Griquas hold onto top spot

Swart scored a try and kicked seven conversions, while there was also a pair of tries for scrumhalf Rudy van Rooyen and No.8 Jason Fraser as the Griquas outscored the Falcons eight tries to five. Falcons left wing Etienne Taljaard grabbed a hat-trick of tries for the hosts, with his last two tries coming in the last three minutes of the match, as the hosts managed a bonus point for scoring four tries.

*Elsewhere, The SWD Eagles overturned a 13-point half-time deficit to clinch a 25-21bonus-point victory over the Pumas at the NMMU Saasveld Stadium in George.

Hooker Mark Pretorius dotted down twice in the second half, as the Eagles fought back to record their second bonus-point win of the campaign. Flyhalf Hansie Graaff forgot his kicking boots at home as the pivot missed nine points through a missed penalty and three conversions.

*Meanwhile, Border remained unbeaten when they edged the Sharks XV, 37-32, to hand the coastal side their second defeat of the competition.

All the scores and scorers!

Falcons 29-56 Griquas

Griquas made an impressive start to the contest as they raced to a 14-0 lead after just eight minutes, thanks to two converted tries from outside centre AJ Coertzen and Swart.

The Falcons struck back with an unconverted score from Taljaard but the visitors extended their lead when Fraser went over for a converted try in the 30th minute.

The hosts managed to narrow the gap when outside centre Andries Truter dotted down for an unconverted try, before the Griquas wrapped up their four-try bonus-point before half-time when Van Rooyen went over for a converted score in the 38th minute, as the visitors went to the break holding a solid 28-10 lead.

The second half was all one-way traffic as van Rooyen grabbed his second try just three minutes after the break before veteran left wing Alshaun Bock, right wing Ederies Arendse and Fraser added to the Falcons' misery with three more tries as they moved to an impressive 56-15 lead after 70 minutes.

The Falcons would have been forgiven for giving up the fight but they showed some impressive resolve to score the two late tries through Taljaard to ensure they gained the consolation of a bonus-point.

Scorers:

For Falcons:

Tries: Taljaard 3, Truter, Mamojele

Cons: Coetzee 2

For Griquas:

Tries: Coertzen, Swart, Fraser 2, van Rooyen 2, Bock, Arendse

Cons: Swart 7, Gouws

Falcons: 15 Damian Engledoe, 14 Kyle Hendricks, 13 Andries Truter, 12 Andrew van Wyk, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Karlo Aspeling, 9 Anrich Richter, 8 Reg Muller, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 JP Mostert (captain), 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Andries Schutte, 2 Dean Muir, 1 Barend Steyn.

Replacements – from: Dwight Pansegrouw, Jacobus Strauss, Henri Boshoff, Isak Deetlefs, Thabo Mamojele, Sinovuyo Nyoka, Johan Pretorius, Grant Janke, Christo Coetzee.

Griquas: 15 Eric Zana, 14 Alshaun Bock, 13 AJ Coertzen, 12 Jonathan Francke, 11 Ederies Arendse, 10 Clinton Swart, 9 Rudi van Rooyen, 8 Jason-Collin Fraser, 7 RJ Liebenberg (captain), 6 Wendal Wehr, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 AJ Le Roux, 1 Devon Martinus.

Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Jonathan Adendorf, 19 Jono Janse van Rensburg, 20 Tiaan Dorfling, 21 Kyle Lombard, 22 Gouws Prinsloo.

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

SWD Eagles 25-21 Pumas

Justin van Staden opened the scoring with a penalty after seven minutes, with Graaff replying with a penalty of his own just three minutes later. The Pumas' flyhalf then took his side back in front with a penalty midway through the first half after Graaff had missed a three-pointer.

Martin du Toit then handed the Eagles a two-point lead as the inside centre danced his way over for an unconverted try midway through the first half. But the Pumas hit back twice with tries from flank Marnus Schoeman and left wing Marcello Sampson, before van Staden brought the first stanza to a close with his third penalty of the afternoon.

With both sides tussling for territory in the second half, it was the home side that broke free when Pretorius rumbled over for a converted try after 52 minutes, to reduce the deficit to six points. Flank Christo du Plessis crashed over the line just four minutes later to turn the game into a one-point tussle as Graaff missed his conversion attempt.

Pretorius was on the mark again, dotting down for his second try of the match with 17 minutes left on the clock, but despite Graaff missing his third conversion attempt, the Eagles held on for their second win of the campaign while condemning the Pumas to their second consecutive bonus-point loss in as many starts.

Scorers:

For SWD Eagles:

Tries: du Toit, Pretorius 2, du Plessis

Con: Graaff

Pen: Graaff

For Pumas:

Tries: Schoeman, Sampson

Con: van Staden

Pens: van Staden 3

Teams:

SWD Eagles: 15 Jacquin Jansen, 14 Leighton Eksteen, 13 Daniel Roberts, 12 Martin du Toit, 11 Carlo Radebe, 10 Hansie Graaff, 9 Mzo Dyantyi (captain), 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Christo Du Plessis, 6 Buran Parks, 5 Grant le Roux, 4 Peet van der Walt, 3 Gideon Muller, 2 Mark Pretorius, 1 Layle Delo.

Replacements: 16 Brianton Booysen, 17 Nemo Roelofse, 18 Marco Kruger, 19 Lyndon Hartnick, 20 Johan Steyn, 21 Wilneth Engelbrecht, 22 Riaan Arends.

Pumas: 15 Heinrich Steyl, 14 Tyler Fisher, 13 Hoffman Maritz, 12 Wilmaure Louw, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hugo Kloppers (captain), 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Marne Coetzee, 2 Frankie Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona.

Replacements: 16 Francois Du Toit, 17 Simon Westraadt, 18 Jannie Stander, 19 Dylan Peterson, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Leighton-Ray van Wyk, 22 Bernado Botha.

Referee: Rodney Bonaparte

Border 37-32 Sharks XV

Scorers:

For Border:

Tries: TBC

Cons: TBC

Pen: TBC

For Sharks XV:

Tries: TBC

Cons: TBC

Pens: TBC

Teams:

Border: 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Sonwabiso Mqalo, 12 Sethu Tom, 11 Michael Makase, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Bangi Kobese, 8 Billy Dutton, 7 Siya Mdaka (captain), 6 Athenkosi Manentsa, 5 Wandile Putuma, 4 Lindokuhle Welemu, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Mihlali Mpafi, 1 Blake Kyd.

Replacements: 16 Ludwe Booi, 17 Siyamthanda Ngande, 18 Hendri Storm, 19 Lukhanyo Nomzanga, 20 Zukisani Tywaleni, 21 Nkululeko Ndlovu, 22 Logan Basson.

Sharks XV: 15 Alrin Eksteen, 14 Neil Maritz, 13 Wandile Mjekevu, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 Nkululeko Marwana, 10 Innocent Radebe, 9 Dylan Marcus, 8 Retief Marais, 7 Christiaan De Bruin, 6 Khaya Majola (captain), 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 4 David McDuling, 3 Gerhard Engelbrecht, 2 Stephan Coetzee, 1 Mzamo Majola.

Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Barend Potgieter, 18 Ruan Kramer, 19 Wian Vosloo, 20 Rowan Gouws, 21 Tristan Tedder, 22 Marius Louw.

Referee: Lesego Legoete