ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Sunday 1.00PM.
SPRINGBOK wonderboy flyhalf Gaffie du Toit again delivered the goods to steer Griqualand West to a 23-17 victory over Natal at King’s Park in Durban on Saturday.
Du Toit, who came on as a substitute in the second half, drilled two drop-goals through the posts in the 64th and 84th minutes to deny a lacklustre Natal side victory. The Natalians started well, with eighth man Dieter Kriese scoring a try in the fifth minute, but Natal were lulled into a false sense of security, to which Griquas responded mercilessly.
The men from Kimberley, who were playing without their stalwart skipper Luther Bakkes, did not enjoy much possession, but the boot of Du Toit made up for the shortcomings in the first half. Robert Markram scored for Griquas in the 62nd minute after Du Toit found touch from a penalty — the ball was played wide and Markram stepped inside Andre Joubert to cross the line. Boeta Wessels scored in the first half.
On the Natal side, Wallaby flyhalf David Knox still needs to gel with the team, who were sometimes at sixes and sevens with his tactics. Andre Joubert played well, as did winger Shaun Payne, who scored in the 55th minute.
Northern Free State were mauled 54-9 by the Golden Lions in a Currie Cup match played at Ellis Park on Saturday. The Free Staters were completely outplayed and speedy winger Jaco Louw celebrated his return to the Lions in fine style, scoring two tries. Fullback Kobus Engelbrecht also capitalised on the opposition to score 24 points. *
The Blue Bulls gored a hapless North-West, scoring 12 tries in their 68-11 win at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday. *
The Mpumalanga Pumas lost their third succesive match in this year’s competition, going down 20-10 to the Gauteng Falcons in Witbank.