Griquas overcome Western Province in tight Currie Cup clash

Cape Town — Griquas secured their third straighter victory against Western Province in their Currie Cup clash in Kimberley on Friday.

Prior to this meeting, Griquas overcame Province 30-28 in Cape Town last year, before bagging a 46-25 triumph in Kimberley in August.

Despite Province being mostly in control in the opening quarter, Griquas had more to show for their efforts in terms of the scoreboard thanks to four successful shots at goal by Zander du Plessis. While his kicking radar went off target later in the game, his boot ultimately proved the difference in the encounter.

Neither side provided a particularly good advertisement for the game in the first half. It was a scrappy first 40, but the visitors would have been most disappointed given their territorial advantage.

The hosts got the first points when Du Plessis connected his first penalty in the sixth minute, and Province responded with a converted try by winger Leolin Zas shortly afterwards (3-7).

Du Plessis took the score to 6-7 with a second penalty, and he added two more after that (12-7).

Griquas’ prospects looked a bit better when Province went one man down when Ben-Jason Dixon was shown yellow, but they couldn’t capitalise on their numerical advantage.

In the final minutes of the first half, WP were guilty of conceding a number of penalties, but Swiel nonetheless slotted a penalty just before the break to creep up on the Kimberley side’s lead (12-10).

It took some time before the scoreboard got moving in the second half, with Swiel adding a penalty kick in the 53rd minute to take the lead (12-13).

The home team grabbed their first try when Andries Schutte went over (17-13), and they got their second when Gustav du Rand added his name to the score sheet