The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Golden Lions bagged big wins in round two of the Rugby Challenge, while the Sharks XV got their first victory on Saturday.
The Pretoria side had too much on offer for the Welwitschias, beating the visitors 87-21 at Loftus Versfeld, while the men from Johannesburg found the trip to Wolmaransstad to their liking, beating Leopards 55-27.
Three hat-tricks were scored by the Gauteng neighbours – No 8 Jo-Hanko de Villiers and winger Madosh Tambwe dotting down three times for the Golden Lions, to join the mark set by Erich Cronje for the Bulls earlier in the day.
However, the defending champions from Nelspruit, the Pumas, had to bank on a late try to beat the Valke in Brakpan, while Griquas, twice runners-up in the competition, remained undefeated in the North Section by beating the Griffons in a hard-fought affair in Welkom.
There are only two undefeated teams left in the South Section, where the presence of 2017 champions, Western Province, looms large. They had the better of Border in East London on Saturday, while Boland kept their winning ways going by beating Free State XV in Paternoster.
The EP Elephants also got their first win under the belt by beating SWD Eagles in Port Elizabeth, while the Sharks XV outplayed the Zimbabwe Academy in Cape Town for their opening win of the competition.
Round 2 result:
North Section:
Griffons (26) – Tries: Jaywinn Juries, Neill Stannard. Conversions: Juries (2). Penalties: Juries (4).
Griquas (35) – Tries: Wendal Wehr, Andre Swarts, Anthony Volminck, AJ le Roux, Kwezi Mkhafu. Conversions: George Whitehead (2). Penalties: Whitehead (2).
Valke (19) – Tries: Marco Klopper, Anrich Richter, Coert Cronje. Conversions: Richter (2).
Pumas (26) – Tries: Devon Williams (2), Jeandre Rudolph, Marco Palvie. Conversions: Chris Smith (2), Kobus Marais.
Leopards (27) – Tries: Marius Stander, Johan Retief, Chriswill September, Eugene Hare. Conversions: Lincoln Daniels (2). Penalty: Daniels.
Golden Lions XV (55) – Tries: Jo-Hanko de Villiers (3), Madosh Tambwe (3), PJ Botha, Ulrich Maritz. Conversions: Jeanluc Cilliers (6). Penalty: Cilliers.
Blue Bulls (87)– Tries: Erich Cronje (3), Duncan Matthews (2), Ruan Steenkamp, Embrose Papier, Madot Mabokela, Fiela Boshoff, Travis Ismaiel, Vaughan Isaacs, Earll Douwrie, Nic de Jager. Conversions: JT Jackson (9), Isaacs (2).
Welwitschias (21) – Tries: Leneve Damans, Oderich Mouton, Adriaan Booysen. Conversions: Pieter Steenkamp (2), Cliven Loubser.
South Section:
Zimbabwe Academy (14) – Tries: Bisele Tshamala (2). Conversions: Jeremiah Jaravaza, Hilton Mudariki.
Sharks XV (36) – Tries: Murray Koster (2), Adam Mountford, Lunga Ncube, Connor Botha, Kwanda Dimaza. Conversions: Rhyno Smith (3).
Border Bulldogs (24) – Tries: Billy Dutton, Lonwabo Ntleki, Penalty Try. Conversions: Aphiwe Stemele (2). Penalty: Stemele.
Western Province (48) – Tries: Nico Leonard, Chad Solomon (2), Marco Redelinghuys, Cornel Smit, Craig Barry. Conversions: Abner van Reenen (6). Penalties: Van Reenen (2).
Boland Cavaliers (21) – Tries: Adriaan Ludick, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Michaine Fick. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (3).
Free State XV (10) – Tries: Jamba Ulengo, Boan Venter.
EP Elephants (59) – Tries: Mike Botha, Luvuyo Pupuma, Richmond Gora (2), Rynardt van Wyk, Mhlali Mpafi, Oliver Zono, Diego Williams, Meli Rokoua. Conversions: Zono (6), Ntabeni Dukisa.
SWD Eagles (31) – Tries: Ganfried May, Dillin Snel, Vuyo Mboto, Marquit September (2). Conversions: Gerhard Nortier, Divan Nel (2).
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
