The Suzuki Griquas produced a powerful second half performance to come back from a significant halftime deficit to secure a thrilling 48-39 win over the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in their Currie Cup clash at Griqua Park in Kimberley on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts were almost punished for an error strewn end to the first half that saw them trail 34-19 at the break, but dominated the second 40 to end up outscoring the visitors eight tries to six in a thoroughly entertaining encounter.
The match got off to a flying start as both teams traded stunning solo tries, as first Griquas wing Dylan Maart stepped inside out and sprinted over in the corner, followed by Kavaliers inside centre Lunathi Nxele who also had his dancing shoes on to step through the defence and score, with fullback James Tedder’s extras giving them a 7-5 lead after 12 minutes.
But Griquas were soon back in front five minutes later, as they set up a lineout on the Boland 5m and powered over a maul for flank Lourens Oosthuizen to dot down, with flyhalf George Whitehead adding the conversion, before a penalty from Tedder made it 12-10 after 20 minutes.
A dominant spell of play from the hosts, led by their powerful scrum, ended with their third try, as they attacked from a scrum in the visitors 22m, with the ball spread wide to wing Gershwin Wehr, who stepped his way over to put them 19-10 ahead in the 30th minute.
However, more errors in the final 10 minutes of the half saw the Kavaliers stun the Griquas with four tries to take a 15 point lead into the halftime break.
First the Kavaliers on attack in the Griquas 22m slung the ball wide, where it comically bounced off the back of Maart’s head into the grateful arms of outside centre David Brits to crash over for the converted score.
Straight from the kick off the Kavaliers attacked with a kick and chase, but a poor pass from Griquas saw the loose ball picked up by wing Donovan Don for him to streak away for the first of his three tries.
Another loose ball ended with wing Marcqiewn Titus sprinting away to score, followed by an intercept from Don on the halftime hooter allowing him to run in untouched to give the visitors a surprisingly large lead at the break.
A different Griquas side however emerged in the second half, and largely dominated it as they dotted down five times, while only letting the Kavaliers in for one more, to secure an impressive come from behind win.
It started with a quick three try burst in just seven minutes, as scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams snuck in a double, sniping over from close range, and then finished off a good move featuring a number of offloads, before Wehr was on hand to dot down his second in the corner, as they took a 36-34 lead after 52 minutes.
But the Kavaliers hit back seven minutes later as some quick hands found Don in space out wide, with him putting on the afterburners to streak away for his hattrick and a 39-36 lead.
The Griquas hit the front again in the 69th minute as they continued to use their strong maul, setting up the lineout close to the line and rumbling over for replacement hooker Tiaan Lange to break off and dive over, to take a two point lead into the final 10 minutes.
The hosts then made sure of the win in the 75th minute as they attacked from a lineout in the visitors 22m, and replacement forward Derik Pretorius powered his way over from close range, with Whitehead slotting the conversion to put them more than a converted try ahead.
Scorers
Suzuki Griquas: Tries - Dylan Maart, Lourens Oosthuizen, Gurshwin Wehr (2), Calab Abrahams (2), Tiaan Lange, Derik Pretorius; Conversions - George Whitehead (4)
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers: Tries - Lunathi Nxele, Donovan Don (3), David Brits, Marcqiewn Titus; Conversions - James Tedder (3); Penalty - Tedder