Griffons pip Welwitschias in try scoring fest
Down Touch Griffons edged the Welwitschias 66-59 (Halftime 26-19) at the HT Pelatona ProjeStadium in Free State on Saturday in a Currie Cup First Division match.
The high scoring encounter saw a total of 19 tries as the crowd were kept entertained for 80 minutes. Four first half tries by the home side saw allowed them to grab maximum points in the season opener. The Down Touch Griffons outscored the Welwitschias by ten tries to nine.
A hat-trick for inside centre Arthur-William Williams and a brace apiece for Selvyn Davids and Vuyo Mbotho was enough to earn the Griffons points.
The other tries for the Down Touch Griffons were scored by Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu and Andrew du Plessis. Tries for the visitors came via a hat-trick from Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim and Maharua Katjijeko.
Both sides came out firing in the opening quarter of the match. The home side sneaked ahead 19-7 after tries from Potgieter, Davids and Mbotho with Duan Pretorius converting two of the three tries. Welwitschias struck back via Booysen's five pointer following the earlier try from Tromp. Theuns Kotzé converting both tries to make it a five point game, 19-14.
It seemed like momentum was shifting away from the home side, but Williams scored the first of his three tries in the 16th minute. Pretorius' conversion extended the lead to 26-14. But it was the Namibian side who got the final say in the first half. Hooker Du Preez crashing over the try line, the subsequent conversion missed, 26-19. The scoreboard would remain at 26-19 as the players headed into the locker rooms for the halftime break.
In similar fashion to the first half, both sides made their intentions clear with a see-saw try scoring fest unfolding. Williams was the first to score as he darted over for his second.
The match would go back and forth with the Griffons maintaining the lead but were never allowed to dominate as the visitors restricted them at crucial moments.
Scores were tied at 45-all, with 25 minutes remaining on the clock. But Williams completed his hat-trick which Pretorius converted, 52-45. This lead was soon erased and scores were, once again, level, 52-52 as the match entered the last 20 minutes.
The visitors took the lead for the first time, six minutes later, via Katjijeko. The lanky lock muscled his way over and Kotzé added the extras, 52-59.
The home side sealed the match in the last ten minutes, Mbotho completed his brace. Du Plessis went over for the home side's tenth try, Pretorius converted as the final whistle two minutes later, 66-59.
Down Touch Griffons
Tries: Arthur-William Williams (3), Selvyn Davids (2), Vuyo Mbotho (2), Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu, Andrew du Plessis
Cons: Duan Pretorius (8)
Welwitschias
Tries: Darryl de la Harpe (3), Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim, Maharua Katjijeko
Cons: Theuns Kotze (7)
SuperSport
The high scoring encounter saw a total of 19 tries as the crowd were kept entertained for 80 minutes. Four first half tries by the home side saw allowed them to grab maximum points in the season opener. The Down Touch Griffons outscored the Welwitschias by ten tries to nine.
A hat-trick for inside centre Arthur-William Williams and a brace apiece for Selvyn Davids and Vuyo Mbotho was enough to earn the Griffons points.
The other tries for the Down Touch Griffons were scored by Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu and Andrew du Plessis. Tries for the visitors came via a hat-trick from Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim and Maharua Katjijeko.
Both sides came out firing in the opening quarter of the match. The home side sneaked ahead 19-7 after tries from Potgieter, Davids and Mbotho with Duan Pretorius converting two of the three tries. Welwitschias struck back via Booysen's five pointer following the earlier try from Tromp. Theuns Kotzé converting both tries to make it a five point game, 19-14.
It seemed like momentum was shifting away from the home side, but Williams scored the first of his three tries in the 16th minute. Pretorius' conversion extended the lead to 26-14. But it was the Namibian side who got the final say in the first half. Hooker Du Preez crashing over the try line, the subsequent conversion missed, 26-19. The scoreboard would remain at 26-19 as the players headed into the locker rooms for the halftime break.
In similar fashion to the first half, both sides made their intentions clear with a see-saw try scoring fest unfolding. Williams was the first to score as he darted over for his second.
The match would go back and forth with the Griffons maintaining the lead but were never allowed to dominate as the visitors restricted them at crucial moments.
Scores were tied at 45-all, with 25 minutes remaining on the clock. But Williams completed his hat-trick which Pretorius converted, 52-45. This lead was soon erased and scores were, once again, level, 52-52 as the match entered the last 20 minutes.
The visitors took the lead for the first time, six minutes later, via Katjijeko. The lanky lock muscled his way over and Kotzé added the extras, 52-59.
The home side sealed the match in the last ten minutes, Mbotho completed his brace. Du Plessis went over for the home side's tenth try, Pretorius converted as the final whistle two minutes later, 66-59.
Down Touch Griffons
Tries: Arthur-William Williams (3), Selvyn Davids (2), Vuyo Mbotho (2), Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu, Andrew du Plessis
Cons: Duan Pretorius (8)
Welwitschias
Tries: Darryl de la Harpe (3), Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim, Maharua Katjijeko
Cons: Theuns Kotze (7)
SuperSport
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article