Top four reach Vodacom Cup semis
Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:01
The two top-placed teams in each of the two league sections have qualified for the Vodacom Cup semifinals that will be played on Saturday, May 3.
Free State will play Western Province at Newlands, while defending champions Griquas will play the Blue Bulls in a repeat of last year's final. This match will be at Loftus Versfeld also on the Saturday.
All the winners, with the exception of the Blue Bulls, were made to work hard for victory. Western Province, who finished on top of the Southern section after the league phase, scored three tries against the Wildebeest's two to win 22-14. They only clinched the match in the second half after leading 8-7 at the break - and they did that with only 13 men at one stage. Isma-eel Dollie scored two tries for the winners and a total of 17 of their points.
Free State, who were the pace-setters in the Southern section before they were outplayed towards the end of the league matches, regained
their confidence and flair and were good value for their 35-20 in Bloemfontein over the Boland Kavaliers.
They virtually clinched the match in the first half and led 24-10 at the break. The Kavaliers fought back gamely in the second half, but the deficit to make up was just too big.
A Kimberley scoreline of 37-30 in favour of Griquas' tells of their battle against the Leopards. The defending champions were 27-10 ahead at the break, but a second-half hat-trick by Jan Snyman evened matters after 60 minutes and it took a try by Brendon Snyman in the 66th minute to clinch it for the winners.
The Blue Bulls' depth shone through as they ran in seven tries against the hapless Lions, who trailed 36-7 at the break. In play-offs, anything is, of course, possible, but they will be hard to keep from the title. But then, that has been the Vodacom Cup story of the Blue Bulls, who have often been pipped at the death.
Semi-final fixtures on Saturday, May 3,
are:
Blue Bulls v Griquas at Loftus, 12.15.
Western Province v Free State at Newlands, 14.00.
SAPA
