The ABSA Currie Cup started on Friday with the Free State Cheetahs facing the Boland Cavaliers and the Blue Bulls playing the Valke.
Friday 22 June – Free State Cheetahs 91-3 Boland Cavaliers, Bloem
The Cheetahs under Naka Drotske got their season off to a flying start at Vodacom Park on Friday by annihilating the newly-promoted Boland Cavaliers. Last year’s joint champions scored 12 unanswered tries. Free State lead 49-3 at half time.
Scorers:
Free State Cheetahs
Tries: Passens 3, Fredericks 2, Strauss 3, Nell, Burger, Du Preez, De Villiers
Conversions: De Waal 6, De Bruyn 5
Penalties: De Waal 3
Boland Cavaliers
Penalty: Peach
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Phillip Burger, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Hendrik Meyer, 11 Gavin Passens, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Rudolph van der Merwe, 7 Daniel Vermeulen, 6 Heinrich Brussouw, 5 Corniel van Zyl, 4 Rory Duncan (captain), 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 R Strauss, 1 W du Preez
Replacements: 16 Ollie Le Roux, 17 Herculaas Liebenberg, 18 David De Villiers, 19 Darron Nell, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Barry Goodes, 22 Alwyn Hollenbach.
Boland Cavaliers: 15 Renfred Danzel, 14 John Daniels, 13 Piet van Zyl, 12 Hennie Daniller, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Isma-eel Dollie, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Francois Prinsloo, 7 Chris Potgieter, 6 Juan Mofu, 5 Kollie Basson, 4 Randell Julies, 3 Andries Human, 2 Conrad Burke (captain), 1 Janro van Niekerk.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Wiun, 17 Ruan du Preez, 18 Gert Schoombie, 19 Angelo Brinkhuis, 20 Dewald Duvenhage, 21 Lionel Cornelius, 22 Antonius van Verhoeven.
Friday 22 June – Blue Bulls 43-26 Falcons, Loftus Versveld
The Valke, despite displaying immense bravery, eventually succumbed to the Blue Machine who outscored them by six tries to three. It was all about the Bulls’ forward domination with three tries from mauls and one from the back of the scrum by captain Wikus van Heerden.
Scorers:
Blue Bulls
Tries: Kuün 2, Delport, Van Heerden 2, Nel
Conversions: Steyn 5
Penalty: Steyn
Falcons
Tries: Okkers 2, Harris
Conversion: Schutte
Penalties: Olivier 3
Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Johan Roets, 14 John Mametsa, 13 JP Nel (vice-captain), 12 Wayne Julies, 11 Marius Delport, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Heinie Adams, 8 Wikus van Heerden (captain), 7 Johan Wasserman, 6 Hilton Lobberts, 5 Francois van Schouwenburg, 4 Cliff Milton, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 James van der Walt, 17 Danie Thiart, 18 Hottie Louw, 19 Deon Stegman, 20 Neil Powell, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Stefan Basson.
Falcons: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Dean Okkers, 13 Bertus Swanepoel, 12 Willem Slabbert, 11 Mpho Matsaung, 10 Len Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Sean Plaatjies, 7 Callie Wannenburg, 6 Piet Krause (captain), 5 Nico Luus, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 Phillip Lemmer, 2 David Britz, 1 Gunder Williamson.
Replacements: 16 Gavin Whittingham, 17 Zane Killian, 18 Hein Potgieter/Marius Coetzer, 19 Michael Vermaak, 20 Morné Adams, 21 Jacques Schutte, 22 Mark Harris.
Saturday 23 June – Western Province 18-13 Lions, Newlands
In an exciting game of rugby played at a virtually empty Newlands, Western Province weathered a late surge by the Lions to eke out a five point victory.
Scorers:
Western Province
Tries: Liebenberg, Uys, Grant
Penalty: Grant
Lions
Try: Mdaka
Conversion: Van Schalkwyk
Penalties: Strydom 2
Teams:
Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Dylan des Fountain, 13 Corné Uys, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Tonderai Chavhanga, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Paul Delport, 8 Justin Melck, 7 Gerrie Britz, 6 Luke Watson (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Francois van der Merwe, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Möller.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Schalk Ferreira, 19 Selborne Boome, 20 Robbie Diack, 21 Conrad Hoffman, 22 Naas Olivier
Lions: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Tobela Mdaka, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Ryno Benjamin, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Jacques Cronjé, 7 Ernst Joubert (captain), 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Geo Cronjé, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Kenny McKenzie, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Jacobus Janse van Rensburg, 17 Gavin Williamson, 18 Solly Tyibilika, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Freddie van Zyl, 21 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 22 Jannie Boshoff.
Next week’s Currie Cup fixtures
June 29: Valke vs Free State Cheetahs -Â Brakpan, 7.10pm
June 30: Boland vs Western Province – Boland Rugby Stadium, 10am
June 30: Griquas vs Blue Bulls – Absa Park, Kimberley, 3pm
June 30: Golden Lions vs Sharks – Ellis Park, 5.05pm