9 October 2011
Report by David van der Merwe
Griquas, placed 6th on the log, hosted the 5th placed Blue Bulls.
Both teams were looking for a bonus point win to keep there semi final hopes alive. Griquas is never an easy prospect on their home ground of Kimberley and the Bulls knew that they had a hard game coming. Just as hard as the GWK Park field. I must say the field reminded me of a couple of school fields I played on. Gravel with patches of grass here and there. Not that it is the groundsman's fault. The warm blistering heat of the Northern Cape doesn't help at all.
Louis Fouche started the scoring off with a drop goal to put the Bulls in the lead. Rudi Vogt countered with the first of his 23 points when he kicked a penalty. Bjorn Basson went over for the Bulls against his former team mates for the first of 12 tries in the game. Akona Ndungane was the next to go over for the Bulls. Fouche missed the conversion. Rudi Vogt answered after Griquas stole a line out form the Bulls and he dived over in the right corner and then converted his own try. Rocco Jansen pulled the Griquas level and they took the lead when Vogt converted the try.Basson took the lead back for the visitors with his second try. Vogt answered this with a penalty before Dusty Noble went in for a converted just before the break. The teams went into the change rooms with the Griquas leading 27-22.
The second half started of with a 42nd minute Jano Vermaak try and the conversion saw them take the lead again. Gary Botha then got yellow carded but this didn't stop them. Fouche kicked a penalty followed by a converted Jacques Potgieter try. It looked done and dusted for the Bulls bonus point win leading 39-27.
Griquas launched a fight back with 20 minutes to go. Matthew Rosslee scored a converted try. After this he put Rocco Jansen away for his second try of the day. Rosslee followed this up by scoring his own brace with 11 minutes to go. By now the Griquas were leading 48-39. Potgieter gave the Bulls a second bonus point for losing with less than 7 points with a late try. Making the final score 48-44 to Griquas.
This was once again an epic Kimberley battle won by the home team. The game was not with out the usual scuffles between the two teams. On more than one occasion it seemed like a full on free for all brawl would erupt. But the referee and captains got it back under control every time. Both teams are now 1 point behind fourth place WP and still have a chance of making the semi finals.
Scorers
GWK Griquas – Tries: Rocco Jansen (2), Matthew Rosslee (2), Rudi Vogt, Dusty Noble, Conversions: Vogt (6); Penalties: Vogt (2).
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Bjorn Basson (2), Jacques Potgieter (2), Akona Ndungane, Jano Vermaak; Conversions: Louis Fouche (4); Penalty: Fouche; Drop goal: Fouche
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Griquas launched a fight back with 20 minutes to go. Matthew Rosslee scored a converted try. After this he put Rocco Jansen away for his second try of the day. Rosslee followed this up by scoring his own brace with 11 minutes to go. By now the Griquas were leading 48-39. Potgieter gave the Bulls a second bonus point for losing with less than 7 points with a late try. Making the final score 48-44 to Griquas.
This was once again an epic Kimberley battle won by the home team. The game was not with out the usual scuffles between the two teams. On more than one occasion it seemed like a full on free for all brawl would erupt. But the referee and captains got it back under control every time. Both teams are now 1 point behind fourth place WP and still have a chance of making the semi finals.
Scorers
GWK Griquas – Tries: Rocco Jansen (2), Matthew Rosslee (2), Rudi Vogt, Dusty Noble, Conversions: Vogt (6); Penalties: Vogt (2).
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Tries: Bjorn Basson (2), Jacques Potgieter (2), Akona Ndungane, Jano Vermaak; Conversions: Louis Fouche (4); Penalty: Fouche; Drop goal: Fouche
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