Despite a short delay due to lightning with just three minutes of the match to go, the NovaVit Griffons returned to the park and held on for a famous 32-28 win over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Currie Cup clash at the Down Touch Investments Stadium in Welkom on Friday afternoon.
In an entertaining match the Griffons scored early, before the Bulls battled back to take a slight 21-20 lead into the halftime break, with two tries early in the second half from the hosts giving them enough of a buffer to hold on for a fantastic win.
It is the first win of the competition for the Griffons, while the Bulls desperately poor form continues with this their fourth loss in a row.
In the match the Griffons, as they have done a number of times this season, got off to a flying start as they took play into the Bulls 22m, where eighthman Sokhuphumla Xakalashe powered his way over from close range for the opening try of the match.
Scrumhalf Jaywinn Juries added the extras and followed that up with a ninth minute penalty to put the home side 10-0 up.
The Bulls responded in the 22nd minute, as some good interplay in the Griffons 22m finished with flyhalf Johan Goosen feeding outside centre Wandisile Simelane to go over for a converted score.
A second penalty from the boot of Juries in the 26th minute was then followed by the Bulls second try four minutes later as they counter-attacked into the Griffons 22m, with the ball swung to eighthman Muller Uys to run through a huge hole and dive over, with Goosen’s extras putting the Bulls up 14-13.
The visitors were now on top and in the 35th minute they attacked from a lineout, with some impressive offloading finishing with hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels going over next to the uprights, and Goosen’s conversion pushing their lead to eight points.
But on the stroke of halftime the Griffons struck back with a crucial try, after the Bulls were unable to get out of their own 22m, losing the ball allowing the home side to get onto their line and flank Jean Pretorius to crash over, with Juries extras making it a one point game at the break.
The Griffons came out all guns blazing in the second half and were rewarded for their scintillating play as lock Jaco Willemse powered his way over in the 51st minute and three minutes later right wing Jamba Ulengo dotted a kick ahead in the corner, with one conversion from Juries putting them 32-21 ahead.
In the 61st minute some great interplay from the Bulls forwards ended with prop Robert Hunt crashing over from close range, with Goosen’s conversion bringing them within four points.
However it was a superb final 18 minutes from the hosts on defence, interrupted by the short break as the teams went off due to lightning in the 77th minute, before they were able to hoof the ball out on the full time hooter for a brilliant win.
Scorers
Griffons: Tries - Sokhuphumla Xakalashe, Jean Pretorius, Jaco Willemse, Jamba Ulengo; Conversions - Jaywinn Juries (3); Penalties - Juries (2)
Bulls: Tries - Wandisile Simelane, Muller Uys, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Robert Hunt; Conversions - Johan Goosen (4)