The Boland Cavaliers beat the Free State XV 24-17 in Bloemfontein on Saturday, while there were also Currie Cup Qualifier victories for the Golden Lions and Western Province.
Free State led 7-3 at the break courtesy of centre CJ Coetzee’s try and went further ahead soon after the restart with a second converted try to replacement centre Lorenzo Gordon and a penalty goal by flyhalf Sias Ebersohn.
The Cavaliers responded by scoring 21 unanswered points.
The comeback started with a breakaway try by outside centre Christopher Bosch, before wing Danwel Demas cantered in for a converted effort to level the scores at 17-17. Free State looked shell-shocked and Boland took full advantage as Bosch broke through to score his second try.
Elsewhere, the Golden Lions XV claimed a 35-29 triumph over the SWD Eagles. Both teams scored four tries with three conversions, but the Lions’ Siya Masuku also kicked three penalty goals compared to one by the Eagles.
In Cape Town, Junior Boks star Edwill van der Merwe bagged a brace in Western Province’s eight-try 52-26 thumping of the Border Bulldogs.
Free State XV (17) – Tries: CJ Coetzee, Lorenzo Gordon. Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (2). Penalty: Ebersohn.
Boland Cavaliers (24) – Tries: Christopher Bosch (2), Danwel Demas. Conversions: Nico Scheepers (3). Penalty: Scheepers.
Golden Lions XV (35) – Tries: Godfrey Ramaboea, Jo-Hanco de Villiers, JW Bell, Marco Jansen van Vuren. Conversions: Siya Masuku (3). Penalties: Masuku (3).
SWD Eagles (29) – Tries: Buran Parks, Kurt Haupt, Lenes Nomdo, Marco Kruger. Conversions: Hansie Graaff (3). Penalty: Graaff.
Western Province (52) – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe (2), Grant Hermanus, Cullen Collopy, Chad Solomon, Godlen Masimla, Justin Phillips, Tim Whitehead. Conversions: Hermanus (5), Dennis Cox.
Border Bulldogs (26) – Tries: Sonwabiso Mqalo, Lunga Dumezweni. Conversions: Masixole Banda (2). Penalties: Masixole Banda (4).
Photo: Johan Rynners/Gallo Images
