Windhoek Draught Griquas At Home to Blue Bulls
Windhoek Draught Griquas At Home to Blue Bulls
Windhoek Draught Griquas entertained the visiting Blue Bulls at Windhoek Draught Park, Saturday 13 May 2023, in cold, overcast conditions.
The visitors got the match underway, playing with the wind in the first half. The home side were doing most of the defensive work, but did have two or three fair backline movements. However Bulls scrumhalf, Embrose Papier, gathered a loose ball and burst clear without a defender in sight. dotting down for Chri Smith to convert.. Griquas came back with a brilliant line movement involving Rosco Spekman who was brought down, after a virtual 100 meter dash,just 8 meter short of the tryline. But the hosts received a penalty in front of the posts halfway between the twenty two meter and tryline, easily converted by taking Lubabalo Dobela, the score to 7-3, to the visitors. Johan Grobbelaar, scored the Bulls second try, in the 30th minute before eighth man, Elrigh Louw, scored as the first half reached its conclusion with the Bulls 19-3 in front.at the halftime break.
Griquas will get the proceedings under way in the second half playing with the wind and hopefully things would improve for them in this half. Unfortunately not, as the Bulls score their bonus point try, thanks to a second try from Grobbelaar from. a lineout five meters in from the near side touchline, very well converted by Chris Smith, taking the score to 26-3. Griquas made a runaway comeback in the 5th minute of the second half with an intercept try, by Johan Mulder, the conversion sailing past the uprights, 26-8. Bulls were now running away with the game after their left wing, Marco Jansen van Vuuren, scored a try converted by Smith, score now 33-8. Centre Jay-Cee Nel was on hand to deliver the second try for the Griquas thanks to some fine interplay from the home team, the conversion sailed between the uprights, taking score to 33-15. Once again, Griquas are playing catchup rugby, but the Bull’s defence was holding out. However the hosts managed a pushover try, by Stephan Smit, with 4 minutes left in the game, the conversion by Ndobela going wide, score 33-20. The writing was on the wall when the visitors had the final say with a try by Simphiwe Matanzima under the posts,converted by Chris Smith, taking the final score 40-20.
POINT SCORERS
Windhoek Draught Griquas: Tries; Johan Mulder, Jay-Cee Nel and Stephan Smit, Conversion; Lubabalo Dobela. Penalty;: Lubabalo Dobela
Vodacom Bulls:Tries: Embrose Papier, Johan Grobbelaar (2), Elrigh Louw, Marco Jansen van Vuren and Simphiwe Matanzima. Conversions: Chris Smith (5)