Six try Griquas beat Boland in Currie Cup

Elgar Watts turned in a superb performance as Griquas ran in six tries to dispatch Boland 46-22 in the Currie Cup on Thursday night.

Ultimately it was the home side’s pack that were just too strong and well organised at Griqua Park as they dominated the Cavaliers in every aspect.

Inside centre Clinton Swart also had a superb game with the boot as he scored 21 points through a try, five conversions and two penalties while missing just his first attempt at goal.

The Griquas forwards laid the foundation and provided a surfeit of front-foot ball that allowed the backs to take full advantage, and it was experienced flyhalf Watts who ran the show by varying his options cleverly and scoring two of his own tries as well.

Boland were on the back foot from the start as Griquas ran up an 11-0 lead within 16 minutes as it was that man Watts who sparked the opening try when he ran around the backs and through a long pass out to lively fullback AJ Coertzen, who hit the line hard and sped past flank Shaun McDonald to round off a lovely move.

Swart and Boland fullback Theuns Kotze had exchanged a few penalties as well, but matters worsened for the visitors when Griquas went on the rampage at a driving maul, and right wing Ederies Arendse finished easily in the corner for an 18-3 lead after 25 minutes.

The men from Wellington grew increasingly frustrated as they battled to win possession and were forced into making tackles most of the time, and the tension boiled over on the half-hour mark when Boland flank Shaun Adendorff was yellow-carded for a dangerous “slam” tackle on prop Devon Martinus.

Griquas capitalised immediately as Watts brushed off an attempted tackle from opposite number Adriaan Carelse to score under the posts.

With a 25-3 half-time lead, the home side were never going to lose it from that position, but they didn’t relax as they ran in three more second-half tries to Swart, Watts and flank Wendal Wehr to quickly build up a 46-10 lead.

Boland eventually got over the line through captain and hooker Clemen Lewis from a driving maul in the 51st minute, and replacement wing Craig Pheiffer and Carelse got two more consolation tries, but they were hopelessly outclassed by the home team, who moved up to third on the Currie Cup log behind the Sharks and Cheetahs.

Final Score Griquas 46 Boland 22

Scorers

Griquas
Tries: AJ Coertzen, Ederies Arendse, Elgar Watts (2), Clinton Swart, Wendal Wehr.
Conversions: Clinton Swart (5). Penalties: Clinton Swart (2)

Boland Cavaliers
Tries: Clemen Lewis, Craig Pheiffer, Adriaan Carelse.
Conversions: Theuns Kotze, Adriaan Carelse.
Penalties: Theuns Kotze