Durban — Griquas coach Pieter Bergh this week said his team was finding the Currie Cup tougher than last year but his team stepped up on Friday to snap their losing run with a dramatic 25-21 defeat of the Lions in Kimberley.
It was a clash that was in the balance sometime after the hooter went, with the Lions pushing hard for a comeback win, but the home team scrambled bravely on defence to hang on for the win.
🎙️ "They are the Griquas, they are gargantuan!"
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 5, 2023
Massive defence right at the death sees Pieter Bergh's men hold on to beat the Lions 25-21 in their #CurrieCup clash 🍿 pic.twitter.com/VEkxqxlAq6
Bergh reckons the smaller unions are not as dominant as last year — when his team made the final against the Pumas — because the United Rugby Championship teams are releasing more players to the domestic competition.
Griquas have indeed been struggling but they came out a different team on Friday afternoon and after just four minutes they had scored thanks to a strong finish by centre Jay-Cee Nel.
It was 14-0 after as many minutes when flank Hanru Sirgel barged over, with flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela having converted both tries.
Griquas conceded a penalty try to allow the visitors back into the match before scrumhalf Johan Mulder darted through the defence for his team’s third try.
The Lions were never going to lie down and early in the second half it was arguably their player of the Currie Cup season, flanker JC Pretorius who snatched a vital try and Tiaan Swanepoel’s conversion cut the score to 19-14.
The Lions grew stronger as the half wore on and it was almost inevitable when they scored their third try via hooker Morne Brandon and Swanepoel’s conversion nudged them into the lead for the first time at 21-19 with 20 minutes to go.
With 15 minutes remaining, Dobela struck a beautiful 45m penalty to restore the Griquas lead, albeit a slender one at 22-21, but he consolidated it with eight minutes to go with another well-taken penalty.
Griquas replacement prop Sean Swart was yellow-carded with five minutes to go for reckless entry to a ruck to open the door for the Lions and they needed no second invitation. From the resulting pressure on the Griquas line, substitute flyhalf George Whitehead fumbled and the Lions had the put-it at the five-metre scrum as the hooter went.
But almost five minutes of heroic defence later, the 14-men Griquas team was victorious.
Point-scorers
Griuqas 25— Tries: Jay-Cee Nel, Hanru Sirgel, Johan Mulder. Conversions: Lubabalo Dobela (2). Penalties: Dobela (2)
Lions 21 — Tries: Penalty try, JC Pretorius, Morne Brandon. Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (3)
IOL Sport