricks (3).
Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls: Tries: Koning Janse van Rensburg, Thulani Mathonsi. Conversions: Andy Huysamen (2).
Leopards XV 26 (13) Vodacom Blue Bulls 32 (6)
Leopards XV: Tries: George Tossel, Gerhard Nortier, SJ Niemand. Conversion: Gerhard Nortier. Penalty goal: Gerhard Nortier. Drop-goals: Gerhard Nortier, Justin Botha.
Vodacom Blue Bulls: Tries: Reniel Hugo, Sampie Mastriet, Sidney Tobias, William Small-Smith. Conversions: Jesse Kriel (2), Joshua Stander. Penalty goals: Louis Fouche (2).
Tusker Simba XV 19 (5) Regent Boland Cavaliers 24 (17)
Tusker Simba XV: Tries: Davis Chenge, Dennis Osinde, Martin Omondi. Conversions: Darwin Mukidza, Eden Kochieng.
Regent Boland Cavaliers: Tries: Conway Pretorius (3), Eric Zana. Conversions: Eric Zana (2).
Golden Lions 40 (19) Down Touch Griffons 37 (17)
Golden Lions: Tries: JR Esterhuizen, Lourens Erasmus, Ruaan Lerm (2), Sipha Qinisile, Thabo Mabuza. Conversions: Willie du Plessis (5).
Down Touch Griffons: Tries: Martin Sithole (2), Nicky Steyn (2), Willmar Groenewald. Conversions: Franna du Toit, Louis Strydom (2). Penalty goals: Louis Strydom (2).
EP Kings 3 (3) Toyota Free State 31 (10)
EP Kings: Penalty goal: George Whitehead.
Toyota Free State XV: Tries: Alvin Brandt (2), Nicolaas Lee, Teboho Mohoje. Conversions: Niel Marais (4). Penalty goal: Niel Marais.
* CLICK HERE for the latest Vodacom Cup standings!
