Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh said that they had been aware of the challenge that awaited them with the visitors.
THE VODACOM Bulls smashed Tafel Lager Griquas 53-27 in their Carling Currie Cup encounter in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon in a match the visitors had by the scruff of the neck by half time.
The result was not surprising. The real head-scratcher was by how wide a margin the Bulls were going to win.
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After all, the two have a history wherein the Bulls tend to score match points that are simply astronomical.
The last time the two matched up at Loftus Versveld in the same series in August last year, the Bulls had stood the score at an imposing 56-33.
But one would not have guessed this outcome judging by the spirited fight Griquas had put on in that first half.
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The Bulls were first to draw blood soon after kick off. After some superb surges forward in the Griquas half, Bulls prop Simphiwe Matanzima broke through the Griquas defence to score their first of seven tries. The Bulls promptly converted and the floodgates were open 7-0 after 10 minutes of play.
💥 @BlueBullsRugby were in a belligerent mood in their #CarlingCurrieCup clash against @GriquasRugby in Kimberley – match report: https://t.co/fClEdEFkPT@blacklabelsa #TheChampionWithin #ReachForGold pic.twitter.com/WEENojymR3
— Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) March 5, 2022
Griquas stayed in the fray though and kept testing the just returned United Rugby Championship campaigners and were rewarded with a try by Zander du Plessis who also converted to put a 7-pointer on the board for the hosts. At this point Griquas were very much in the fight, the visitors’ reputation notwithstanding.
When the halftime hooter went off the Bulls had put on the board an impressive seven point lead of 22-15. And at the resumption of the second half the Pretoria blue machine kicked into gear proper making sure Griquas did not come within an inch of their tryline.
🔵🐂 @BlueBullsRugby weather an early storm from a spirited @GriquasRugby to come out on top on a scorching afternoon in Kimberley.#CarlingCurrieCup #ReachForGold #TheChampionWithin @blacklabelsa pic.twitter.com/CVLtSsHb5h
— Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) March 5, 2022
The second half became more profitable for the Bulls from about the 20th minute when Griquas were penalised and the Bulls capitalised on that and scored; the Bulls then reeled in two more tries and successfully converted the one to take an unassailable lead which ended with them taking the match points by that wide a margin.
Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh said afterwards that they had been aware of the challenge that awaited them with the visitors.
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“We knew it was going to be difficult. I am proud of the guys. At half time we were seven points behind and early in the second half were 29-22 behind and I thought we had momentum.
“There were two vital decisions that didn’t go our way that I thought swayed the momentum to their side.
“But in the end I think we can learn from them. There is a reason why they play at that level … I am happy for us in that it is the first time that we scored four tries and we got the bonus points for it,” the coach said.
Griquas are next in action on Wednesday March 16 when they the host Sigma Lions.
