The Suzuki Griquas produced a solid performance to cruise to a comfortable 47-17 win over DHL Western Province in their Carling Currie Cup clash at Suzuki Griqua Park in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.
The home side were on top for most of the match and deservedly outscored their coastal visitors seven tries to three, to clinch a second straight bonus-point win to get their competition up and running after an opening match loss.
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The hosts got off to a strong start, dominating the opening 10 minutes before deservedly taking the lead in the 11th minute.
Lock Albert Leibenberg finished off a stunning move that started in their own half, with wings Gershwin Wehr and Dylan Maart helping flank Carl Els make the break, before a few offloads found the charging lock to go over.
Offloads galore as the Suzuki Griquas cut DHL Western Province up 😤
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 8, 2025
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Six minutes later they were in for their second. On attack in the Western Province 22m, a good inside ball from flyhalf George Whitehead found flying outside centre Zane Bester who bust through to go over for their second converted score and a 14-0 lead.
However, the visitors hit back in the 20th minute. While on attack in the Griquas half, Western Province wing Jared Africa hit the line at pace, breaking to the 22m where he found replacement loose forward Aden da Costa to go over in the corner, converted by flyhalf Jurie Mathee.
Aden De Costa gets his first of the season 🔵⚡
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 8, 2025
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But the hosts extended their lead again in the 33rd minute as they attacked from a lineout deep in Western Province’s 22m, with the forwards bashing away before scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams dived over, with Whitehead slotting his third conversion to put them 21-7 up.
The final five minutes of the half saw the Griquas pushing for a fourth try, but some great defence on their line from Western Province saw them hold up the home side and rip the ball away in their own in-goal area to make sure they didn’t concede again going into the break.
BONUS-POINT TRY
The Griquas thought they had got off to the perfect start in the second half with their fourth try, only for it to be chalked off due to obstruction in the build-up.
But they didn’t have to wait long to get the bonus point score as a few minutes later Wehr stole the ball off Western Province at a ruck on their 22m and sprinted away to score in the corner, with Whitehead landing the tricky extras for a 28-7 lead after 48 minutes.
In the 63rd minute the Griquas then made a mess of a defensive lineout in their own 22m, with the ball tapped back over their own tryline, where Western Province hooker Scarra Ntubeni snuck in and dotted it down to bring his team back into the match.
However, five minutes later the home side sealed the win as they took play into the visitors' 22m, bashed away at the line and replacement lock Derik Pretorius powered over from close range for the converted score that pushed them into an unassailable lead.
The final 10 minutes was then a very open affair as Western Province first scored through replacement back Ezekiel Ngobeni, before the Griquas closed things out through Els and replacement back Thomas Bursey adding some gloss to the scoreline.
SCORERS
Suzuki Griquas: Tries - Albert Leibenberg, Zane Bester, Caleb Abrahams, Gurshwin Wehr, Derik Pretorius, Carl Els, Thomas Bursey; Conversions - George Whitehead (6)
DHL Western Province: Tries - Aden da Costa, Scarra Ntubeni, Ezekiel Ngobeni; Conversion - Jurie Mathee