Griffons whip Bulldogs to go top
by Duane Heath 08 August 2009, 17:06
Fullback Cecil Afrika scored four tries as defending Currie Cup First Division champions the Griffons went top of the table with a 63-45 (halftime 43-17) victory over the Border Bulldogs at the North West stadium in Welkom on Saturday.
The home side’s victory takes them to 15 points on the log although the Pumas, a point behind in second, have a game in hand. The Bulldogs remain in fifth place, with two points from three matches.
The Griffons made their intentions clear from the outset, running in six first-half tries as they raced to a 14-0 lead inside of ten minutes and a 40-3 advantage before the half-hour mark.
The shell-shocked Bulldogs then clawed their way back into the match with two good tries as the clock ticked down towards halftime.
Then, quite incredibly, they reduced the deficit to just ten points (45-55) with 13 minutes remaining before the Griffons’ left wing Eddie Fredericks scored the last of his team’s nine tries to finally seal the match in the 79th minute.
For the Griffons, man of the match Afrika scored 23 points thanks to a first-half drop goal to go with his four outstanding touchdowns, while veteran flyhalf Kennedy Tsimba kicked 15 points made up of six conversions and a penalty.
For the Bulldogs, fullback Reinhard Gerber kept his team in the hunt right to the end, thanks to 15 points of his own through six conversions and a penalty.
Scorers:
Griffons 63 – Tries: Cecil Afrika (4), Albert Parsons (2), Ashley Johnson, Kennedy Tsimba, Eddie Fredericks. Conversions: Tsimba (6). Penalty: Tsimba. Drop goal: Afrika.
Bulldogs 45 – Tries: Chumani Booi, Lolo Waka (2), Bernard le Roux, Andries Kruger, Dumisani Meslane. Conversions: Reinhard Gerber (6). Penalties: Gerber.
