The Boland Cavaliers beat the Blue Bulls 35-26 in Pretoria, while the Sharks XV also won their Currie Cup Qualifier on Friday.
The boot of Boland flyhalf Nico Scheepers proved the difference at Loftus. Both sides ran in four tries, but it was Scheepers’s accuracy from the kicking tee, slotting three penalties from three attempts, that saw the visitors move within one point of Griquas on the log.
Boland led 13-7 at half-time and 28-7 early in the second half, before the Blue Bulls mounted a brave fightback to reduce the deficit to just two points with 10 minutes to play. But right wing Sergio Torrens’s late converted try completed his brace and sealed the victory.
The first points of the match were scored in the 22nd minute by Blue Bulls eighthman and captain Hanro Liebenberg. Flyhalf Tony Jantjies added the extras. Scheepers then slotted two penalties and converted left wing Danwel Dames’s late try to give the visitors a six-point lead at the break.
Scheepers kicked his third penalty early in the second half before converting Torrens’s first try. Prop Basil Short then crossed for an unconverted try to give the visitors a 21-point lead after 55 miniutes.
The hosts hit back with three tries through fullback Divan Rossouw, Liebenberg and scrumhalf Andrew Warner to trail by just two points. But Torrens crossed for his second late in the match handing Boland their ninth win of the tournament.
Elsewhere on Friday, flyhalf Benhard Janse van Rensburg failed to convert two late tries by the Leopards as they lost 26-23 to the Sharks XV in Durban.
Blue Bulls (26) – Tries: Hanro Liebenberg (2), Divan Rossouw, Andrew Warner. Conversions: Tony Jantjies, Joshua Stander (2).
Boland Cavaliers (35) – Tries: Danwel Demas, Sergio Torrens (2), Basil Short. Conversions: Nico Scheepers (3). Penalties: Scheepers (3).
Sharks XV (26) – Tries: Neil Maritz, Nkululeko Marwana, David McDuling, Innocent Radebe. Conversions: Radebe (3).
Leopards (23) – Tries: Jaco Jordaan, Rowayn Beukman, Benhard Janse van Rensburg. Conversion: Janse van Rensburg. Penalties: Janse van Rensburg (2).
Photo: Johan Rynners/Gallo Images
