WP tame plucky Leopards
In the day's other games, Griquas consolidated top spot when they edged Free State – the Blue Bulls hammered the Griffons and the Pumas were too good for the Lions.
Leopards 34-43 Western Province
The Leopards raced to a 10-0 lead in the opening minutes after a converted try and penalty before Beyers de Villiers finally got the Cape side on the board with a try.
WP then took the lead when Khanyo Ngcukana scored in the corner. Leopards fullback Rhyno Smith reduced the deficit before Grant Hermanus scored WP's third try.
After a Scott van Breda penalty, Hermanus scored his second try of the evening to give WP a 31-13 lead at half-time.
Replacement scrumhalf Freddie Muller extended the Cape side's lead in the second half before the Leopards fought their way back into it.
Marno Redelinghuys and Smith scored a try each to reduce the deficit to nine points, but that was before Jean Kleyn extended WP's lead once again with a try of his own.
Replacement Jaco Hayward got the game's final try, which ensured that Leopards walked away with a bonus point.
The scorers:
For Leopards:
Tries: TBC, Smith Redelinghuys, Hayward
Cons: Smith 4
Pen: Smith
DG: Smith
For Western Province:
Tries: De Villiers, Muller, Hermanus 2, Kleyn, Ngcukana
Cons: Van Breda 5
Pen: Van Breda
Teams:
Leopards: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Rowayne Beukman, 13 Juffrou Vermeulen, 12 Henko Marais, 11 Bradley Moolman; 10 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 9 Malherbe Swart, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 HP Swart, 6 Marno Redelinghuys, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Dutchie Robbertse, 3 Bart le Roux, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Mashudu Mafela.
Replacements 16 Chukkie van der Westhuizen, 17 Lucky Ngcamu, 18 Ruan Venter, 19 Jaco Jordaan, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Jaco Hayward, 22 Gene Willemse.
Western Province: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Khanyo Ngcukana, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 JP Lewis; 10 Scott van Breda, 9 Hershel Jantjies, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Luke Stringer, 6 Beyers de Villiers, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Cullen Collopy, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Percy Mngadi, 17 Frans van Wyk, 18 Jurie van Vuuren, 19 Christo van der Merwe, 20 Freddie Muller, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Devon Williams.
Pumas 35-24 Lions
Both teams scored four tries in an entertaining game in Nelspruit, however, it was the home side who emerged winners in the end.
The boot of Heinrich Steyl ultimately proved the difference in the end as he amassed 15 points via three conversions and three penalties.
Steyl was also one of his team's four try scorers.
The scorers:
For Pumas:
Tries: Van Rooyen, Botha, Herne, Steyl
Pens: Steyl 3
Cons: Steyl 3
For Lions:
Tries: Volmink, Lerm, Booysen, Reynolds
Cons: Davids 2
Teams:
Pumas: 15 Heinrich Steyl, 14 Tyler Fisher, 13 Hoffmann Maritz, 12 Hennie Skorbinski, 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Nardus vand er Walt, 5 Hugo Kloppers (captain), 4 Jannie Stander, 3 De-Jay Terblanche, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 Jacques Kotzé, 18 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 19 Brian Shabangu, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Marlou van Niekerk, 22 Bernado Botha.
Golden Lions XV: 15 JW Bell, 14 Koch Marx, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Jarryd Sage, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Ricky Schroeder, 8 Ruan Lerm (captain), 7 Fabian Booysen, 6 Stef de Wit, 5 Martin Muller, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Justin Ackermann.
Replacements: 16 Jannes Snyman, 17 Nico du Plessis, 18 MB Lusaseni, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Shaun Reynolds, 21 Barend Smith, 22 Selom Gavor.
Griffons 28-57 Blue Bulls
The Griffons were the first to score in front home their home fans when Thato Mavundla went over in the third minute before the Blue Bulls hit back with a try of their own through hooker Corniel Els.
The home side then extended their lead a few minutes later Heinrich Roelfse scored. Defences seemed to collapse before half-time when the Bulls scored three tries and the Griffons getting another. At half-time it was 26-21 in favour of the Bulls.
The Bulls scored four more tries in the second half to walk away with a comfortable win in the end.
The scorers:
For Griffons:
Tries: Van der Merwe 2, Roelfse, Mavundla
Cons: Whitehead 4
Blue Bulls:
Tries: Izaacs, Els, Mahlo 2, September, Smit 2, Maree
Cons: Rossouw, Stander, Webster 5
Pen: Kurt Webster
Teams:
Griffons: 15 Taro Maarman, 14 Selvyn Davids, 13 Duan Pretorius, 12 Japie Nel, 11 Warren Williams, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Boela Abrahams, 8 De Wet Kruger, 7 Boela Venter, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Gavin Annandale (captain), 4 Samora Fihlane, 3 Heinrich Roelfse, 2 Kwezi Mkhafu, 1 Danie van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Hennie Venter, 17 George Marich, 18 Vince Maruping, 19 Dirk Grobbelaar, 20 Louis Venter, 21 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 22 Vuyo Mbotho.
Blue Bulls: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Kefentse Mahlo, 13 Marquit September, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 7 Ruan Steenkamp, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Abongile Nonkontwana, 3 Entienne Swanepoel, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli.
Replacements: 16 Jan van der Merwe, 17 Andrew Beerwinkel, 18 Ruben van Heerden, 19 Clyde Davids, 20 Andre Warner, 21 Kurt Webster, Alcino Isaacs.
Griquas 44-31 Free State XV
Free State opened the scoring through a Tertius Kruger try.
It did not take long for Griquas to hit back when their scrum dominance won them a penalty try after Andre Swarts put them on the board with a penalty.
Free State regained the lead with a converted Carl Wegner try. But that was before Griquas scrumhalf Tiaan Dorfling raced away for a try after an interception. At half-time Griquas led 20-14.
Griquas were the first to score in the second half when Ederies Arendse raced away for a try. Free State closed the gap a few minutes later when Reniel Hugo got his team's third try.
In the final ten minutes Griquas scored another two tries, with Free State only managing one.
The scorers:
For Griquas:
Tries: Coertzen, Martinus, Arendse, Dorfling, Penalty try
Cons: A Swarts, C Swarts
Pen: A Swarts
For Free State:
Tries: Wegner, Erwee, Hugo, Kruger
Con: Marais
Pen: Marais
Teams:
Griquas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 André Swarts, 9 Tiaan Dorfling, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 Sias Koen, 6 RJ Liebenberg, 5 Jonathan Adendorf, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Stephan Kotzé, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Devon Martinus, 18 Wendal Wehr, 19 Steven Meiring, 20 Christiaan Meyer, 21 Ntabeni Dukisa, 22 Eric Zana.
Free State XV: 15 Reinardt Erwee, 14 JP Coetzee, 13 Tertius Kruger, 12 Niel Marais, 11 Lorenzo Gordon, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 JP Smith, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Tienie Burger, 6 Refuoe Rampeta, 5 Reniel Hugo (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 BG Uys, 18 Chase Morison, 19 Armandt Koster, 20 Victor Maruping, 21 Renier Botha, 22 Ali Mgijima.
